Director of People Operations; HR

Who We Are

We are a team of scientists, engineers, technicians, and innovators dedicated to changing the world by developing medical isotopes to treat and eradicate cancer. We believe in building an environment where collaboration, curiosity, and camaraderie thrive. We also enjoy darts, cornhole, ping‑pong, chili cook‑offs, and other fun events that make our company a community where we make a life, not just a living.

You are inspired by developing team members to reach their greatest potential. Your job satisfaction is measured by the synergy you instill in cross‑functional team members, enabling them to achieve optimal outcomes. You model a learning environment and celebrate the journey as well as the destination. You wholeheartedly embrace leadership as a choice, a responsibility, and a remarkable privilege to positively impact the lives of others.

You are someone who believes that exceptional organizations are built by developing exceptional people, and you find purpose in creating environments where staff members and leaders can thrive. You are thoughtful, principled, emotionally intelligent, and highly collaborative, balancing empathy with accountability while building trust through consistency, transparency, and sound judgment.

You are naturally a systems thinker, translating vision into practical processes, scalable programs, and meaningful experiences that strengthen culture without creating unnecessary bureaucracy. At your core, you are authentic and disciplined. You are a coach at heart, energized by helping leaders grow, navigating complex conversations with humility and courage, and creating the context and clarity that enable high‑performing teams to succeed.

This role is a key member of the leadership team charged with operationalizing and advancing the vision, philosophy, and brand of the Chief People Officer. This role provides leadership across People Operations functions to ensure the organization’s people practices, systems, and experiences are aligned with Niowave’s mission, operational objectives, and foundational cultural principles.

• Embraces and models the Niowave Core Values of Teamwork, Courage, Integrity, and Upright Zeal
• Develops and maintains good relationships, gains the confidence of others, and works effectively in a multidisciplinary matrix environment
  • Understands how to integrate into a new team/organization
  • Appreciates the current state of systems and processes and exercises sound judgment in proposing and implementing improvements
  • Understands personal communication and learning styles and adapts approach to connect effectively with others
  • Displays excellent interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills
  • Possesses strong organizational and project management skills
  • Possesses a strong interest and ability to lead and develop staff members and teams
• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or related field or equivalent experience
• 12+ years progressive People Operations (HR) leadership experience including but not limited to:
  • Managing complex staff member relations matters
  • Employment law and operational HR practices
  • Organizational growth and operational scaling
  • HRIS optimization and people analytics
• 10+ years of leadership experience – managing and leading HR teams and departments, scaling them to the needs of the organizational mission and objectives
• Experience in one or more of the following:
  • Manufacturing
  • Regulated industries
  • Technical organizations
  • High‑growth operational environments

• Master’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or related field
• 15+ years progressive People Operations (HR) leadership experience
• 12+ years of leadership experience – managing and leading HR teams and departments, scaling them to the needs of the organizational mission and objectives
• SHRM‑SCP, SPHR, or related professional certification
• Experience in the following:
  • Manufacturing
  • Regulated industries
  • Technical organizations
  • High‑growth operational environments

• Full‑time position
• The company’s standard operating hours are Monday thru Friday 6:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. with production related activities requiring 24/7/365 shifts
• This position will have regular working hours Monday - Friday within the standard operating hours
• There is an expectation of adjusting working hours outside the standard hours to meet operational requirements
• Niowave has multiple locations within the Lansing area and travel between locations is expected in the role