Compensation Lead
Fluidstack · New York City
About Fluidstack
We exist to make humanity more free. For most of human history, you farmed or you starved. Technology gave people more time for the things they wanted to do, instead of things they had to do. Powerful AI will be the biggest lever for human choice we've ever built - but only if models are aligned with what humanity actually wants. There are groups building AI who don't share these goals. Whoever deploys frontier compute infrastructure fastest will decide whether AI expands human freedom or shrinks it.
We're singularly focused on delivering 10 to 100s of GWs of compute faster than anyone else, rethinking every layer of the stack. We acquire power, design and build data centers, and operate them - with teams spanning hardware and software. Speed and scale are our key differentiators. Come be a part of building civilization-scale infrastructure for AI.
We hire people who care deeply about this problem space. If that is you, please apply!
How We Operate
Be a barrel. Full autonomy. Own things end to end, take on scope without being asked, no permission required to operate outside your core role.
Insane urgency. We drive everything forward as fast as possible.
Reason from first principles. Challenge every assumption. Zero analogy thinking, no egos, the best idea wins.
Love of the game. The frontier of AI is the most interesting problem of our time. We put in long hours at high intensity to push the frontier forward.
Build something that actually matters. If you're going to spend your time, spend it on something that matters to the world.
About the Role
We're seeking an exceptional Compensation Manager who is equal parts strategist and practitioner. You won't just administer comp cycles — you'll operate as a trusted partner to the business, using rigorous market research and data to shape compensation philosophy, drive incentive design, and build the tools and frameworks that support talent decisions across the company.
This role demands both scientific precision and practical judgment. The real value you bring is your ability to move fluidly between market analysis and execution — turning complex data into clear recommendations, building compensation infrastructure that cross-functional teams can actually use, and supporting critical moments like performance cycles and offer decisions with speed and confidence. Fluidstack is building the backbone of AI — your work ensures the people doing that building are recognized and retained accordingly.
What You'll Do
Partner strategically with the business: Work directly with leadership and department heads as a trusted compensation advisor — understanding their goals, challenging assumptions, and bringing market data and competitive intelligence that sharpen their thinking on pay strategy.
Drive compensation planning: Own annual and off-cycle comp planning processes end-to-end, ensuring alignment between business strategy, talent priorities, and budget — and stay hands-on through execution.
Build tools that serve the business: Design and maintain compensation tools, models, and resources that support cross-functional needs — from offer decisioning and leveling guidance to performance cycle support — making it easier for People, Finance, and leadership to act with confidence.
Own market research and intelligence: Conduct rigorous, ongoing competitive benchmarking and market analyses using tools like Radford, Mercer, or Levels.fyi. Translate research into practical, actionable guidance — not just data for the sake of data.
Build and refine compensation programs: Leverage department-level expertise to design, benchmark, and continuously improve compensation and incentive structures that are competitive against top AI, infrastructure, and tech companies.
Support performance cycles: Partner with People and leadership to ensure compensation inputs into performance and review cycles are accurate, consistent, and aligned to strategy.
Operate as a data-driven function: Build and maintain compensation models, reporting cadences, and dashboards that surface the right insights — pay equity, offer competitiveness, retention risk — and drive smarter decisions.
What We Value
You are both strategic and tactical — you can set the vision for a compensation program and still build the model yourself. You don't hand off the details.
You bring scientific rigor to your craft: your market research is methodical, your models are defensible, and your recommendations are grounded in evidence — not convention.
You build tools people actually use. You've designed compensation resources, calculators, or frameworks that cross-functional teams rely on to make faster, better decisions.
You've supported performance cycles end-to-end and understand how compensation intersects with review processes, calibration, and promotion decisions.
You translate complexity into clarity. You can take a dense comp model and explain it simply and confidently to a senior leader or a hiring manager making their first offer.
You measure what matters — pay equity, offer competitiveness, retention risk — and use data to make better decisions, not just report activity.
Bonus: Background in AI, cloud/infrastructure, or data centers. Experience designing incentive and equity programs, including a strong understanding of private vs. public equity frameworks. Exposure to comp work in a pre-IPO or rapid-scaling environment.
Must Haves
4+ years of experience in compensation or a related HR function, with demonstrated ownership of comp planning cycles and program design.
Proven ability to drive compensation planning transitions in alignment with business and talent strategy — be ready to talk specifics.
Experience partnering with cross-functional stakeholders to build and refine compensation programs, with deep knowledge of at least one competitive talent market (tech, AI, infrastructure, or similar).
Strong analytical skills — you build and maintain complex compensation models and can translate outputs into clear recommendations for senior leaders.
Track record of leveraging market data (Radford, Mercer, Levels.fyi, or similar) to benchmark and calibrate pay structures.
Nice to Have
Background at high-growth tech companies or startups, preferably in AI, cloud/infrastructure, or data centers.
Experience designing incentive and equity programs, including a strong understanding of private vs. public equity frameworks.
Exposure to comp work in a pre-IPO or rapid-scaling environment.
Salary & Benefits
Competitive total compensation package (salary + equity).
Retirement or pension plan, in line with local norms.
Health, dental, and vision insurance.
Generous PTO policy, in line with local norms.
Total compensation may also include equity in the form of restricted stock units.
We are committed to pay equity and transparency.
Fluidstack is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability and protected veterans’ status, or any other characteristic protected by law. Fluidstack will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records pursuant to applicable law.
You will receive a confirmation email once your application has successfully been accepted. If there is an error with your submission and you did not receive a confirmation email, please email careers@fluidstack.io with your resume/CV, the role you've applied for, and the date you submitted your application-- someone from our recruiting team will be in touch.
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