People & Talent Specialist

People And Talent Specialist

Catalyzing a cleaner future.

At ESS, our mission is to accelerate global decarbonization by providing safe, sustainable, long-duration energy storage that powers people, communities, and businesses with clean, renewable energy anytime and anywhere it's needed. As more renewable energy is added to the grid, long-duration energy storage is essential to providing the reliability and resiliency we need when the sun is not shining and the wind is not blowing.

Our technology uses earth-abundant iron, salt, and water to deliver environmentally safe solutions capable of providing up to 12 hours of flexible energy capacity for commercial and utility-scale energy storage applications. Established in 2011, ESS Inc. enables project developers, independent power producers, utilities, and other large energy users to deploy reliable, sustainable long-duration energy storage solutions.

ESS is seeking a dynamic and resourceful People and Talent Specialist to support our growing organization. This role will own and manage the full recruitment lifecycle for all positions across the company while also contributing to broader HR initiatives, employee experience programs, and day-to-day People operations.

Talent Acquisition

• Own and manage the full-cycle recruitment process for all open positions across the organization.
• Partner closely with hiring managers to understand workforce needs, competencies, and team dynamics.
• Develop and execute targeted sourcing strategies to attract high-quality talent.
• Proactively source candidates through job boards, LinkedIn, industry associations, networking events, and direct outreach.
• Conduct candidate screenings, coordinate interviews, and guide hiring teams through structured selection processes.
• Ensure a professional, inclusive, and positive candidate experience from initial outreach through offer and onboarding.
• Manage offer development and support compensation discussions in partnership with leadership.
• Maintain recruitment metrics, reporting, and accurate tracking within the Applicant Tracking System (ATS).
• Continuously improve recruiting processes, tools, and employer branding initiatives.

People Operations & HR Projects

• Support onboarding and new hire orientation to ensure smooth integration into the organization.
• Maintain employee records and ensure HRIS data integrity.
• Assist with performance management processes and employee engagement initiatives.
• Support compliance efforts, audits, and policy documentation updates.
• Participate in cross-functional People projects and continuous improvement initiatives.

Provide general HR administrative support as needed.

What you bring to the table.

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or related field (or equivalent experience).
• 3+ years of HR experience, with demonstrated background in managing full-cycle recruitment for technical, engineering, or operations roles.
• Experience with Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) and HRIS platforms (i.e., ADP).
• Knowledge of employment laws and HR best practices.
• Strong organizational and project management skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities.
• Attention to detail and administrative accuracy.
• Excellent interpersonal, communication, and relationship-building skills.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and exercise sound judgment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience recruiting for manufacturing, energy, and/or utility companies is strongly preferred.
• HR certification (e.g., SHRM-CP, PHR).

Benefits of working at ESS.

In addition to the value of working with and helping grow a global reaching clean technology, ESS offers company assisted medical, dental and vision, HSA and FSA plans, 401k with company match, Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP), a generous Flexible Time Off (FTO) offering, and 8 paid holidays.

As an equal opportunity employer, we are open to considering every qualified candidate who is eligible and legally authorized to work in the United States on a full or part-time basis, without need for sponsorship.

ESS