Human Resources Intern

OPTO International designs and manufactures modular and custom retail display solutions. The company is seeking a part-time Human Resources Intern to provide supervised administrative support across onboarding, benefits administration, recruiting coordination, employee follow-up, records management, offboarding, and general HR projects.

What you'll do:

• Support new-hire onboarding by preparing materials, tracking required documents, coordinating orientation activities, and following up on incomplete items
• Help identify practical, controlled opportunities to improve HR workflows through automation and AI, including recurring administrative tasks, onboarding and employee communications, data review and cleanup, records management, and process documentation, while maintaining confidentiality and following approved policies
• Assist with benefits-related administration, including distributing approved information, tracking forms, responding to routine process questions, and referring plan interpretation questions to HR or the applicable provider
• Provide COBRA-related administrative support, such as compiling termination information, coordinating approved notices with the company’s administrator, tracking deadlines, and maintaining documentation; escalate questions to HR
• Coordinate interviews, including scheduling candidates and interview teams, confirming logistics, reserving meeting space, and sending approved communications
• Assist with termination and offboarding administration by preparing checklists, coordinating return-of-property reminders, updating trackers, and organizing records under HR direction
• Maintain accurate, organized, and confidential electronic and paper personnel records in accordance with established retention and access procedures
• Follow up with employees and managers regarding routine forms, acknowledgments, deadlines, training items, and other HR requests using approved messaging
• Enter and review HR data, update spreadsheets and trackers, scan and file documents, and perform routine audits for missing or inconsistent information
• Support employee events, communications, surveys, and other general HR initiatives and short-term departmental projects
• Protect sensitive information, use sound judgment, and promptly elevate concerns or nonroutine questions to HR leadership

What they're looking for:

• Currently pursuing or recently completed an associate or bachelor's degree in human resources, business administration, organizational leadership, psychology, or a related field
• Interest in building practical knowledge of human resources operations and the employee lifecycle
• Strong attention to detail, organization, follow-through, and time-management skills
• Professional written and verbal communication skills and comfort following up respectfully with employees, candidates, and managers
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and handle sensitive information appropriately
• Working knowledge of Microsoft Outlook, Word, and Excel; ability to learn HR systems and administrative processes
• Ability to work on-site in Wood Dale, Illinois, during an agreed weekday schedule
• Bilingual English/Spanish communication skills are preferred