HR Operations Specialist II

Firefly Aerospace is a space and defense technology company on a mission to reliably and repeatedly launch, land, and operate space systems from Earth to the Moon and beyond. As the partner of choice for critical space missions, Firefly is the first commercial company to launch a satellite to orbit with 24‑hour notice and the first company to achieve a successful Moon landing.

Headquartered in north Austin, Texas, Firefly is looking for passionate, hardworking innovators to join our team and help fuel our successful trajectory into space.

The HR Operations Specialist plays a critical role in delivering a seamless employee experience across the employee lifecycle while supporting the administration of HR programs, systems, and processes. This position serves as a key partner to Payroll, Benefits, HRIS, Learning & Development, and Talent functions by coordinating onboarding, maintaining employee data integrity, supporting compliance initiatives, and providing operational support across the HR organization.

The ideal candidate is highly organized, customer-focused, detail-oriented, and comfortable working in a fast‑paced, high‑growth environment.

This position will be based 100% out of our corporate office in Cedar Park, TX.

• Coordinate and facilitate new hire onboarding and orientation programs.
• Manage pre‑employment processes including background checks, I‑9 compliance, and new hire documentation.
• Process employee lifecycle transactions including hires, transfers, promotions, compensation changes, and terminations.
• Coordinate offboarding activities and ensure completion of required documentation and system updates.
• Maintain employee records and ensure data accuracy across HR systems.
• Serve as a primary point of contact for employee HR inquiries and direct employees to appropriate resources.

• Monitor and maintain HR inboxes and employee service requests.
• Support HR compliance activities including audits, reporting, document retention, and recordkeeping.
• Prepare employment verification requests and unemployment claim documentation.
• Assist with policy administration and communication efforts.
• Support annual compliance initiatives and special projects.
• Support equity administration by coordinating employee exercise documentation, collecting and tracking required paperwork and payments, maintaining accurate records, and partnering with the Equity Administrator to ensure timely and accurate processing of equity transactions.

• Assist employees with benefit enrollment questions and navigation of benefit resources.
• Support open enrollment administration and employee communications.
• Assist with leave administration tracking and documentation.
• Coordinate with third‑party vendors and internal stakeholders to ensure timely processing of employee requests.

• Perform routine audits of employee data and HR transactions.
• Support HRIS testing activities and system implementations.
• Generate standard HR reports and metrics.
• Maintain HR process documentation and standard operating procedures.
• Identify opportunities to improve HR processes and employee experience.

• Participate in cross‑functional projects related to HR operations, systems, compliance, and process improvement.
• Support organizational initiatives and department priorities as assigned.
• Support HR leadership as required in various administrative functions such as exit interviews, employee relations, and other projects.

Required

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or related field, or equivalent experience.
• 3+ years of HR administration, HR operations, or HR coordinator experience.
• Experience supporting employee lifecycle processes.
• Strong attention to detail and organizational skills.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Excel and HR systems.
• Ability to handle confidential information with discretion.
• Experience with Workday or other enterprise HRIS platforms.
• Experience supporting payroll, benefits, and/or leave administration.
• Experience in a public company, manufacturing, aerospace, or high‑growth environment.
• PHR…