Department HR Specialist

Education Programs. We are responsible for coordinating and servicing all personnel actions, from recruitment to retirement, and maintaining official personnel records for the College.

You Belong Here! At NC State, our goal is for all employees to reach their fullest potential at work. As you consider this opportunity, we encourage you to review our Employee Value Proposition (https://news.hr.ncsu.edu/you-belong-here/) and learn more about what makes NC State the best place to learn and work for everyone.

Wolfpack Perks and Benefits

As a Pack member, you belong here, and can enjoy exclusive perks designed to enhance your personal and professional well-being. As you consider this opportunity, we encourage you to review our Employee Value Proposition and learn more about what makes NC State the best place to learn and work for everyone.

What we offer:

• Medical, Dental, and Vision
• Flexible Spending Account
• Retirement Programs
• Disability Plans
• Life Insurance
• Accident Plan
• Paid Time Off and Other Leave Programs
• 12 Holidays Each Year
• Tuition and Academic Assistance
• And so much more!

Attain Work-life balance with our Childcare benefits, Wellness & Recreation Membership, and Wellness Programs that aim to build a thriving wolfpack community.

*Disclaimer: Perks and Benefit eligibility is based on Part-Time or Full-Time Employment status. Eligibility and Employer Sponsored Plans can be found within each of the links offered.

Essential Job Duties

Reporting to the HR Strategy Partner, the HR Specialist provides comprehensive human resources support to the College of Engineering within an HR Operating Hub service-delivery model. The position coordinates and administers a broad range of HR activities across multiple academic departments, including employee classification and personnel actions, recruitment and onboarding, performance management, time and leave administration, visa sponsorship, employee records, and faculty-related processes. The role requires careful handling of confidential and sensitive information while maintaining accurate, timely, and consistent HR services.

In this role, you will independently manage HR processes from initiation through completion, balancing competing priorities and deadlines across multiple departments. You will serve as a key resource to faculty, staff, students and department leadership by interpreting and applying HR policies and procedures across different employee classifications, coordinating with College and University partners, and communicating complex information clearly. Your attention to detail, sound judgment, professionalism, and commitment to responsive service will help ensure employees and departments receive consistent and effective HR support.

Key Responsibilities & Scope

• Full-Lifecycle Personnel Administration: Manage end-to-end HR actions across all employee classifications (Tenured/Tenure Track and Professional Faculty, Staff, Post-docs, Unpaid Affiliations, temporary and Students).
• High-Stakes Academic Actions: Facilitate complex faculty processes, including Phased Retirement, Scholarly Leave assignments, Emeritus requests, and Tenure Clock extensions.
• Advanced Consultation & Problem Solving: Serve as a departmental authority on HR compliance; independently research and resolve non-standard personnel, payroll, and leave issues.
• Strategic Partnering: Working with the HR Strategy Partner, collaborate with Department Heads and Directors to translate complex University policies into clear, actionable advice while anticipating workflow bottlenecks.
• International Employment: Serve as the primary contact for non-immigrant international visa sponsorships (J-1, H-1B), managing submissions and monitoring end-dates to prevent gaps in work authorization.
• Payroll, Compensation & Leave: Oversee complex WolfTime leave management (biweekly and monthly), serve as the primary initiator for Additional Pay and Summer Salary, review the overpayment process and ensure payroll lockout compliance.
• Team Guidance & Process Optimization: Provide on-the-job training and advanced troubleshooting for Journey-level specialists, evaluating Hub workflows to improve service delivery.
• Records Governance & Approvals: Serve as the final HR approval authority for graduate student appointments and maintain official department records in accordance with retention policies.

Other Responsibilities:

Other duties as assigned across the hub

Minimum Experience/Education:

Bachelor's degree; or an equivalent combination of training and experience.

All degrees must be received from appropriately accredited institutions.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree or an equivalent combination of training and experience from an accredited institution.
• Demonstrated ability to independently research, fact-find, and creatively solve complex HR challenges with sound judgment and discretion.
• Outstanding verbal and written communication skills with experience interpreting complex policies for diverse audiences.
• Proven ability to manage competing priorities and high-volume deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
• Direct HR experience within NC State University, including working knowledge of NC State personnel policies and enterprise systems (PeopleSoft, WolfTime, PeopleAdmin).
• Hands-on experience coordinating J-1 and H-1B visa sponsorships and federal compliance.
• Prior experience in a higher education, research, or HR Shared Services/Hub environment.

Required License or Certification:

N/A

Valid NC Driver's License required:

No

Commercial Driver's License Required?:

No

Job Open Date:

09/21/2026

Earliest Close Date---- (Positions will be posted until 5:00 PM ET on this date. Positions remaining posted after this date are still accepting applications but may close at any time.):

09/28/2026

Special Instructions:

Applicants should submit a resume, cover letter and full contact information for three professional references.

