Internship: Human Resources
Season: Summer 2024 (Approx Jun-Aug)
Location: Onsite, some potential for hybrid
Application Deadline: Friday April 12 at 5pm CST
 
Internship Overview: 
The Human Resources department supports the staff, volunteers, and interns that enable Shedd aquarium to fulfill its mission.  Working with stakeholders across the organization, we develop the systems and approaches that recruit diverse talent and shape partnerships that enable us to reach more communities and individuals. 

This internship will work most closely with the team members overseeing recruiting of staff and interns as we update and establish processes to support the aquarium’s growth during, and beyond, the Centennial Commitment.  There will be an opportunity to support the creation of a new digital onboarding experience, collaborate with departments and programs that engage different audiences, and the chance to practice communication around the critical work we do.  Interns can also expect to gain experience with general Human Resources functions and non-profit operations. 
 
Learning Objectives: 

• Create a central repository of programs Human Resources supports for use in streamlining operations and identifying areas of overlap 
• Design a plan to communicate hiring needs and resources across the organization 
• Participate in implementation of a digital onboarding system 

Responsibilities & Projects: 

• Demonstrate commitment to Shedd’s vision, mission and values 
• Partner with staff across the aquarium to gather information on programs that Human Resources supports, detailing operational impacts and recommending process improvements 
• Learn to navigate an HRIS to assist with new employee on-boarding, reporting and other functions  
• Analyze recruiting processes to identify improvement opportunities related to diversity.  
• Ideate ways to share knowledge of hiring needs and processes internally and externally; this may include intranet updates, website updates, content for internal and external newsletters, and internal communication to department leaders. 
• Participate in full-cycle recruiting, including: 
  • Revising and updating job descriptions 
  • Assisting with scheduling interviews 
  • Communicating status updates to applicants and hiring managers. 
• Update handbooks and policies as needed 
• Assist with day to day office operations, which may include filing, research on various topics, tracking policy completion, and responding to inquiries 
• Other projects as assigned 

Qualifications: 

Fields of Interest: Candidates should have a sincere interest in pursuing careers in Human Resources, Volunteer Management, Business, Community Engagement, or related professions. 
 
Skills/Characteristics: 

• Ability to multitask and problem solve 
• Strong attention to detail 
• Able to maintain confidentiality 
• Ability to establish strong relationships 
• Comfortable working as part of a team and independently 
• Values people of all backgrounds and experience 
• Have a high school diploma or GED

Time & Compensation: 

• This is a non-exempt, temporary position that pays $15.80 per hour
• We anticipate this position will be scheduled for 30 hours per week for 10 weeks, pending business needs and individual performance.
• Preferred schedule:  Monday availability required.  Other days flexible within normal business hours, Monday-Friday from 9am-5pm.
• Ability to start by early June preferred.
• Set schedule based on intern availability. 

We welcome applications from all levels of experience, including those seeking career exploration or changes, gap year students, freshmen, sophomores, and those seeking first internships. 
 
We strongly encourage people of color, LGBTQ+ community, Veterans and active duty military, parents, individuals with disabilities, and individuals from all cultural backgrounds to apply. Shedd Aquarium is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes everyone to our team. 
 
Reasonable accommodations: 
Shedd Aquarium is committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities. If you need reasonable accommodations for any part of the employment process, please email us at humanresources@sheddaquarium.org.