Description
The ADA Forsyth Institute was founded in 1910 as the Forsyth Dental Infirmary for Children (later, the Forsyth Institute), to provide dental care to the disadvantaged children of Boston. While continuing to serve children in need, yet recognizing the ultimate goal is to prevent dental disease, the Institute in 1915 began to focus on scientific research and is today the world’s leader in oral health research. In October of 2023, the Institute joined with the American Dental Association to form the ADA Forsyth Institute, a 501(c)(3) entity dedicated to improving people’s oral and overall health and powering the profession of dentistry through cutting-edge basic research, creative translational science, innovative clinical technologies, and global public health outreach. Consistent with the Institute’s founding mission, the ADA ForsythKids mobile dental program continues to serve children in need.
About The Role
The
Human Resources Specialist (HRS) plays a vital role in supporting a broad range of HR functions at the ADA Forsyth Institute (AFI), including recruitment, onboarding, offboarding, benefits administration, compliance, training and development, and HR policy implementation. As a key point of contact for staff, researchers, interns, and visitors, the HRS provides responsive, professional, and confidential support in a collaborative, mission-driven environment. This position is ideal for an HR professional who thrives in a dynamic setting and brings strong organizational, communication, and interpersonal skills to their work. The HRS reports directly to the Director of Human Resources.
Key Responsibilities
- Recruitment & Hiring Support: Assist with job postings, candidate communication, interview scheduling, and background checks. Maintain hiring authorization documentation and process employment paperwork.
- Onboarding & Offboarding: Facilitate onboarding and exit processes for employees, interns, and visiting researchers. Ensure data accuracy and coordinate with Payroll, IT, Security, and other departments.
- HR Administration: Maintain up-to-date and compliant employee records (digital and paper). Ensure completion of documents such as I-9s, CORIs, offer letters, and job descriptions.
- Benefits Administration: Support employee benefits lifecycle, including enrollment, changes, terminations, and invoice processing. Assist with open enrollment and benefits communication.
- HRIS & Payroll Coordination: Input and maintain accurate data in Paylocity and internal systems. Collaborate with Finance and HR to document and process changes.
- Interns & Visiting Researchers: Track program timelines, onboarding, and required documentation for interns, visiting scholars, and summer students.
- Employee Support & Compliance: Serve as a first-line resource for HR-related inquiries. Coordinate compliance efforts and support HR audits.
- Immigration Support: Collaborate with the Immigration Specialist on visa timelines and related documentation for employees and researchers.
- HR Events & Reporting: Organize HR meetings, training sessions, and staff events. Prepare HR reports and assist with data analysis.
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field.
- 2–4 years of HR experience, preferably in an academic, research, or nonprofit setting.
- Knowledge of employment laws (e.g., FLSA, FMLA, ACA, I-9, EEO, Title IX).
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite; experience with HRIS (e.g., Paylocity, Workday) and applicant tracking systems (ATS).
- Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and ability to handle confidential information.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
- Service-oriented and team-focused approach to internal and external interactions.
Preferred Qualifications
- Master’s degree or coursework in HR, nonprofit/public administration, or a related field.
- HR certification (e.g., PHR, SHRM-CP).
- Experience with benefit plan administration and vendor coordination.
- Understanding of academic HR practices, including international employment and visa processes.
- Familiarity with compliance audits and HR annual cycles like open enrollment and performance reviews.
ADA Forsyth is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, gender identity, sexual orientation, pregnancy and pregnancy-related conditions or any other characteristic protected by law.