Position Number:

00109687

Position Type:

SHRA

Position Classification Band Title:

Human Resources Specialist

Position Classification Band Level:

Advanced

Position Classification Salary Range:

$ 34,320 - $ 70,983

Salary Grade Equivalency:

NC09

Alternate Option:

If no applicants apply who meet the required competency level and training & experience requirements, then management may consider other applicants. Salary would be determined based on competencies, equity, budget, and market considerations.

Full Time Equivalent (FTE) (1.0 = 40 hours/week):

1.0

Appointment:

12 Month Recurring

Mandatory Designation - Adverse Weather:

Non Mandatory - Adverse Weather

Mandatory Designation - Emergency Events:

Non Mandatory - Emergency Event

Time Limited Position:

No

Department Id:

140101 - College Of Engineering - Dean's Office/Administration

EEO:

NC State University is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive equal opportunities for employment without regard to age, color, disability, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, and veteran status. The University encourages all qualified applicants, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities, to apply. Individuals with disabilities requiring disability-related accommodations in the application and interview process are welcome to contact 919-513-0574 to speak with a representative of the Office of Equal Opportunity.

If you have general questions about the application process, you may contact Human Resources at (919) 515-2135 or workatncstate@ncsu.edu.

Final candidates are subject to criminal & sex offender background checks. Some vacancies also require credit or motor vehicle checks. Degree(s) must be obtained prior to start date in order to meet qualifications and receive credit.

NC State University participates in E-Verify. Federal law requires all employers to verify the identity and employment eligibility of all persons hired to work in the United States.

Organization

NC State: Think and Do

NC State was founded with a purpose: to create economic, societal and intellectual prosperity for the people of North Carolina and the country. We began as a land-grant institution teaching the agricultural and mechanical arts. Today, we're a pre-eminent research enterprise with 12 colleges excelling in all major academic fields.

Our 34,000 high-performing students take what they learn in the classroom and apply it in the real world by conducting research, working in internships and co-ops, and performing acts of world-changing service. That experiential education ensures that they leave here ready to lead the workforce. NC State's 13:1 student-faculty ratio is one of the reasons why we're the best college for your money in North Carolina (Money) and the No. 5 best value among public universities nationally (U.S. News & World Report).

Overcoming Challenges, Improving Lives

NC State is one of only two universities in the nation leading two National Science Foundation Engineering Research Centers — one developing wearable, self-powered health monitors, and the other researching smart-grid technology. We're also leading interdisciplinary efforts to curb nuclear proliferation, help farmers confront climate change and build a new American manufacturing sector.

Our research doesn't just get published in a journal or sit on a shelf; it makes an impact. NC State is No. 6 nationwide in commercialization agreements based on university research, and we're No. 2 among universities without a medical school. Our Cooperative Extension Service provides research-based information to citizens in all 100 North Carolina counties. In addition, our industrial extension unit — Industry Expansion Solutions — has created an economic benefit for the state's manufacturers averaging $149 million per year since 2005.

Bright Minds Creating a Bold Future

NC State's 9,000 faculty and staff are world leaders in their fields, bridging the divides between academic disciplines and training high-caliber students to meet tomorrow's challenges. NC State students won two Goldwater scholarships, five Fulbright scholarships, one Churchill scholarship and a record-breaking 25 National Science Foundation graduate research fellowships in the 2016-2017 academic year. In addition, 25 faculty are members of the National Academies.

Our Centennial Campus, an award-winning public-private research campus, is home to more than 70 partner organizations working alongside more than 70 NC State research and academic units. Centennial is also the location of the innovative Hunt Library, which Time magazine has dubbed “the library of the future.”

In Raleigh and Around the World

It all happens in one of the best cities in America. A top spot for job-seekers and tech professionals, Raleigh is nationally recognized as a leading urban center:

• No. 2 hot spot for tech jobs (Forbes, 2016)
• No. 3 best city for young professionals (Forbes, 2016)
• No. 4 best city for jobs (Glassdoor.com, 2017)
• No. 4 best place to live (U.S. News & World Report, 2016)
• Best big city in the Southeast (Time, 2016)
• Selected as a Google Fiber expansion city

With Durham and Chapel Hill, Raleigh anchors the Research Triangle, a national hotspot for high-tech enterprise. The top companies in the region — including IBM, Cisco Systems, SAS Institute, Biogen Idec and GlaxoSmithKline — are among the country's best employers. They also lead the way in hiring new NC State graduates.

More than 130 years after its creation, NC State continues to make its founding purpose a reality. Every day, our career-ready graduates and world-leading faculty make the fruits of learning and discovery available to people across the state, throughout the nation and around the world.