HR Generalist at Rheo Engineering in Peoria, IL

HR Generalist

Human Resources | Peoria, IL (In-Person) | Full-Time

Compensation: $70,000 – $85,000

Reports To: Director of Human Resources

Rheo is growing quickly and our HR team is expanding! We are looking for an experienced HR professional to join the team and hit the ground running by handling the day-to-day responsibilities of the HR function and support recruitment efforts. This role will partner with the Director of HR to further build out the HR infrastructure to support Rheo's rapid growth. If this excites you, keep reading!

The right candidate will be an owner with attention to detail who is comfortable administering various functions of HR on any given day while also contributing to strategic HR projects. In addition, a high EQ is critical for building trust with the team and navigating the interpersonal intricacies of an HR role.

Rheo Engineering designs and builds advanced powder handling equipment for the pharmaceutical industry — used in the direct manufacture of life-saving medicine. We are a family-owned organization of around 100 people and design and manufacture all under the same roof!

Check out how the HR Generalist will elevate our team by reviewing the below.

What You’ll Do

• Support hiring — posting, screening, interview coordination, and offer generation
• Execute onboarding and offboarding — orientation, new-hire documentation, and final-pay and benefits closeout
• Administer benefits — enrollment, life-event changes, deduction accuracy, open enrollment, and the benefits questions employees bring you
• Produce benefits data reporting — retirement plan census, ACA filing data, and plan utilization inputs
• Administer leave — FMLA, ADA accommodation requests, and non-FMLA leave, including return-to-work coordination
• Monitor near-miss and accident reports and help drive each to resolution with manufacturing leadership and the safety committee
• Administer workers' compensation claims and maintain the OSHA log and injury records
• Administer the training system — assignment, completion tracking, records, and monthly compliance reporting
• Handle employee service transactions — employment and wage verifications, employee data changes, and unemployment claim responses
• Field HR questions from employees and managers, and support employee relations — disciplinary meetings, investigation documentation, and terminations
• Maintain personnel records and HR system data integrity, and produce recurring HR reporting
• Maintain compliance with federal, state, and local employment law, and, in conjunction with the Director of HR, keep policy and the handbook current
• Process biweekly payroll — time record entry and audit, pay changes, garnishments, and pre-transmission review
• Own or support HR continuous improvement projects, including documenting the standard work for the processes you run
• Take on other tasks as assigned by leadership

What Success Looks Like

• The team trusts you and looks to you as a valuable resource, because you follow through
• Details are consistently accurate — payroll, records, deductions, filings, etc. are right the first time, and errors are caught before they reach an employee
• Employees and managers get answers from you directly; only genuinely complex matters need to reach the Director of HR
• Hiring targets stay on schedule

What We’re Looking For

Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, or a related field — or 6+ years of directly relevant HR experience in lieu of a degree
• 4+ years of HR generalist or related experience
• Full-cycle recruiting and hiring experience
• Hands-on payroll processing experience
• Experience administering benefits and leave, including FMLA

Software

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams), with strong Excel skills
• Familiarity with an Applicant Tracking System (Greenhouse preferred)
• Proficiency with an HRIS
• Proficiency with a payroll platform (Paychex preferred)
• Familiarity with benefits enrollment systems (Employee Navigator preferred)
• Familiarity with AI tools (Claude, Copilot, etc.)

Traits

• Attention to Detail — records, data, and filings are right the first time
• Organization — you carry recurring obligations without needing to be chased
• Superb Communication — you get your points across clearly, in writing and in person
• Interpersonal Skill — you handle conflict and hard conversations with wisdom and respect
• Sound Judgment — you follow through under deadline pressure and know when to escalate
• Discretion — you treat confidential compensation, medical, and personnel information the way it deserves
• Employment Law Fluency — working knowledge of the laws and regulations that govern the work

Values Alignment

• Initiative: instinct for taking action to improve, solve, and deliver.
• Collaboration: proactive communication with your stakeholders.
• Competence: ability to do your job well.
• Reliability: persistent follow-through on commitments.
• Bold Humility: courage to speak, act, and listen without arrogance.

Preferred Qualifications

• SHRM-CP or PHR certification
• Experience in a manufacturing or industrial environment
• Experience leading internal investigations
• Workers' compensation claim handling experience
• Experience writing or maintaining SOPs and process documentation

Why Rheo

• Privately owned and operated for 30 years and counting
• Excellent benefits – see section below
• Smaller team (~100 team members) with a strong, in-person work culture
• Real ownership — being a key member of a small HR team (3 team members) means you can make a fast, tangible impact that is easy to recognize
• Variety — you get the opportunity to work across various HR functions to round out your skill set
• Work that impacts everyone — the equipment we build helps make life-saving medicine, and you support the people who design and build it
• A growing company in a stable, regulated industry

Benefits

• Leading medical insurance — consistently low rates compared to other businesses in the area
• Health Savings Account with employer contributions (plan-dependent)
• Dental, vision, and life insurance
• Short-term and long-term disability
• Identity theft insurance
• 401(k) with 4% employer match
• Generous PTO
• Paid paternity and maternity leave
• Paid cell phone plan with stipend for a new phone every 2 years
• Employee referral program

Working Conditions

This is a fully onsite role based at our Peoria, IL facility. The work is primarily desk-based, with regular presence on the production floor, where appropriate PPE is required and you'll work in proximity to operating machinery and noise. You must be able to access and navigate all departments across the facility and lift up to 15 lbs at times. Travel is minimal, less than 5% of the time. The physical requirements described here are representative of those that must be met to perform the essential functions of this role, with or without reasonable accommodation.

Rheo Engineering is an equal opportunity employer.