HR Generalist / Senior HR Generalist at Commonwealth Center For Advanced Manufacturing – Disputanta, Virginia

Position Summary

The HR Generalist supports the full employee lifecycle by administering payroll, benefits, orientation, onboarding, employee relations, talent acquisition, learning and development programs, and compliance initiatives. This role ensures accurate and timely HR operations while serving as a strategic partner to employees and managers. The HR Generalist provides coaching to supervisors, supports performance management practices, assists with workforce planning, and contributes to organizational development.

The position may be filled at either the HR Generalist or Senior HR Generalist level depending on experience.

Key Responsibilities

Payroll & HR Operations

• Process and reconcile bi-weekly payroll for non-exempt employees and monthly payroll for exempt employees.
• Maintain payroll accuracy by auditing timesheets, resolving discrepancies, and applying correct pay codes.
• Partner with Finance to support payroll reporting and year-end processes.

Compliance & Employee Records

• Complete and maintain I-9 verification, including audits and E-Verify processing.
• Ensure compliance with federal and state employment laws, federal contracting requirements, and internal policies.
• Manage required HR documentation, digital records, and personnel files.

Talent Acquisition

• Manage full-cycle recruiting, including sourcing, screening, interviewing, coordinating candidate selection, and handling candidate negotiations.
• Partner with hiring managers to define staffing needs, job requirements, and competencies.
• Maintain applicant tracking and recruiting data in HRIS (Paylocity).
• Support workforce planning initiatives and employer branding.

Onboarding, Orientation & Offboarding

• Conduct new hire orientation and lead the full onboarding experience, ensuring seamless integration into learning resources and required trainings.
• Set up new employees in HRIS, HSI, and Benefits systems.
• Coordinate onboarding schedules, materials, and training assignments.
• Support exit interviews, documentation, and offboarding workflows.
• Conduct 30/60/90 day employee check-ins.

Benefits & Leave Management

• Coordinate benefits enrollment, changes, and employee inquiries.
• Support administration of FMLA, short-term disability, workers’ compensation, ADA, and other leave programs.

Learning & Development

• Coordinate and support learning and development initiatives, including compliance training, professional development programs, and skills-based workshops.
• Partner with managers to identify training gaps and development needs.
• Track and maintain accurate training records within the HRIS & HSI.
• Help develop training materials, SOPs, and educational resources.
• Assist in defining career development pathways and supporting internal mobility.

Employee Relations & Strategic HR Support

• Serve as the first point of contact for employees needing HR support or guidance.
• Provide coaching and support to supervisors on employee relations matters, documentation, and performance expectations.
• Conduct initial fact-finding for employee concerns and support resolution strategies.
• Assist with performance management cycles, including goal setting, evaluations, and development planning.
• Support workforce planning activities such as role definition, competency identification, and staffing recommendations.
• Promote a positive, inclusive, and collaborative workplace culture.

Systems, Reporting & Policy Development

• Utilize Paylocity for HRIS, payroll, onboarding workflows, L&D tracking, performance documentation, and reporting.
• Assist with HR policies, procedures, and SOPs.
• Generate dashboards and reports for HR metrics, workforce analytics, compliance data, and training activity.
• Recommend and implement process improvements to enhance HR operations and employee experience.

CCAM is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. CCAM does not discriminate in employment opportunities or practices on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, or veteran status.

Company Overview:

CCAM is the center of an ecosystem of collaboration with industry, government, and academia that is focused on helping manufacturers solve real world problems. CCAM works with its partners to develop and deploy new technologies that advance manufacturing and deliver business value. For many companies, joining CCAM can be the difference between being in front of new technology or behind the curve.

Our research focuses on building intelligence in manufacturing processes and systems by bringing experienced, multi-disciplinary teams together with advanced digital systems and manufacturing process capabilities as well as new technology to solve industrial challenges. Whether through new process development, process improvement, new technology development and insertion, system integration and automation, or advanced analytics and AI development, our teams deliver real, usable results. Active research threads include flexible and distributed manufacturing, adaptive automation, cooperative processing, advanced coatings systems, and intelligent repair and replacement through new technologies.

As an applied research center, CCAM has a very strong, multi-disciplinary resident staff that includes research scientists and engineers, skilled industrial technicians, university faculty, and engineering interns and graduate students. These teams work collaboratively with one another as well as with partner organizations to build new and effective approaches to challenges. Our teammates are highly skilled and innovative problem solvers that are focused on delivering value to our customers every day.

Benefits Overview:

• Health, Dental, Vision insurance plan options; eligible on first of month following date of hire.
• HRA – Health Reimbursement Account (employer funded, covers a portion of the medical deductible).
• FSA– Flexible spending Account (employee funded, pre-tax).
• 401k Retirement Plan – Employer contributes 3% of base salary monthly; additional discretionary match up to 7.5% determined annually (starting 6 months after start).
• Life, Accidental Death & Dismemberment, Short Term Disability, and Long-Term Disability insurance (employer funded).
• 3 weeks paid vacation.
• 2 weeks paid maternity/paternity/adoption leave.
• Tuition Reimbursement up to $5250.00 per year.

Required Qualifications (HR Generalist)

• Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or related field—or equivalent experience.
• 3+ years of professional HR experience across multiple HR functions.
• Experience processing payroll for exempt and non-exempt employees.
• Experience with Paylocity or another HRIS.
• Knowledge of benefits administration, FMLA, workers’ compensation, and HR compliance.
• Proficient understanding of federal and state employment laws.
• Experience supporting employee relations, learning and development coordination, or performance management preferred.
• Strong attention to detail, confidentiality, and organizational skills.
• Ability to build productive working relationships at all levels.
• This position requires access to technology or intellectual property that is subject to export control requirements. Candidates must be qualified for such access without an export control license.

Preferred Qualifications (Senior HR Generalist)

• 5–7+ years of progressive HR experience with responsibilities spanning operational and strategic HR functions.
• Experience supporting federal HR compliance, including federal contracting requirements, OFCCP considerations, and reporting obligations.
• Experience conducting employee relations investigations and recommending solutions.
• Experience designing, implementing, or managing learning and development programs.
• Strong analytical skills with experience in HR reporting, data interpretation, and process improvement.
• HR Certification or Advanced degree in Human Resources or related field required
• Experience working in nonprofit environments.
• Experience managing 401(k) programs.

Individual Traits Key to Success at CCAM:

• Approaches work with a collaborative, team-first mentality; positive, proactive, with a can-do attitude.
• Genuine enthusiasm for the application of research to manufacturing processes.
• Excels at problem definition; able to work effectively with open ended or ambiguous problems and/or applications.
• Self-driven and results-oriented, with a clear focus on high quality work performance.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, conveys ideas at both technical and non-technical levels; must be a good listener.
• Responsible and accountable; able to manage time, cost, and quality to meet project goals.
• Eager to gain new experience and learn new skills.