Chief People Officer

About the company
Deep Origin is a biotech startup building an operating system for science that transforms how life science research is conducted. Led by Michael Antonov, co-founder of Oculus, and backed by Formic Ventures, we are redefining the infrastructure behind modern drug discovery. Our AI-driven platform enables scientists to accelerate discovery, reduce cost, and bring breakthrough innovations to life faster. As we scale, overall excellence is a critical lever in advancing our mission to dramatically reduce disease and extend human healthspan.

About the role
Deep Origin is seeking an experienced and strategic Chief People Officer (CPO) to lead and evolve our People function during the company's active growth phase. This role will shape the company’s people strategy, culture, leadership development, and organizational effectiveness as we scale our global team of scientists, engineers, and operators.

The Chief People Officer will partner closely with the executive team to connect strategy, people, and operations, to develop organizational competencies, build scalable HR processes, a culture of learning and performance, strengthen leadership capabilities, and ensure that Deep Origin remains a high-performing, mission-driven organization. This role requires a balance of strategic thinking and hands-on execution in a fast-moving startup environment.

Requirements

• 10+ y of experience in senior People/HR leadership roles (VP People, Head of People, or Chief People Officer), ideally within high-growth technology or life sciences companies.
• Strong track record with international hiring and labor law compliance. Ability to build processes across different countries, cultures, and time zones.
• Proven track record of building scalable HR infrastructure and leading people strategy during periods of company growth.
• Strong experience in Learning & Development, specifically implementing new approaches from scratch. Experience with optimizing learning for stickiness.
• Strong expertise in organizational development, leadership coaching, culture building, and talent development.
• Good understanding of people, how they think, behave, and get motivated. Hands-on experience with building leaders at all levels and handling difficult HR situations.
• Experience partnering with executive teams to drive strategic organizational decisions.
• Ability to operate both strategically and hands-on in a fast-paced startup environment.
• Strong analytical mindset with experience using people data and metrics to inform decision-making.
• Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to influence and build trust across diverse teams.
• Desire to learn and develop.
• Experience scaling startups from 100 to 300+ people.  
• Location: San Francisco or ability to travel to San Francisco at least once a month for four days, plus ability to travel internationally at least twice a year.

Nice to have 

• Degree in Human Resources Management, Business Administration, Psychology, or Organizational Development.
• Experience in biotech, life sciences, or health/pharm industries.

Responsibilities

People Strategy & Organizational Design

• Develop and execute a comprehensive people strategy aligned with the company’s mission, growth trajectory, and long-term goals.
• Design scalable organizational structures, frameworks, and operating models that support innovation and operational excellence.

HR Infrastructure & Processes 

• Build and continuously improve core HR systems and processes, including performance management, employee lifecycle management, compensation frameworks, policies, and compliance across global teams.

Learning & Development & Talent Growth

• Partner with executives and managers to strengthen leadership capabilities across the organization. 
• Design and implement leadership development programs, coaching frameworks, and learning initiatives that support employee growth and internal mobility.
• Develop and execute a people engagement strategy aligned to growth goals.
• Lead initiatives that strengthen culture, belonging, and employee experience across teams.
• Coach leaders on performance, engagement, and team effectiveness. 
• Help to create a competency matrix and implement it across the organization. 

Culture & Employee Experience 

• Shape and nurture a strong company culture that reflects our values of ownership, excellence, and collaboration. 
• Drive initiatives that improve employee engagement, feedback systems, and overall employee experience.

Organizational Effectiveness

• Identify organizational challenges and opportunities through data-driven insights, workforce analytics, and feedback mechanisms. Implement solutions that improve productivity, collaboration, and team performance.

Executive Partnership

• Serve as a trusted advisor to the CEO, COO, and leadership team on people-related topics, including organizational planning, leadership dynamics, workforce scaling, and change management.
• Global HR Compliance & Risk Management
• Serve as executive owner of global HR compliance.

• Ensure adherence to US federal, state, and local employment regulations.
• Oversee employment classification standards, contractor compliance, and labor law alignment.
• Partner with legal and finance teams to mitigate employment risk.
• Establish compliance frameworks that support scalable U.S. and global growth.

Values & Working Style

• Ownership mindset – you take responsibility for building and improving systems that enable people and teams to perform at their best.
• Comfortable navigating ambiguity in a fast-moving startup environment.
• Strong collaborator who partners effectively with executives, managers, and cross-functional teams.
• Pragmatic and impact-driven, focused on building solutions that scale with the organization.

Why This Role Matters Now

Deep Origin is entering a phase where our scientific platform, engineering organization, and commercial capabilities must scale simultaneously. Building a leadership infrastructure that can support this growth is critical.

The Chief People Officer will play a defining role in shaping the company’s operating model, ensuring that as we grow, we maintain exceptional talent density, leadership effectiveness, and cultural coherence.

Benefits

• Opportunity to shape the future of health, longevity, and our ability to simulate life.
• Competitive compensation package with meaningful equity.
• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision coverage.
• Remote-friendly culture with optional onsite work.
• Annual team gatherings and company events.
• Free lunch, snacks, beverages, and onsite gym access (for in-office employees).