Payroll and Benefits Specialist – Hayward, CA (Hybrid)
About the Opportunity
Meadowhawk Biolabs is seeking a highly motivated and dynamic Payroll and Benefit Specialist to work within the Finance and Human Resources Team at our Hayward, CA location to perform payroll, benefit, and compensation activities in a fast-paced team environment. The ideal candidate is driven, hardworking, willing to learn, dedicated, and passionate about science. Given that we are a newly launched Contract Research Organization (CRO) founded by an experienced team of industry veterans, this ground floor position offers unique opportunities for the successful candidate to contribute meaningfully to the creation and development of our services, to expand their knowledge base by participation in multidisciplinary teams, and to advance their career in capabilities and responsibilities.
Roles and Responsibilities:
· Payroll Administration
o Process bi-weekly multi-state payroll accurately and timely for all employees.
o Review and manage all time and labor recording and reporting.
o Create and maintain payroll department SOP library.
o Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local payroll laws and regulations.
o Partner with HR and Finance to reconcile payroll data and resolve discrepancies.
· Benefit Administration
o Administer employee benefits including health insurance, retirement plans, HSA/FSA, COBRA, and leave programs.
o Assist employees with benefits enrollment and ongoing inquiries.
o Consult with benefits brokers and third-party administrators.
o Prepare reconciliations and process payments for all benefits.
o Support benefits compliance activities, including ACA reporting, 5500 filings, and nondiscrimination testing.
· Compensation Support
o Assist in the development and implementation of compensation structures, merit increases, and incentive programs.
o Maintain compensation data and support the annual compensation planning process.
o Prepare sales commissions and bonus calculation and payments.
· Tax and Compliance Reporting
o Set up and manage all local/state/province/country tax jurisdictions.
o Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local payroll, benefits, and compensation regulations.
o Prepare and submit required filings and reports such as ACA, 5500, and EEO-1
o Assist with internal and external audits related to payroll, benefits, and compensation.
· Data Analysis and Reporting
o Build and maintain Excel models and dashboards for payroll, benefits, and compensation reporting.
o Analyze trends, costs, and usage to support strategic recommendations.
o Provide regular and ad-hoc reports to HR, Finance, and leadership.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
· Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Accounting, Finance, or related field.
· 3-5 years of experience in payroll, benefits, or compensation administration.
· Strong proficiency in Microsoft Excel (e.g. Vlookup, Pivot Tables, nested formulas, conditional formatting, etc.)
· Experience with Paylocity or other HRIS platforms
· Knowledge of federal and California state labor laws and payroll regulations.
· High attention to detail and confidentiality.
· Strong analytical and problem solving skills
· Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
· Ability to self-organize, multi-task and to operate effectively without day-to-day oversight.
· Demonstrates good judgement, high integrity and trust while accepting responsibility for one’s actions.
Personal Attributes:
In addition to the attributes described above, the ideal candidate will be highly collaborative, open-minded, self-aware, flexible, data-driven and objective in its evaluation, persistent and optimistic in the face of challenges and uncertainty, and willing to make decisions and take ownership for assigned responsibilities.
Compensation:
The starting target salary for this position is between $80,000 - $98,000 per year. The specific rate for this position may vary and will be based upon factors including, but not limited to the individual’s experience, education, and skills. In addition to wages, Meadowhawk Biolabs provides a full benefits package upon hire date.
About Meadowhawk Biolabs:
Meadowhawk Biolabs is a newly launched and well-funded CRO founded by industry veterans with operations based in the two dominant US Biohubs – Boston & San Francisco. Driven by a set of clear company values, Meadowhawk Biolabs seeks to make a difference and be the partner of choice with its pharmaceutical and biotech clients in their quest to bring new therapeutics and treatments to market. Launching from our greenfield start, we seek to provide our clients with the highest quality data with fast turnaround times and unrivaled client service while maintaining a focus upon technology, scientific and operational innovation.
At Meadowhawk Biolabs, our ultimate success is dependent upon building the best possible team of employees. We seek to create an environment where we celebrate our differences and value the power of diversity among our employees. We embrace cultural, social, and cognitive diversity because we understand that ultimately our success is enabled by working together.