"HR Associate"

Position Summary

Are you interested in a career in human resources? The Rice University Human Resources team offers an excellent opportunity to gain experience as a Human Resources Associate!

As a Human Resources Associate, you will be part of a high-energy, "can-do" HR Service Center team that provides first-level support to the community in HR-related matters such as onboarding, benefits, recruitment, and compensation. Typical duties include welcoming all visitors to the HR office, assisting new employees with onboarding activities, responding to general HR inquiries, resolving issues, and shepherding all employee personnel changes (salaries, title, promotions, etc.).

The ideal candidate will be interested in gaining valuable experience in human resources, have experience providing excellent customer service in a fast-paced environment, and be a proactive, team-oriented problem solver.

Workplace Requirements

This position is exclusively on-site, and all duties are to be performed in person at the Cambridge Office Building on Rice University campus. Per Rice policy 440, work arrangements may be subject to change.

Hourly Salary Range: $18.89 to $20.00. *Non-Exempt (hourly) positions under FLSA are eligible for overtime.

Minimum Requirements

• HS Diploma or equivalent
• Two (2) years of related experience (customer service, human resources coordinator, etc.)
  • *In lieu of the experience requirement, additional related education, above and beyond what is required, on an equivalent year for year basis may be substituted*
• Skills
  • Excellent customer service skills
  • Demonstrated ability to maintain confidentiality and effectively handle highly sensitive and personal information with sound judgment, tact, and discretion
  • Ability to quickly and effectively learn the HR systems, establish priorities, organize work, and meet deadlines
  • Ability to multi-task in a high-volume, fast-paced environment

Preferences

• Bilingual in English/Spanish
• Demonstrated experience in a high-volume customer service position, familiar with greeting and assisting customers while multi-tasking to keep a busy desk organized to meet deadlines
• Experience in records management, I-9 work authorization, data analysis, benefits or related field
• Ability to analyze and present data graphically, quantitatively, and qualitatively, including work with spreadsheets and databases

Essential Functions

• Provides high-quality customer service to the campus community, including students, staff, faculty, employee dependents, and prospective employees, ensuring a positive and professional HR experience
• Conducts new employee onboarding, including processing new hire documentation, completing Federal Form I-9, and coordinating background checks
• Responds to general HR inquiries, interprets and applies HR policies and procedures, resolves routine issues, and escalates complex matters to appropriate HR team members
• Completes employment verifications accurately and in a timely manner
• Reviews and processes HCM transactions for faculty, staff, and student employees (e.g., hires, assignment changes, pay changes, status updates, and terminations), ensuring accuracy and data integrity
• Maintains and audits employee records; partners with Benefits, Compensation, Payroll, Talent Acquisition, and HRIS to ensure transactions are complete, compliant, and properly documented
• Generates reports, conducts data audits, identifies discrepancies, and participates in data correction and process improvement efforts
• Develops and updates process documentation, job aids, and training materials to support consistency and knowledge sharing
• Performs other duties as assigned in support of HR operations

Special Instructions to Applicants: Please attach a resume and cover letter in the Supporting Documents section of the application, preferably in a PDF format to avoid any formatting issues.

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