OAKLAND — Square has launched its East Bay operations by moving a few hundred employees into new digs in downtown Oakland’s hip and trendy Uptown neighborhood.

The creator of payments technologies and systems moved its first group of employees, roughly 300 people, into the iconic Uptown Station office and retail building that for decades was a Sears department store perched prominently at Broadway and 20th Street.

“You shouldn’t have to drive over a bridge to find a job you love,” said Aaron Zamost, head of people and communications with Square.

Square leased all of the 356,000 square feet of office space in the mixed-use building, which also contains 35,000 square feet of retail on its ground floor.

The decision by the financial services tech company, which makes the familiar square-shaped payments card readers that have revolutionized point-of-sale transactions, provides a huge employment and economic boost for Oakland.

Square ultimately could employ 2,000 people in its new downtown Oakland offices. The company says numerous employees have embraced the company’s new East Bay hub with great enthusiasm.

“As we grow, we want to support our employees wherever they are, so they can work and invest in the communities in which they live,” Zamost said.

Square aims to be far more than a company that generates payroll taxes and visits to restaurants and other merchants in the vicinity. Square intends for its East Bay hub to provide wide-ranging opportunities for local residents to work at Square, as well as to bolster Oakland’s culture.

“We’ve spent the past year having conversations with local elected officials, small businesses, and community groups, identifying the best ways for us to participate in the Oakland community,” said Ahmed Ali Bob, Square community affairs lead.

Empowered by the discussions, Square is exploring ways to weave itself into the economic and social fabric of Oakland and elevate its role beyond that of a corporation with a large local operation.

“What we’ve heard is there’s a real opportunity for us to contribute by preserving culture, supporting small businesses, and providing economic opportunities for Oaklanders,” Ali Bob said.

San Francisco-based Square is working to support an array of local organizations.

Oakland First Fridays, Hack the Hood, Oakland Midnight Basketball League, The Crucible, Oakland Promise, Our Beloved Community Action Network, Athen B Art Gallery, TechEquity, Alameda County Community Food Bank, Oakland Education Fund, Oakland Art Murmur, and The Unity Council are the groups with which Square works.

Plus, Square also has participated in multiple Oakland First Friday events.

The company made it clear that it is seeking to hire locally whenever possible.

“We have dozens of open roles in Oakland, from engineering to marketing to human resources,” Zamost said.

Square hopes that its widening alliances with local groups can help the company find residents to work in the booming tech sector.

“We’re working with local partners to raise visibility for these jobs in communities that have historically encountered barriers to entering the tech industry,” Zamost said.