People Operations Specialist (freelance/contractor)

About Us

Axelera AI is not your regular deep-tech startup. We are creating the next-generation AI platform to support anyone who wants to help advancing humanity and improve the world around us.

In just three years, we have raised a total of $120 million and have built a world-class team of 180+ employees (including 55+ PhDs with more than 40,000 citations), both remotely from 11 different countries and with offices in Belgium, Switzerland, Italy, the UK, headquartered at the High Tech Campus in Eindhoven, Netherlands.

We have also launched our Metis™ AI Platform, which achieves a 3-5x increase in efficiency and performance, and have visibility into a strong business pipeline exceeding $100 million.

Our unwavering commitment to innovation has firmly established us as a global industry pioneer. Are you up for the challenge? Position Overview

We are looking for a numbers-savvy People Operations Specialist to keep our employee, benefits, and payroll data perfectly organised. If you love spreadsheets, thrive on detail, and enjoy turning messy inputs into crisp, on-time outputs, this role is for you!

You will be working in tandem with another People Operations Specialist, in an overall 8 people-strong and closely-knit People team based between the Netherlands, France and Italy. Key responsibilities:

• Data Preparation for Payroll & Finance
• Collect, verify, and organise employee data for payroll (new hires, salary changes, bonuses, PTO, equity updates) before handing over to Finance for execution.
• Ensure accuracy and completeness, tracking changes and maintaining data integrity across all records.
• Benefits Administration
• Administer employee benefits (healthcare, pensions, insurance) by enrolling, updating, and terminating employees as required.
• Liaise with providers to ensure benefits are correctly applied and premiums are tracked.
• HRIS & EOR Platform Management
• Maintain and update employee records in BambooHR, Deel, and Remote.com, ensuring all fields are filled correctly and documents are up to date.
• Generate accurate reports and automate processes to reduce manual tasks and improve efficiency.
• HR Admin Support
• Prepare contracts, amendments, and other HR documentation, ensuring smooth and timely processing when needed.
• Handle employee inquiries regarding benefits, pay, and other HR matters, ensuring quick and accurate responses.
• Process Optimisation
• Identify and implement improvements to current workflows, using tools like Excel, macros, or automations to reduce manual work while maintaining accuracy and timeliness.

Qualifications:

• 4+ years in HR administration, payroll data prep, or benefits coordination in a fast-paced environment.
• Advanced Excel skills: you’re comfortable with pivot tables, VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP, and basic formulas for data analysis and reconciliation. The skill will be tested in an exercise during interview process.
• Familiarity with more than one HRIS (BambooHR is a plus) and preferably contractor/EOR platforms (Deel, Remote.com).
• Fluent in English; Dutch/Italian/German fluency is a plus.
• Detail-oriented, process-driven, and able to work independently in a dynamic and evolving environment.
• Available to work in a hybrid mode from our Eindhoven office (1–2 days on-site per week, free lunch included!), preferably full time (40hrs/week) and eligible to invoice as an independent contractor in the NL.

This is a 6-month freelance/contractor position, with the possibilty to extend or transition to a permanent role upon the agreement from both sides.

At Axelera AI, we wholeheartedly embrace equal opportunity and hold diversity in the highest regard. Our steadfast commitment is to cultivate a warm and inclusive environment that empowers and celebrates every member of our team. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds to join us in shaping the future of AI.