Back to jobs

Human Resources Generalist

Norwalk, Connecticut

ORGANIZATION BACKGROUND 

The Maritime Aquarium’s mission is to Ignite a connection to Long Island Sound and the ocean to enrich the lives of all people and inspire action to protect our blue planet. For 37 years, the Aquarium has played a significant role in shaping the landscape of Norwalk and the region. The second largest family attraction in Connecticut, and 50 miles from New York City, the Aquarium hosts nearly 450,000 guests annually. Its primary exhibits take guests on a voyage from the shallow salt marshes and estuaries to the depths of the Long Island Sound and the ocean beyond, culminating with habitats for sharks and harbor seals.  
  
Altogether, the Aquarium is home to more than 8,000 animals and 285 species in 75 exhibits. A new 4D Theater offers a unique sensory film experience for guests. Its education programs introduce nearly 50,000 students, campers and scouts to marine and STEM education. The Aquarium is recognized as a top aquarium in the nation and is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. It is an active participant in the local and regional community. The strength of the Aquarium is its 85 full-time staff, and part-time and seasonal staff, in addition to our volunteers.  

POSITION SUMMARY: 

The Human Resources Generalist plays a key operational role within the People and Culture department, supporting a wide range of HR functions including recruiting, onboarding, employee engagement, and HRIS maintenance. This position is essential to ensuring smooth day-to-day operations while also contributing to special projects and staff support initiatives that enhance the overall employee experience. Must be tech-savvy and comfortable navigating digital tools and systems, with a mindset geared toward continuous improvement. Equally important is a sense of empathy and openness—someone who understands and responds thoughtfully to the evolving personal, professional, and physical needs of our diverse team.  

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES: 

  • Oversight and management of the applicant tracking tool, Greenhouse (GH), used to recruit and onboard top talent to join our team.
  • Serves as the liaison between Hiring Mangers and the People and Culture Department.  
  • Trains, supports, and communicates with the Hiring Managers throughout the hiring process.  
  • Coordinates and executes onboarding communication with newly hired employees and various staff across many departments using GH.
  • Conducts new hire onboarding sessions as well as associated tasks.
  • Monitors tasks assigned to newly hired individuals in GH through the first 90 days of employment
  • Aid in Exit and Stay interviews as well as serve as a witness in employee relations as needed.  
  • Primary user and system administrator of HRIS systems such as GH and ADP.
  • Updates and/or creates process documents for the People and Culture department or The Maritime Aquarium, as needed.
  • Assist Director of People and Culture in preparation and execution of individual, departmental or Aquarium wide trainings
  • Manage and update the People and Culture page with up to date and relative resources and information for staff.  
  • Assist the department in the preparation and execution of staff events and gatherings.
  • Oversee the staff and volunteer recognition program.
  • Responsible for managing several lines of communication that feed into the People and Culture Department.
  • Field and direct employee and volunteer concerns as appropriate.
  • Maintain accurate HRIS data and assist with audits and compliance reporting.  
  • Monitor and update changes to local, federal and state laws.
  • Work closely with external consultants on special projects.
  • Monitor employee data in ADP and all HRIS systems for compliance.
  • Support employees in benefit enrollment process and inquiries.  

QUALIFICATIONS: 

  • Three years of experience serving in a Human Resource or People and Culture role.
  • SHRM-CP a plus, or equivalent experience
  • Must be technically savvy. Experience with Office 365, ADP or Greenhouse a plus.
  • Confidence and experience with HRIS systems as a system administrator.
  • Ability to effectively work with third party vendors to trouble shoot system concerns or errors across several HRIS platforms.
  • Organized work habits with the ability to create process documentation
  • Versatility and proficiency with relevant computer systems, including Word, Excel and PowerPoint.
  • Detail oriented with excellent organizational and communication skills.
  • Able to manage time and prioritize efficiently in a quickly changing environment while meeting deadlines.  
  • Strong written, verbal, analytical and interpersonal skills.
  • Service-oriented with skills and talents in addressing the needs of staff and colleagues, being responsive to such needs, listening with compassion and openness.

 This job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job.  Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.  

