Business Services Intern

LIGO Laboratory Business Services Intern

Caltech is a world-renowned science and engineering institute that marshals some of the world's brightest minds and most innovative tools to address fundamental scientific questions. We thrive on finding and cultivating talented people who are passionate about what they do. Join us and be a part of the diverse Caltech community.

LIGO Laboratory (the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory) seeks a highly motivated and skilled Business Services Intern to join its team.

This position is an in-person, year-round internship, located in Richland, WA.

LIGO Laboratory is a National Science Foundation major facility dedicated to observing the newly discovered gravitational-wave universe. Jointly operated by the California Institute of Technology and Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the LIGO Laboratory operates world-leading observatories near Richland, WA and Baton Rouge, LA as well as R&D centers on the Caltech and MIT campuses. The LIGO Laboratory's mission spans a broad and vibrant array of activities related to gravitational-wave physics and astronomy, including detector operations, R&D toward detector improvements, gravitational-wave astrophysics, observatory operations, and education and public outreach.

This internship provides business students with hands-on experience across multiple business functions within a research environment. The Business Services Intern will support the Business Services Office (BSO) team in areas including procurement, grants management, finance, administration, and operations. This role is designed to offer broad exposure to business functions within a professional setting, providing valuable experience in a fast-paced, team-oriented environment. The intern will report to the Business Manager and collaborate with various team members on tasks related to grants management, financial reporting, procurement, government property, and administration.

The LIGO Business Office provides comprehensive back-office support across the LIGO Laboratory. The office serves multiple functionsfrom grants management and accounting to procurement, property and logistics management, and professional communications. This depth of business exposure makes LIGO an ideal environment for interns to gain a well-rounded understanding of how a business office operates and supports a complex research organization.

Essential Job Duties

• Provide administrative support to BSO team members across various functions
• Assist with data entry and maintenance of digital records.
• Support grants management activities and financial reporting processes.
• Assist with procurement tasks, shipping, and receiving operations.
• Generate reports and compile data for business office staff.
• Support government property tracking and administration.
• Perform general office duties as needed.
• Other duties as assigned.

Learning Objectives

Skills Development

Professional Skills :

Technical Skills :

Basic Qualifications

Preferred Qualifications

Required Documents