HR Specialist: Tickle College of Engineering - UTK
University of Tennessee at Martin
$45,000 - $55,000 / year
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Description
Hiring, Onboarding & Employment Eligibility Compliance (40%)
Processes end-to-end hiring and pay transactions for faculty, staff, students, and graduate assistants; ensures timely onboarding and I-9/E-Verify compliance; coordinates visa workflows with ISSS and monitors work authorization expirations; and manages semester Graduate Assistantship assignments.
Recruitment, Staffing & Search Administration (30%)
Reviews college-wide research position descriptions and provides backup PD review in TDX; manages full-cycle recruitment for assigned TCE units, including requisitions, postings, applicant communication, and accurate candidate records.
HR Transactions Affecting Pay, Funding & Employment Status (15%)
Processes salary, additional pays, termination, and retirement transactions; advises departments on EEF/RIF requirements and timelines; and maintains workforce and pay tracking tools with finance and budget partners.
HR Operations Support, Reporting & Process Improvement (15%)
Manages HR intake via TDX and the shared inbox; serves as a time entry and payroll deadline expert, including training and biweekly reporting; reviews and provides routine and ad hoc HR compliance reports; assists with maintaining SOPs and DASH training materials; and coordinates tuition waivers.
Qualifications
Required Qualifications
Education: High school diploma or GED
Experience: At least four years of experience in a human resources role, or a combination of work experience in full-cycle hiring, office management, advising on policies and procedures, data entry and/or office support in a setting that requires discretion.
Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities:
Excellent organizational and time-management skills
Ability to multitask and prioritize based on the needs of others and time-sensitive deadlines, with follow-through to completion
Ability to work autonomously and as part of a team
Sound interpersonal and communication skills
Working knowledge of Microsoft Office, especially Excel, Teams, OneDrive and Word
Strong attention to details
Knowledge of personnel management applications such as Oracle
Knowledge of personnel processes, including hiring and I-9/E-Verify
Ability to maintain a high level of confidentiality
Ability and willingness to learn new systems and processes as the college grows and changes
Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis without need now or in the future for sponsorship for employment-based visa status.
Preferred Qualifications
Education: Bachelor's degree in human resources, business or a related field; SHRM-CP, PHR or related HR certification
Experience:
Bachelor's degree with 1-2 years of human resources experience related to full-cycle hiring, or a combination of work in full-cycle hiring, office management, advising on procedures, data entry and/or office support.
Human resources experience in recruiting, hiring, or employee relations at UT
Experience in an academic environment
Experience hiring foreign nationals and communicating with non-native English speakers
Certificates or training related to HR competencies
Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities:
Knowledge of personnel management applications such as Oracle and Equifax
Knowledge of required hiring documents
Knowledge of employment laws and practices
Knowledge of USCIS (visa) processes
Knowledge of Power BI and Power Automate
Work Location
Location: Knoxville, TN - Tickle College of Engineering
Hybrid work schedule after the employee probationary period.
Compensation and Benefits
UT market range: MR07 (non-exempt)
Anticipated hiring range: $45,000 - $55,000
Find more information on the UT Market Range structure here
Find more information on UT Benefits here
Application Instructions
To express interest, please submit an application with the noted below attachments:
Resume
Cover Letter
About The College
The Tickle College of Engineering (TCE) at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville is one of the university’s largest and most research-active colleges, offering undergraduate and graduate programs across multiple engineering disciplines. TCE Finance & Administration supports the college’s academic and research mission through HR, budget, and operational services for faculty, staff, and departments across the college.
TCE Finance & Administration provides the business, financial and human resources services that keep the college running. The HR team partners with department heads, faculty and staff across the college to deliver responsive, consistent and compliant service, and is committed to a collaborative, team-oriented workplace where people feel supported and valued.
Benefits
- UT market range: MR07 (non-exempt)
- Anticipated hiring range: $45,000 - $55,000
- Find more information on the UT Market Range structure here
- Find more information on UT Benefits here
- Resume
- Cover Letter
About this role
At the Tickle College of Engineering, this HR Specialist role manages the full employment lifecycle for a large, research-active college within the University of Tennessee system. You'd spend roughly 40% of your time on hiring, onboarding, and work authorization compliance—processing everything from faculty and staff hires to graduate assistantships, coordinating visa workflows, and ensuring I-9/E-Verify requirements are met. Another 30% involves recruitment and staffing support across engineering departments, including managing job postings, applicant tracking, and position descriptions. The remaining 30% splits between processing pay and employment transactions, advising on salary changes and terminations, and supporting HR operations through intake management, payroll deadlines, compliance reporting, and process improvement.
This position calls for at least four years of HR experience or equivalent background in hiring, office management, and policy work. You'll need strong Excel skills, familiarity with personnel management systems like Oracle, and the ability to juggle competing priorities while maintaining confidentiality in a complex academic environment. A bachelor's degree in HR or business and prior experience in academic settings or with foreign national hiring are preferred but not required. The role is hybrid after an initial probationary period and offers a salary range of $45,000 to $55,000.
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Pay for this role
$45,000 to $55,000 per year
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