Talent Recruitment Intern

The Henry Ford is a nonprofit organization, an internationally recognized cultural destination, and a one-of-a-kind workplace. Our team is inspired daily by one another as well as the authentic stories of innovation that we share across our four venues. 

The Ford Foundation Equity Initiative (FFEI) Internship Program is a cohort program that offers professional development, mentorship, and networking opportunities. We invite candidates from diverse backgrounds who are curious about careers in the museum field to become part of our legacy and carry it forward.

Interested candidates will submit a brief statement of purpose (250-500 words) outlining:

• Why they are interested in this internship
• How this opportunity aligns with their academic, personal, or career goals
• The skills, experiences, or perspectives they would bring to the team
• What they hope to learn and accomplish during the internship

The Ford Foundation Equity Initiative Internship Program Overview and Time Commitment 

The FFEI Internship Program’s mission is to offer opportunities in museum work to emerging professionals who identify with historically marginalized groups and to invite our interns to think outside the box and explore their careers in new ways.

Participants will engage in the program through various bi-weekly professional development workshops hosted on our Dearborn campus. Bi-weekly workshop attendance and participation are mandatory. Applicants should work with their leadership to ensure proper attendance. Workshops typically occur on Wednesdays during the work week. As part of your employment, we also have our interns participate in an end of cohort survey. 

Note: All candidates interested in FFEI Internship roles must have full Wednesday (9am-5pm) availability due to bi-weekly workshop programmatic requirements of the internship. 

The 15-week Winter 2027 internship runs January 25–May 7, 2027. Attendance at orientation on January 25 is mandatory.

The Talent Recruitment Intern supports recruitment and hiring activities across The Henry Ford while gaining practical experience in talent acquisition and human resources. This role provides administrative, candidate, data, and recruitment process support throughout the hiring lifecycle, including application review, candidate communication, interview coordination, pipeline management, recruitment reporting, and requisition closeout. 

Working closely with the Talent Recruitment team, the intern helps maintain organized and accurate recruitment processes while supporting a responsive and positive experience for candidates and hiring managers. Reports directly to the Talent Recruitment Manager. 

ROLE RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Supports day-to-day recruitment activities for part-time, full-time, seasonal, and other employment opportunities across the institution
• Assists with reviewing applications and identifying candidates who meet established position requirements for further consideration
• Coordinates candidate interviews and supports timely communication with candidates, recruiters, and hiring managers throughout the recruitment process
• Tracks and flags internal applicants and employee referrals to support appropriate review and follow-up
• Maintains confidential and accurate candidate records within Dayforce Recruiting, including candidate statuses, pipeline review, dispositioning, and requisition closure
• Maintains and organizes candidate talent pools and assists with identifying potential candidates for recurring and high-volume hiring needs
• Organizes historical recruitment data and maintains recruitment tracking to help establish benchmarks, identify trends, and monitor key recruitment measures
• Supports recruitment data cleanup, job postings, recruitment materials, and other activities that improve the accuracy and effectiveness of recruitment processes
• Partners with the Talent and Culture team on recruitment initiatives, process improvements, candidate experience, and hiring and onboarding handoffs
• Supports additional recruitment projects and Talent and Culture initiatives as assigned

QUALIFICATIONS

• Currently enrolled in or recently completed a college or university program in Human Resources, Business Administration, Organizational Development, Communications, or a related field
• Working knowledge of Microsoft Office, including Outlook, Word, and Excel
• Experience working with spreadsheets, data entry, recordkeeping, or other administrative systems
• Ability to learn and navigate applicant tracking systems and other HR technology 

SPECIAL SKILLS / EXPERIENCE

• Experience coordinating schedules, events, projects, or detailed administrative processes
• Experience working with data, spreadsheets, reports, or tracking tools
• Familiarity with applicant tracking systems, HR systems, or recruiting platforms a plus
• Interest in developing a career in Human Resources or Talent Acquisition
• Strong written and verbal communication skills with a customer service and guest-focused mindset, demonstrating professionalism, responsiveness, and care when communicating with candidates and internal partners
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple assignments and priorities
• Strong attention to detail and commitment to accuracy
• Effective written and verbal communication skills with the ability to interact professionally with candidates, hiring managers, and colleagues
• Demonstrated initiative, curiosity, and willingness to learn
• Ability to exercise discretion and maintain confidentiality when handling candidate and employee information
• Ability to work collaboratively as part of a team while completing assigned work independently
• Commitment to and enthusiasm for the The Henry Ford’s mission, vision, values and service standards

Internship Program Compensation

Interns are paid under the following paygrades:

• First year intern in school (undergraduate or trade): $17.00  
• First year intern with completed degree (undergraduate or trade): $18.00
• Graduate school and postgraduates: $20.00