Location: Chester, CT
Schedule: Full-time
Duration: Summer 2026 / 10–12 weeks
Department: Human Resources
Reports to: HR Manager / Benefits & Wellness Lead
About the Internship
We are seeking a motivated and hands-on Human Resources Intern to support employee health, wellness, and benefits administration within a manufacturing environment. This internship provides practical exposure to HR operations that directly support a production workforce, with a special focus on wellness initiatives, and benefits enrollment for both hourly and salaried employees.
This opportunity is ideal for students interested in Human Resources, Occupational Health, Public Health, or Employee Benefits who want experience in a fast-paced, operational setting.
Employee Health, Wellness & Safety Support
- Assist in planning, coordinating, and promoting employee wellness initiatives (e.g., health challenges, wellness events, mental health resources).
- Support communication campaigns related to wellness, preventive care, and work-life balance.
- Help track participation, engagement, and outcomes of wellness programs.
- Research health and wellness trends, vendors, and best practices to support program enhancements.
Benefits Administration & Enrollment
- Assist with open enrollment activities, including distributing materials, updating guides, and supporting employee questions.
- Help maintain benefits data for both hourly and salaried populations in HR systems.
- Support communication related to medical, dental, vision, retirement plans, EAPs, disability, workers’ compensation, and voluntary benefits.
Employee-Facing HR Support
- Draft and update employee communications, flyers, and postings for plant bulletin boards and digital channels.
- Assist with HR projects that improve employee experience and benefits understanding across multiple shifts.
- Maintain confidentiality of employee information and adhere to company policies at all times.
Learning Opportunities
Interns will gain hands-on experience in:
- Benefits administration in a manufacturing environment
- Supporting wellness programs
- HR compliance and documentation practices
- Employee communication in a multi-shift, operational setting
- Collaboration with HR, Safety, and Operations teams
Required
- Strong organizational skills and attention to detail
- Clear written and verbal communication skills
- Ability to manage confidential information with professionalism
Preferred
- Currently pursuing or recently completed a degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Occupational Health, Public Health, or a related field
- Interest in employee wellness, benefits, or total rewards
- Familiarity with manufacturing or industrial settings
- Strong Microsoft Office skills (Excel, Word, PowerPoint)
What We Offer
- Hands-on HR experience in a manufacturing setting
- Exposure to employee wellness, benefit design and active open enrollment processes
- Mentorship from HR and Benefits professionals
- Real-world experience supporting benefits enrollment and education
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Comply with the EH&S Policy and applicable regulatory and company EH&S rules and requirements
- Report to supervision conditions or practices that are either unsafe or that may adversely impact the environment, to ensure prompt resolution of potential hazards
- Attend scheduled EH&S training program
- Actively support the organization’s efforts to meet or exceed EH&S goals and plans
- Recommend improved EH&S practices
Must be able to communicate effectively with co-workers, supervisors, and third parties. This ability to communicate requires the employee to be conversant in English as the majority of our workforce and the third parties that we encounter only speak English.
The incumbent is responsible for complying with the policies in Whelen’s “Employee Handbook.”
This Job Description is to serve as a guide. It is intended to be flexible and will continue to evolve over time with business needs and demands and may be updated periodically and at the Company’s discretion. Nothing in this position description changes or is intended to change the employment at-will relationship with the Company. Employment at-will means that an employee or the Company may terminate the employment relationship at any time, for any reason or no reason at all, with or without notice.
The Whelen Engineering Company is an American corporation that designs and manufactures audio and visual warning equipment for automotive, aviation, and mass notification industries worldwide.