Director of People and Culture

Job Description

We see the potential inside everything and everyone. Starting with you.

Orbem uses AI to industrialize MRI, delivering non-invasive insight into everything from fruits to eggs to the human body. We are transforming what is becoming the world’s largest biological dataset into actionable intelligence to reduce waste, increase quality, and accelerate the shift toward a more sustainable and healthier future.

Headquartered and founded in Munich, Germany, with an office now in Houston, Texas, our world-class team is scaling inside-out technology to transform how humanity sees and understands biological matter.

Help us see what’s possible. Join us.

Director of People and Culture (f/m/d)

Start Date: As soon as possible

Yearly Salary: €120,000 - €135,000 (fixed range, annual gross)

Stock Options: €120,000- €180,000

Benefits: Up to €5,000 annually

Work Model: Full-Time, Hybrid (Munich, Germany)

Your Role

Scaling culture doesn't happen by accident. At Orbem, we've spent last 6 years building something genuinely distinctive: a team of 200+ people from 40+ nationalities, united by rigorous science and a shared belief that biology, understood deeply enough, can make the world healthier and more sustainable.

Now we need someone to continue to scale that culture intentionally. We're growing deliberately, into the US, into new markets, toward 400+ people, and the risk at this stage isn't losing momentum. It's losing what makes us exceptional.

As our Director of People & Culture, you'll partner directly with our leadership team, lead a 10-person P&C team, and own the strategy that keeps Orbem's identity intact as the company grows. Not to preserve it in amber, but to build the people infrastructure that lets it grow without losing its integrity.

Your Day-to-Day

People Strategy, Global Workforce & Compliance

• Define and execute a global People strategy aligned with business goals.
• Balance local needs with global consistency across regions.
• Partner with leadership on headcount planning and team structures.
• Ensure compliance with German labor law and works council topics.
• Partner with external advisors for international employment topics.
• Build scalable and compliant people processes globally.
  
  

Attract, Retain, Develop

• Set and evolve the company-wide strategy for attracting, developing and retaining talent.
• Anticipate future leadership and skill needs as the business scales.
• Ensure leaders across Orbem build strong, sustainable teams.
  
  

Culture at Scale

• Scale Orbem’s culture intentionally through deliberate growth.
• Translate values into daily behaviours, decisions, and rituals.
• Support teams through change, ambiguity and growth phases.
• Ensure culture remains strong across locations and functions.
  
  

Team Leadership & Development

• Set a clear direction for the P&C team, grounded in Orbem’s values, and build an environment where people feel safe to challenge, contribute and do their best work.
• Develop the P&C team. Invest in their growth, raise the bar and build a function that leads by example.
• Coach the leadership team. Be the person our leaders turn to when hard people decisions need to be made well. Push them, support them and hold them to the same cultural standards as everyone else.
• Connect individual impact to company priorities.
• Build clear goal-setting and feedback processes.
• Define what great performance looks like at every level.
  
  

Job requirements

Your Experience And Skills

• Senior leadership experience in HR or People & Culture roles.

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• Proven track record in building People & Culture strategy in scaling companies.
• Strong experience managing and developing People & Culture teams, not just individual contributor HR.
• Hands-on by default. Comfortable rolling up your sleeves in a scaleup environment.
• Someone people genuinely want to hear from. Comfortable presenting to the full organization, fielding hard questions in an open forum and representing Orbem's culture publicly. Not a polished performer, but a trusted voice who can make 200+ people from 40 nationalities feel like they're part of the same conversation.
• Deep knowledge of German labor law and employee relations.
• Experience supporting global or multi-country organizations.
• Strong coaching skills and genuine interest in developing leaders.
  
  

Fit to Our Values

• We Own Every Challenge: we enjoy complexity and thrive under uncertainty.
• We Strive for Better: we seize any opportunity for growth and challenge the status quo. We are constantly learning and improving.
• We Imagine New Frontiers: we think beyond “doable” and “reasonable”. We design a sustainable and healthy future together.
  
  

What Makes You Stand Out

• You’ve been through major growth phases and know what good looks like on the other side.
• Leaders trust you and you’re comfortable influencing and supporting at the C-Suite level.
• You translate business strategy into simple, effective people systems.
• You build structure without killing speed or ownership.
• You bring clarity, calm, and momentum during change
  
  

What We Offer

International Environment

Interested in relocating to Germany? Check out our comprehensive Relocation Jobs in Germany page with detailed relocation packages and benefits.

• Join a team with 40+ nationalities across 5 continents, all driven by a shared purpose: shedding light on the world’s toughest challenges.
  
  

Comprehensive Benefits

• Stock Options: Share in Orbem’s success.
• Relocation Support: Seamless support for your move to Germany.
• Learning & Development: €1,750 annual budget for personal growth.
• Fitness Membership: Access to Urban Sports Club or Wellpass.
• Childcare Reimbursement: Support for Kita/Kindergarten fees.
• Deutschland Ticket: Full coverage of public transportation.
  
  

Work-Life Integration

• Flexible Hours & Home Office: Work when and where it suits you.
• WFH Perks: Get €185 to upgrade your home office + an external monitor on us!
• 30 Days Paid Leave: Plenty of time to recharge.
• Personal Leave: Flexibility for life’s important moments.
• Work From Anywhere: Experience new cultures and environments for up to 60 days per year.
  
  

Make a Difference

Join an ambitious, fast-growing team working on breakthrough technology. In our scale-up environment, you’ll have the freedom to lead your projects and make an impact. We provide a platform for you to explore, innovate, and define your vision for the future. At Orbem, we’re committed to helping you discover your strengths, and while we aim to teach you, we also want to learn from you.

Your Team

As the Director of People and Culture, you become part of our diverse and international team. Learn more about the team members, their work, and challenges here: https://orbem.ai/company/

At Orbem, we're committed to building a smart, diverse team, and we recognize that self-doubt can prevent talented individuals from applying. If you feel you don't meet every requirement, we'd love to hear from you anyway!