Human Resources Intern

Human Resources Intern (Paid) 

Location: Mountain View, CA (Onsite)

Reports To: Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO)

Schedule: Monday – Thursday | 3 hours per day (12 hours per week)

Time Commitment: Approximately 6.5 weeks | 80 total hours

Compensation: $25.00 per hour 

About SETI At SETI, we are dedicated to advancing humanity’s understanding of the universe through world-class scientific research, exploration, and discovery. We bring together a brilliant, passionate community of researchers, scientists, engineers, and innovators. To fuel our next giant leap, we are seeking a curious and energetic HR Intern to learn alongside our team and help us build a seamless, world-class internal infrastructure.

About This Role Every groundbreaking scientific discovery needs a rock-solid operational foundation. Funded through a San Jose State University (SJSU) Grant, this 80-hour total (~6.5 weeks) onsite internship is designed to provide focused exposure to core HR operations, digital tooling, and academic talent sourcing within a non-profit scientific research institute.

Working 3 hours per day, Monday through Thursday, you will gain practical, hands-on learning experience across modern HR platforms, talent sourcing strategies, and employee engagement workflows.

What You'll Learn & Support

• HRIS & Applicant Tracking System (ATS): Learn end-to-end HR platform administration and recruitment tracking directly within Rippling.
• Academic Sourcing & Research: Learn how to search, pipeline, and track specialized academic and research talent using platforms like arXiv and Google Scholar.
• Internal Tools & Operations: Build experience managing internal communications, project management, and collaborative workflows across Pin and our digital tool suite.
• Onboarding & Offboarding: Assist our People Operations team in executing onboarding and offboarding workflows in Rippling, learning how to manage the full lifecycle of employment documentation.
• Culture & Employee Experience: Shadow our team in responding to daily internal HR inquiries, learning how to build genuine internal trust and psychological safety within a workforce.

Who You Are

• An Eager Learner: You genuinely find joy in organizing workflows, understanding complex data, and crossing items off a checklist.
• A Rapid Tech Adopter: New software doesn't intimidate you; it excites you.
• A Strong Communicator: You are comfortable, warm, and clear when communicating with teams.
• Detail-Oriented: You strive for accuracy and data integrity without losing sight of the human being on the other side of the process.
• A Trusted Partner: You understand the importance of handling sensitive operational data with absolute discretion.

What We're Looking For

• Currently enrolled student (undergraduate or graduate) eligible for participation under the SJSU Grant program, with a focus in Human Resources, Business Administration, Management, or a related field.
• Ability to commit to a total of 80 hours across ~6.5 weeks, working an onsite schedule of 3 hours/day, Monday through Thursday (12 hours/week) at our Mountain View, CA office.
• Strong general digital literacy, curiosity to learn, and comfort picking up new software platforms. You’ll get a chance to learn new tools like Rippling, arXiv, Google Scholar, and Pin.
• Strong interest in learning about HR operations within mission-driven nonprofits, research institutes, or scientific environments.

Equal Employment Opportunity SETI is an Equal Opportunity Employer and is committed to fostering an inclusive workplace. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, creed, sex, pregnancy, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, age, disability, genetic information, marital status, military or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected under applicable federal, state, or local laws.

Fair Chance Statement Consistent with applicable law, including the California Fair Chance Act, qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment.

Disclaimer This job description describes the general nature and level of work being performed for this grant-funded role. Duties and responsibilities may change based on organizational needs, business priorities, or grant funding guidelines.