Talent & People Specialist (HR)

Position: Talent & People Specialist (HR)

Position Type: 6 month contract 

Department: People & Culture 

Location: Saltriver, Cape Town (Onsite) 

Experience: Human Resource Bachelors Degree with 2-4 years of relevant experience

Watchmaker Genomics is a global life science company based in Boulder, Colorado with an R&D and Production facility in Cape Town, South Africa. Our team is passionate about innovation and values collaboration, creativity, and scientific rigor. We believe that the intersection of biology, engineering, and computer science presents exciting opportunities for developing novel technologies that promote research and improve human health. Watchmaker Genomics specializes in the design, development, and production of DNA- and RNA-modifying enzymes that enable high-growth applications in genomics, molecular diagnostics, and personalized medicine.

Position Description

Watchmaker is inviting applications for the 6 month contract position of Talent & People Specialist based in Cape Town, South Africa. This position will report to the Manager, People & Culture. In this exciting role, you will be blending scientific level precision in HR operations with a passion for building a thriving high performance company culture.

The successful candidate will thrive in a dynamic, fast-paced working environment and contribute directly to our company culture and success. The position provides an opportunity to grow and develop as a manager, people and culture and gain valuable international experience in a group structure.

Responsibilities

• Recruitment : 
• First line support for recruitmentment activities which includes: 
• Managing job postings, screening candidates, scheduling interviews, preparing assessments, coordinating reference and backgrounds check, preparing employment contracts. 
• Onboarding and Offboarding: 
• Ensuring that new joiners integrate seamlessly by scheduling monthly onboarding sessions for all new joiners, preparing new joiner kits and ensuring that all new joiner forms are completed. 
• Ensuring that departing employees are offboarded professionally 
• Administration : 
•  Maintain accurate employee records in the various HR systems. 
• As and when required, help with processing employee data for payroll & benefits activation. 
• Culture and Employee Engagement 
• Actively foster a workplace environment / culture that provides inclusivity and collaboration. 
• Partner with the P&C Manager to support performance management, goal setting, quarterly reviews, and ad hoc opportunities for improvement and coaching
• Partner with the P&C Manager to support programs that drive a positive culture and Employee Engagement through onboarding programs, rewards and recognition programs. 
• Compliance: 
• Partner with the P&C team to improve and maintain HR policies, SOPS and necessary HR documents. Ensure adherence to policies and provide the training/ support to the organization. 

Please note:  The above responsibilities are not exhaustive.  Similar related responsibilities may be required from time to time.

Skills and Requirements

The candidate should have a Human Resource Bachelors Degree with 2-4 years’ experience in human resources. Experience in biotech and a start-up environment are highly desirable.

The following skills and experience are requirements for the position:

• Excellent organisational skills and attention to detail.
• The ability to multitask, be able to work at a high standard, perform consistently under pressure along with pre-determined deadlines and work without supervision.
• Strong interpersonal skills and an ability to work as an effective member of a team.
• Good communication and personal task management skills and a high level of self-motivation and initiative.
• Thorough knowledge of employment-related laws and regulations.
• A creative and disciplined approach to problem-solving.
• Experience with compensation and benefits aspect of human resources with proven success metrics.
• Knowledge of and experience with varied human resource information systems.

Education and Experience

• Bachelors or similar degree required with 2 to 4 years of Human Resource experience. 
• HR certification preferred.
• Proven full cycle recruitment experience a must.

Application Requirements 

To apply for the position, please submit the following in a PDF format on www.watchmakergenomics.com: 

• Letter of motivation (upload where it says cover letter)
• Resume or Curriculum vitae, highlighting relevant qualifications and experience

Applications without a Letter of Motivation will not be considered. Applicants must be South African or be eligible to work in South Africa and already possess the necessary work permits or visas, or be able to obtain them before responding to this vacancy.

To ensure your application is considered, please submit it by Friday, 25 September 2026 . Please note that this position may close earlier if we receive a high volume of applications. We encourage you to apply as soon as possible.

If selected to participate in the interview process, the names and contact information of three professional references who are able to assess your suitability for the position in terms of the specified requirements will be requested. We will also request a current payslip.

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NO RECRUITMENT AGENCIES PLEASE

We are only accepting direct applications for this position. We are not working with external recruiters or agencies at this time. Unsolicited resumes or candidate submissions from third-party recruiters will not be considered and will be deemed the property of Watchmaker Genomics

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SOUTH AFRICA - WE ARE AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY/AFFIRMATIVE ACTION EMPLOYER

Watchmaker Genomics is committed to being an equal opportunity employer and creating a culturally diverse environment. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability status, age, or veteran status or any other characteristics as protected by applicable law.

All applicants will be asked if they are currently eligible to work in South Africa.  South African citizens are preferred.

This position may be subject to pre-employment checks, including driving history check, drug screening and a background check for any convictions directly related to its duties and responsibilities. All pre-employment checks will comply with all applicable laws.

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