Summer Intern, People

Emerson Collective • Palo Alto, CA

15d • $25 - $25 • Onsite

About The Position

Emerson Collective’s summer internship program places rising college sophomores, juniors, and seniors - and, for select opportunities, undergraduate students graduating in 2026 - in paid internship opportunities across Emerson Collective and our longstanding nonprofit partners XQ Institute , E Pluribus Unum , and Chicago CRED . We’re looking for college students who think big, embrace challenges, and thrive in collaboration. The internship is onsite, 40 hours per week, from June 15 through August 7, 2026. A mandatory paid virtual onboarding and orientation will take place June 10–12. The People team powers the employee lifecycle at Emerson Collective. As the People Team Intern , you’ll gain hands-on experience in human resources and talent operations, learning how HR, recruiting, and people systems work together to build a thriving, inclusive workplace. You’ll contribute to a range of projects spanning onboarding, recruitment, HR technology, learning and development, data management, employee engagement, and support of the internship team. This role is ideal for someone curious about how organizations cultivate culture, support employee growth, and implement efficient, people-centered systems. You’ll work closely with members of the People Operations team to design better processes, analyze data, and support cross-team initiatives.

Requirements

• Rising undergraduate juniors or seniors, preferably pursuing a degree in HR, business, psychology, technology, or organizational behavior.
• A strong interest in HR, organizational development, or workplace culture best practices.
• Ability to analyze, filter, and report on large data sets in Google Sheets or Excel.
• Exceptional attention to detail and sound judgment.
• Excellent communication skills.
• Ability to manage multiple tasks and a proactive attitude.
• Commitment to confidentiality and discretion.
• A proven background in a dynamic and evolving work environment.
• Intuitive, perceptive, and open to learning new systems and ideas.

Responsibilities

• Project support of HR systems optimization and workflow automation project, particularly in the area of database auditing and clean-up.
• Develop sustainable strategies for data tracking and engagement.
• Coordinate with the People Operations team to document workflows and standard operating procedures as assigned.
• Audit employee directory, organizational chart, job description database, and other employee data as assigned.
• Research and assess emerging HR technology solutions as assigned.
• Research employee resources, initiatives, and opportunities for reducing carbon footprint.
• Review and propose improvements to People Operations' support of the summer internship program, including, but not limited to, the application process, onboarding, programming, and communications.
• Support intern cohort compliance training (e.g., Anti-Harassment and Emergency Preparedness).

Benefits

• All interns are paid $25 per hour and can expect to work 40 hours per week from June 15 to August 7 (eight weeks).
• Interns will also be paid $25 per hour for onboarding and orientation sessions taking place June 10–12 .
• All interns receive a lunch allowance and a commuter allowance , and may also receive travel and housing allowances as needed.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Intern