Guest Experience Operations Intern, 2025 Season

POSITION TITLE: Guest Experience Operations Intern, 2025 Season

DEPARTMENT: Guest Experience

REPORTS TO: Manager of Event Personnel

POSITION LOCATION: Indianapolis, IN

FLSA STATUS: Non-Exempt

WORKER CATEGORY: Intern

DURATION OF INTERNSHIP: January 2025 – August 2025 

COMPANY SUMMARY:

Penske Entertainment is a leading provider of world-class sports and entertainment. The organization consists of three prominent entities:

• Indianapolis Motor Speedway is the world’s largest spectator sporting facility and annually hosts the world’s most prestigious auto race: the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge.
• INDYCAR is the Indianapolis-based governing body for North America's premier open-wheel auto racing series, the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, and its developmental series, INDY NXT by Firestone.
• IMS Productions is a multifaceted broadcast and multimedia division that helps bring INDYCAR and IMS events to life for global audiences.

POSITION SUMMARY:

The Guest Experience Operations Intern will report to the Manager of Event Personnel to assist the entire operations team with a variety of planning and execution projects. Projects will include exposure to staffing operations and management, venue set-up and tear-down, and event coordination. During the Month of May, the Guest Experience Operations Intern will work with the operations team to solve numerous real-time issues. The Intern will become intimately involved with overall execution and management of events at IMS. The Guest Experience Operations Intern is a part of the IMS College Program and is eligible for all relevant programming and experiences.

SPECIFIC DUTIES:

• Understand and contribute to solving overall staffing requirements and fulfillment
• Provide support with application and onboarding activities for all internal employees
• Compose and coordinate correspondences with a diverse group of seasonal employees
• Help manage the employee database contained in the IMS Scheduling System
• Troubleshoot various event day staffing and operational issues such as no-show coverage and equipment distribution
• Perform pre-event walkthroughs of all spaces used by the operations team
• Manage facility set-up and tear-down operations that includes bike rack placement, signage, and other event needs
• React to event day issues and assist with problem-solving initiatives
• Work closely with operations staff to resolve a wide range of issues during both marquee and tier two events
• Provide administrative support for IMS Guest Experience department
• Resolve and communicate customer service-related issues/concerns
• Actively participate in all College Program activities and development opportunities
• Other duties as assigned by the supervisor and the entire operations team

QUALIFICATIONS:

Supervisory Responsibilities

• This position does not have direct supervisory responsibilities
• This position will assist in the management of seasonal employees during event times

Education

• Pursuing Bachelor’s degree from an accredited university/college

Skills/Experience

• Previous experience in the IMS College Program is preferred
• A strong interest in event and staffing operations
• Enthusiasm for and commitment to the company and the Vision, Mission and Values
• Ability to quickly process and react to problems with minimal supervision
• Innovative thinker and self-starter with perseverance to lead teams to success
• Effective written/verbal communication and advanced computer skills
• Effective interpersonal and leadership skills
• Ability to work in a role that requires clerical, organizational and operational skills, as well as initiative and flexibility

Travel/Work Hours

• No travel, however, this position requires working on some weekends as well as evening hours based upon our business needs. Flexibility and adaptability are key skills needed for this role.
• January - April
  • Office hours: 10-15 hours/week, Monday-Friday
• May
  • 40+ hours/week, including weekends
• June – August
• Office hours: 15 hours/week, Monday-Friday
• Additional hours during event weeks

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:  

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.

• Ability to occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds
• Must be able to see and hear in the normal range with or without correction, and communicate verbally and in written form with great facility and must be able to be understood
• Must have the stamina to work long hours and must be willing to work an irregular schedule, which may include weekends or evenings

WORK ENVIRONMENT:  

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Work is performed in both an office environment and outdoors, and in proximity to other workers
• Interns will be exposed to those conditions normally encountered in a business office environment
• Interns are faced with frequent interruptions and must meet with others on a regular basis
• The noise level in the work environment can be loud, due to professional racing events

 EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER:

The Indianapolis Motor Speedway provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, amnesty or status as a covered veteran in accordance with applicable federal, state and local laws. The Company complies with applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment in every location in which the company has facilities and/or events.