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HR Manager

About the Role

Starbird is a Tel Aviv-based startup building GPS-independent positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT) technology for defense and civilian markets. You will join a growing company working on new and exciting technology.

We are looking for a hands-on HR Manager to join our startup team and own the entire HR function, recruiting included. You will work directly with the management team, run full-cycle hiring for hardware and defense-tech roles, and build the HR processes and systems a growing company needs.

Location: Tel Aviv (hybrid) · Reports to: COO · Scope: Full-time

What You’ll Do

Recruiting (Main Focus)

  • Own full-cycle recruiting end to end: hiring plans with managers, job definitions, sourcing, screening, interviews, offers, and closing.

  • Proactively source hardware, RF, embedded, systems, and production talent, including candidates from defense primes and defense-tech startups.

  • Build a structured interview process, scorecards, and a pipeline that stays warm between hiring waves.

  • Manage recruiting agencies when needed, and own the candidate experience and employer brand.

HR Business Partnership

  • Build the HR and recruiting strategy based on the company’s work plan and roadmap, aligning HR practices with company objectives, including headcount planning and workforce forecasting.

  • Partner with the management team on organizational planning, performance reviews, compensation, and retention.

  • Coach managers and handle employee relations.

HR Operations

  • Own the employee lifecycle: onboarding, employment contracts, and offboarding.

  • Own our HRIS (BambooHR): data accuracy, policies, time off, and reports.

  • Prepare payroll inputs with our external payroll provider; manage benefits and pension.

  • Ensure compliance with Israeli labor law.

  • Coordinate security-clearance processes for defense roles with our security function.

  • Administer employee equity grants.

  • Run welfare and culture programs.

Requirements (Must Have)

  • 5+ years in HR, with at least 3 years owning full-cycle recruiting end to end, from sourcing to signed offer.

  • Proven experience recruiting for and working in hardware companies, including electronics, RF, embedded, and production.

  • Hands-on HRIS experience with BambooHR, HiBob, or a similar platform. You are comfortable with systems, data, and reports.

  • Generalist HR experience: onboarding, contracts, HR operations, and Israeli labor law.

  • A clear wish to work in a startup, side by side with the management team. Hands-on, independent, and comfortable without a large HR team around you.

  • Comfortable working closely with hiring managers and senior management, with the ability to influence them.

  • Fluent Hebrew and English.

Advantages

Significant Advantage

  • Experience in the defense industry, preferably at a defense-tech startup.

  • A track record of recruiting from the defense ecosystem: defense primes, government defense bodies, and military technology units.

Nice to Have

  • Familiarity with security-clearance processes for defense roles.

  • Experience recruiting in the US.

  • LinkedIn Recruiter and ATS experience.

  • Uses AI tools in day-to-day HR and recruiting work.