Senior Employee Relations Specialist

Senior Employee Relations Specialist

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Why choose between doing meaningful work and having a fulfilling life? At MITRE, you can have both. That is because MITRE people are committed to tackling our nation’s toughest challenges—and we’re committed to the long‑term well‑being of our employees. MITRE is a not‑for‑profit corporation chartered to work for the public interest, with no commercial conflicts to influence what we do. The research & development centers we operate for the government create lasting impact in fields such as cybersecurity, healthcare, aviation, defense and enterprise transformation.

We’re making a difference every day—working for a safer, healthier and more secure nation and world. Our workplace reflects our values. We offer competitive benefits, exceptional professional development opportunities, and a culture of innovation that embraces adaptability, collaboration, technical excellence and people in partnership. If this sounds like the choice you want to make, then choose MITRE and make a difference with us.

• Serve as the primary resource for addressing workplace behavior concerns, including misconduct, insubordination, harassment, discrimination and other violations of organizational standards.
• Conduct thorough, impartial investigations into employee complaints and allegations; gather documentation, interview involved parties, and make fact‑based determinations.
• Recommend appropriate corrective or disciplinary actions based on the severity of conduct and consistency with organizational precedent.

• Lead and support the progressive discipline process, ensuring consistency, documentation, and alignment with organizational policy and legal standards.
• Coach managers on documentation, feedback delivery, and performance conversations leading up to and including termination when necessary.
• Draft disciplinary letters, performance improvement plans (PIPs), final warnings and separation documents with legal and ethical rigor.

• Interpret and enforce employee handbooks, workplace policies, codes of conduct and behavior expectations.
• Stay current on federal, state and local employment laws and regulations related to workplace conduct, employee rights and employer responsibilities.
• Support periodic policy updates and ensure staff and supervisors are educated on key behavior‑related expectations.

• Provide employees with clear guidance on complaint procedures and behavioral expectations.
• Identify and mitigate risks related to employee behavior that may impact organizational health or safety.
• Collaborate with legal counsel when necessary on high‑risk or escalated matters.

• Develop and deliver trainings for supervisors on documentation, corrective action and respectful leadership practices.
• Promote early intervention and resolution strategies to address workplace concerns before they escalated.

• Maintain confidential and accurate records of all disciplinary and conduct‑related matters.
• Analyze trends in conduct or policy violations and provide leadership with data‑informed insights and recommendations.

• Typically requires a minimum of 5 years of related experience with a bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Employment Law, Business Administration or related field; or 3 years experience and a master’s degree; or a PhD with relevant experience; or an equivalent combination of related education and work experience.
• In‑depth understanding of employment law, workplace investigations and documentation best practices.
• Excellent written communication, including drafting investigative summaries and disciplinary documents.
• Proven skill in gathering facts, weighing evidence and applying sound reasoning to resolve complex workplace behavior issues.
• Excellent analytical and problem‑solving skills; able to gather and assess information to make sound decisions.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines in a fast‑paced…