The posting
At HAYA Therapeutics, we are pioneering a new class of programmable RNA-guided therapeutics that target the regulatory genome to reprogram disease-driving cell states. By decoding the causal biology of pathological cell states and the long-noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) that regulate them, HAYA translates these insights into tractable therapeutic candidates designed to address disease at its source and restore cellular health. HAYA is advancing a broad pipeline of RNA-guided medicines for chronic, age-related diseases.
Recognized globally for our scientific innovation, HAYA has been named a 2025 Technology Pioneer by the World Economic Forum (WEF), selected for BioSpace's NextGen Bio Class of 2026, recognized as a 2026 Disruptive Pioneer by IDEA Pharma, and celebrated as one of the Top Innovative Companies in Switzerland for 2025. As a fast-growing biotech, we offer an entrepreneurial, science-driven environment where you’ll have a direct impact on shaping our pipeline and advancing RNA medicine
1. Purpose:
Deliver accurate, compliant and timely HR, payroll and benefits administration for HAYA’s Swiss entity, working with our external payroll provider, to ensure employees are paid and supported correctly and HR policies remain current.
2. Accountabilities
- Payroll administration: Maintain employee payroll master data and prepare, validate and submit monthly Swiss payroll inputs (joiners, leavers, salary changes, variable pay and bonuses, overtime, expenses, family and child allowances, and absences) to the external payroll provider, review payslips and payroll outputs, and hand approved payroll to Finance for disbursement, to ensure every employee is paid accurately and on time.
- Working time recording: Administer and monitor employee timesheets and working-time records against Swiss Labour Act requirements (working hours, rest periods and overtime), to ensure legal compliance and accurate payroll of overtime and absences.
- Sick, accident & statutory leave: Manage sick and accident leave cases end to end (medical certificates, salary continuation, accident and daily sickness insurance claims and daily allowances), administer maternity, paternity and military/civil service leave, and file and follow up loss-of-earnings (APG) claims with the compensation fund, liaising with the payroll provider where pay is affected, to ensure correct employee coverage, timely reimbursements and accurate records.
- Family allowances: Process family and child allowance applications with the cantonal family allowance fund and inform the payroll provider of changes, to ensure correct payment and withholding tax treatment.
- Social security & tax audits: Host and coordinate social security and withholding tax audits with support from the external payroll provider, to demonstrate statutory compliance and resolve findings promptly.
- Employee lifecycle documentation: Produce employment contracts, amendments, employment confirmations and work certificates within agreed timelines, to support a smooth and professional employee experience from onboarding to exit.
- Work permits & entry/exit: Coordinate work and residence permit applications and renewals with the cantonal authorities and complete entry and exit formalities, to secure the right to work for international hires ahead of their start dates and close records correctly on departure.
- HR policies & processes: Support the drafting, updating and rollout of HR policies, the employee handbook and process guides, to keep HAYA’s people practices current, compliant and consistently understood.
- HR data, records & reporting: Maintain HR information system records and personnel files in line with Swiss data protection requirements and prepare regular HR reports (headcount, absences, leave balances and payroll accruals) for the Global Head of Human Resources and Finance, to ensure data accuracy, confidentiality and accurate month-end closing.
- Employee HR support: Act as the first point of contact for day-to-day employee HR and payroll queries, to provide timely, accurate answers and escalate complex cases appropriately.
Requirements
Essential Qualifications & Technical Capabilities (Must-Haves)
- Practical experience administering Swiss payroll with an external payroll provider, including social insurance contributions (old-age and survivors’ insurance, income compensation, unemployment insurance, occupational pension, accident and daily sickness insurance), family allowances and withholding tax, sufficient to prepare accurate inputs and review provider outputs.
- Working knowledge of Swiss employment law, both the Code of Obligations (CO) and the Labour Act (LTr) and its ordinances, and their practical application to contracts, notice periods, working and rest time, overtime, absences, salary continuation and work certificates.
- Demonstrated accuracy and discretion in handling confidential salary and personal data, with sound understanding of Swiss data protection requirements.
- Strong numerical and spreadsheet skills to review payroll outputs and flag discrepancies, and confidence working in an HR information system.
- Professional fluency in English and French, written and spoken, to work with employees, insurers and Vaud cantonal authorities.
- Recognised HR qualification (such as the Swiss federal certificate for HR assistants) or equivalent capability demonstrated through practice.
Desirable Experience & Specialized Expertise (Nice-to-Haves)
- Experience in a life sciences, biotech or fast-growing start-up environment.
- Exposure to work and residence permit procedures for non-EU/EFTA nationals.
- Experience supporting an HR information system implementation or data migration.
- Exposure to Odoo (HR modules), Workable and Lattice, or comparable HR information, recruitment and performance management systems.
- Familiarity with HR administration in a multi-country (Switzerland and US) organisation.
- Progress towards a Swiss federal diploma or certificate as HR specialist.
- Working knowledge of employee stock option plan administration, including grants, vesting, exercises and leaver events, and their Swiss tax and social security treatment (including salary certificate / Form C reporting), sufficient to maintain accurate equity records in Carta and coordinate with Finance.
Leadership Profile
The successful candidate will demonstrate:
- Autonomy: Plans and coordinates recurring HR cycles and monthly payroll inputs independently, escalating issues appropriately and owning deadlines from start to finish.
- Integrity: Upholds the highest standards of confidentiality, accuracy and transparency in all employee data, payroll and documentation.
- Communication: Explains HR processes, policies and payroll matters clearly and respectfully, tailoring the message to employees, managers and external partners.
- Problem Solving: Diagnoses discrepancies in payroll, benefits or records and recommends process improvements that increase reliability.
- Cross-functional Collaboration: Coordinates closely with Finance, managers and external providers to ensure clean handoffs and on-time shared deliverables.
- Agility: Navigates shifting priorities in a growing company with minimal disruption, keeping core HR operations running reliably.
HAYA Therapeutics is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to fostering a diverse, inclusive, and equitable workplace where all individuals feel valued and empowered. We provide equal employment opportunities to all qualified applicants and employees without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression), national origin, ancestry, age, marital or familial status, veteran status, disability, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local laws.
We prohibit discrimination and harassment of any kind and are committed to ensuring fair and equitable treatment in all aspects of recruitment, hiring, promotion, compensation, benefits, training, and career development.
At HAYA, we believe that diversity of thought, experience, and background drives innovation and strengthens our mission to transform patient care through cutting-edge RNA-based therapeutics.
Notice to Recruitment Agencies & Search Firms:
HAYA Therapeutics operates a Preferred Supplier List (PSL) and manages all recruitment directly through our Human Resources team. We do not accept unsolicited resumes or speculative CVs from third-party agencies, search firms, or recruiters. Any unsolicited candidates or CVs submitted through non-approved channels, directly to HAYA employees, or without a fully executed recruitment agreement in place will be considered property of HAYA Therapeutics. HAYA Therapeutics will not pay any fee, liability, or finder's fee for candidates submitted under these circumstances.