The Maritime Aquarium is an equal opportunity employer with a commitment to diversity. All individuals, regardless of personal characteristics, are encouraged to apply.

Create a Job Alert

Interested in building your career at The Maritime Aquarium? Get future opportunities sent straight to your email.

Apply for this job

*

indicates a required field

Phone
Resume/CV*

Accepted file types: pdf, doc, docx, txt, rtf

Cover Letter*

Accepted file types: pdf, doc, docx, txt, rtf


Select...
Select...
Select...
Select...

Voluntary Self-Identification

For government reporting purposes, we ask candidates to respond to the below self-identification survey. Completion of the form is entirely voluntary. Whatever your decision, it will not be considered in the hiring process or thereafter. Any information that you do provide will be recorded and maintained in a confidential file.

As set forth in The Maritime Aquarium’s Equal Employment Opportunity policy, we do not discriminate on the basis of any protected group status under any applicable law.

Select...
Select...
Race & Ethnicity Definitions

If you believe you belong to any of the categories of protected veterans listed below, please indicate by making the appropriate selection. As a government contractor subject to the Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA), we request this information in order to measure the effectiveness of the outreach and positive recruitment efforts we undertake pursuant to VEVRAA. Classification of protected categories is as follows:

A "disabled veteran" is one of the following: a veteran of the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service who is entitled to compensation (or who but for the receipt of military retired pay would be entitled to compensation) under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs; or a person who was discharged or released from active duty because of a service-connected disability.

A "recently separated veteran" means any veteran during the three-year period beginning on the date of such veteran's discharge or release from active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval, or air service.

An "active duty wartime or campaign badge veteran" means a veteran who served on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service during a war, or in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge has been authorized under the laws administered by the Department of Defense.

An "Armed forces service medal veteran" means a veteran who, while serving on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service, participated in a United States military operation for which an Armed Forces service medal was awarded pursuant to Executive Order 12985.

Select...

Voluntary Self-Identification of Disability

Form CC-305
Page 1 of 1
OMB Control Number 1250-0005
Expires 04/30/2026

Why are you being asked to complete this form?

We are a federal contractor or subcontractor. The law requires us to provide equal employment opportunity to qualified people with disabilities. We have a goal of having at least 7% of our workers as people with disabilities. The law says we must measure our progress towards this goal. To do this, we must ask applicants and employees if they have a disability or have ever had one. People can become disabled, so we need to ask this question at least every five years.

Completing this form is voluntary, and we hope that you will choose to do so. Your answer is confidential. No one who makes hiring decisions will see it. Your decision to complete the form and your answer will not harm you in any way. If you want to learn more about the law or this form, visit the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) website at www.dol.gov/ofccp.

How do you know if you have a disability?

A disability is a condition that substantially limits one or more of your “major life activities.” If you have or have ever had such a condition, you are a person with a disability. Disabilities include, but are not limited to:

  • Alcohol or other substance use disorder (not currently using drugs illegally)
  • Autoimmune disorder, for example, lupus, fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, HIV/AIDS
  • Blind or low vision
  • Cancer (past or present)
  • Cardiovascular or heart disease
  • Celiac disease
  • Cerebral palsy
  • Deaf or serious difficulty hearing
  • Diabetes
  • Disfigurement, for example, disfigurement caused by burns, wounds, accidents, or congenital disorders
  • Epilepsy or other seizure disorder
  • Gastrointestinal disorders, for example, Crohn's Disease, irritable bowel syndrome
  • Intellectual or developmental disability
  • Mental health conditions, for example, depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorder, schizophrenia, PTSD
  • Missing limbs or partially missing limbs
  • Mobility impairment, benefiting from the use of a wheelchair, scooter, walker, leg brace(s) and/or other supports
  • Nervous system condition, for example, migraine headaches, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis (MS)
  • Neurodivergence, for example, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorder, dyslexia, dyspraxia, other learning disabilities
  • Partial or complete paralysis (any cause)
  • Pulmonary or respiratory conditions, for example, tuberculosis, asthma, emphysema
  • Short stature (dwarfism)
  • Traumatic brain injury
Select...

PUBLIC BURDEN STATEMENT: According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless such collection displays a valid OMB control number. This survey should take about 5 minutes to complete.