Summer 2025 People (HR) Internship - McDonald's Corporation

About McDonald’s 

McDonald’s is proud to be one of the most recognized brands in the world, with restaurants in over 100 countries that serve 70 million customers daily. As the global leader in the foodservice industry, our legacy of innovation and hard work continues to drive us. 

At McDonald’s, we see every day as a chance to create a positive impact. We lead through our values centered on inclusivity, service, integrity, community, and family. From the support of Ronald McDonald House Charities to our Youth Opportunity project and sustainability initiatives, our values keep us dedicated to using our scale for good: good for our customers, people, industry, and the planet. We also offer outstanding benefits including a sabbatical program, tuition assistance, and flexible work arrangements. 

We are enjoying the flexibility of a hybrid work model, in which employees spend part of their week connecting with co-workers in our state-of-the-art headquarters. Located in the booming West Loop of downtown Chicago, it's set up to be a global hub that cultivates collaboration: 

• Take a class at Hamburger University 
• Sample future items in our Test Kitchen 
• Utilize the latest technology to connect with your team around the globe 

We are an equal opportunity employer committed to the diversity of our crew members, staff, operators, and suppliers. We promote an inclusive work environment that creates feel-good moments for everyone. We are interested in people who enhance our company culture: Does this role interest you? We encourage you to apply even if you don’t meet every single requirement! 

Department Overview 

This Internship will sit within our US People function supporting leaders to help drive consistency across the US by executing centralized practices and activities. This individual will learn and support our US HR Business Partners, Field People, Transformation & Org Effectiveness, Restaurant Culture, and US Marketing & Insights teams.  

Previous Internship Projects included: 

• Market Research: Interns did a deep dive on what benefits are important to restaurant staff members. They drew data from reports for over 1,000 restaurants and put together a presentation on their findings. Included were recommendations for any other benefits that may be important. 
• Internal Communications: Interns created Internal Talent communications around viral content. The intern did research on what makes content viral, how to socialize that internally, and how that impacts our people & business.  

Internship Overview 

For the duration of the internship, you will be able to enjoy a flexible work environment where you can think critically and feed your need (and ours) for innovation. After going through initial training, you’ll dive in with your full-time team to learn the business and what will be expected of you for the duration of your internship. Our robust programming includes a variety of events such as our Executive Speaker Series, Learning Sessions, Peer Lunches, Employee Business Network sessions, and other exciting events happening at MHQ throughout the summer! We designed this internship to provide a smooth transition into McDonald’s so don’t worry – if you bring curiosity and work ethic, we will guide you through everything you need to know about us. 

In addition, the skills and knowledge you will gain during the internship will set you up for a variety of career paths depending on your interests and strengths. Being a part of the internship program gives you early access to our full-time post-graduation opportunities as well. 

Internship Details 

• This internship is based out of our global headquarters in Downtown Chicago. You MUST be willing to relocate to the Chicagoland area, if applicable, for the duration of the internship program. 
• Housing options provided
• You must be authorized to work in the U.S. and not require visa sponsorship for the internship and future employment
• Interns work full time, Monday – Friday, during all 10 weeks of the internship (June 9 - August 15, 2025). 
• Eligible to participate in our Summer Hours program
• The internship pays $25/hr. 

You are a strong candidate if you: 

• Are a Junior working towards your Bachelor’s degree with a graduation date in Fall 2025 or Spring 2026 
• Are pursuing a preferred major including: Human Resources, Communications, Psychology, or other related degrees 
• Have strong communication skills and can adapt them based on your audience 
• Exhibit organizational involvement or experience related to human resources, people management, diversity & inclusion, or leadership 
• Are committed to a culture of inclusiveness 

McDonald’s is an equal opportunity employer committed to the diversity of our workforce. We promote an inclusive work environment that creates feel-good moments for everyone. McDonald’s provides reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities as part of the application or hiring process or to perform the essential functions of their job. If you need assistance accessing or reading this job posting or otherwise feel you need an accommodation during the application or hiring process, please contact mcdhrbenefits@us.mcd.com. Reasonable accommodations will be determined on a case-by-case basis.

McDonald’s provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to sex, sex stereotyping, pregnancy (including pregnancy, childbirth, and medical conditions related to pregnancy, childbirth, or breastfeeding), race, color, religion, ancestry or national origin, age, disability status, medical condition, marital status, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, transgender status, protected military or veteran status, citizenship status, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.

Nothing in this job posting or description should be construed as an offer or guarantee of employment.