<p>A rapidly scaling biotech company in Carlsbad is seeking an experienced <strong>Senior Payroll Specialist</strong> to join their growing Finance & HR operations team. This is a high-impact role supporting a workforce of exempt, non-exempt, lab personnel, field teams, and remote employees across multiple states. The ideal candidate is someone who can thrive in a compliance-heavy environment, understands the nuances of payroll in a regulated industry, and can operate with a high level of confidentiality and accuracy.</p><p><br></p><p><strong>Responsibilities:</strong></p><ul><li>Manage full-cycle, multi-state payroll processing for 300+ employees on a biweekly and semi-monthly schedule</li><li>Validate timesheets, earnings, deductions, bonuses, and equity-related payroll entries</li><li>Ensure payroll compliance with federal, state, and local labor/payroll laws (with emphasis on CA, WA, CO)</li><li>Collaborate with HR and Accounting to reconcile payroll reports and GL entries</li><li>Oversee year-end processing including W-2s, taxable fringe benefits, and audit documentation</li><li>Respond to employee inquiries with professionalism and excellent customer service</li><li>Assist with process improvements, payroll system upgrades, and SOP development</li></ul>

<ul><li>5+ years of payroll experience; 2+ years in a senior-level or lead role</li><li>Strong understanding of multi-state payroll, CA wage & hour law, and regulated industry compliance</li><li>Experience with Workday, ADP Workforce Now, or similar systems</li><li>Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills</li><li>CPP certification preferred but not required</li></ul><p><br></p>

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