Healthcare Operations Intern (BrightStar Care of Reno, Pack Intern, Summer 2026)
SUMMER 2026
**This internship is hosted by BrightStar Care of Reno and sponsored by the Nevada Career Studio (NCS).
Students are highly encouraged to visit the Nevada Career Studio during our drop-in hours or use our Virtual Resume & Cover Letter Review service BEFORE applying for these positions. Resumes and cover letters that do not meet NCS expectations will not be included in applicant packages to employers.
About BrightStar Care of Reno:
BrightStar Care is a leading provider of in-home care and medical staffing services, delivering high-quality, personalized care to individuals and families. The organization offers a full continuum of services, including non-medical personal care, skilled nursing, and healthcare staffing solutions for facilities.
BrightStar Care differentiates itself through a commitment to clinical excellence, rigorous caregiver screening and training, and adherence to high standards of care, including Joint Commission accreditation in many locations. Services are designed to support seniors, individuals with disabilities, and those recovering from illness or surgery, enabling clients to maintain independence and quality of life in their own homes.
Locally owned and operated offices combine the strength of a nationally recognized brand with a community-focused approach, emphasizing reliability, compassion, and accountability in every client interaction.
Internship Description:
The Healthcare Operations Intern will support key initiatives focused on improving efficiency, scalability, and service delivery within a growing home healthcare business. The primary objective of the internship is to complete a set of defined operational improvement projects that drive measurable impact.
Core projects may include:
- Analyzing scheduling and caregiver utilization to identify gaps and improve coverage efficiency
- Supporting client intake and onboarding workflows, with a focus on reducing response times and conversion rates
- Building basic reporting dashboards (Excel/Google Sheets) to track KPIs such as hours billed, caregiver utilization, and client retention
- Documenting and standardizing internal processes to improve consistency and support future growth
The intern will be exposed to multiple aspects of the business, including operations, staffing coordination, customer service, and basic financial performance metrics. They will work directly with ownership and gain visibility into how decisions are made in a small, growing healthcare company.
Outcome: By the end of the internship, the intern will deliver a set of documented process improvements and reporting tools that can be implemented by the business, along with a clear understanding of how a home healthcare operation is managed day-to-day.
Duties/Responsibilities:
- Complete 360 hours of work as an intern (32-40 hours per week, 9 weeks minimum)
- Support day-to-day operations in a startup environment, stepping in where needed across scheduling, client coordination, and caregiver communication
- Analyze scheduling and staffing data to identify gaps and improve caregiver utilization
- Assist with client intake and onboarding, helping streamline response times and conversion
- Build and maintain simple tracking tools (Excel/Google Sheets) for key metrics such as hours billed, utilization, and client activity
- Document and help standardize processes as the business scales
- Take ownership of discrete projects and execute with limited structure or precedent
- Conduct ad hoc analysis and problem-solving on operational and growth initiatives
- Provide regular updates to ownership and contribute to improving how the business operates as it grows
Goals and Expectations of the Intern:
The intern is expected to operate with a high level of ownership and adaptability in a startup environment, where priorities can shift and structure is still being built.
Key goals include:
- Deliver at least 2–3 completed operational improvement projects with clear, measurable impact
- Build and maintain basic reporting tools to track core business metrics (e.g., hours billed, caregiver utilization)
- Identify inefficiencies in scheduling, onboarding, or communication and propose practical solutions
- Contribute meaningfully to day-to-day operations, helping ensure reliable service delivery
Expectations:
- Take initiative and work independently with limited direction
- Be responsive, detail-oriented, and comfortable handling ambiguity
- Communicate clearly and provide regular progress updates
- Approach problems with a solutions-oriented mindset, not just analysis
By the end of the internship, the expectation is that the intern has produced tangible work product that improves how the business operates and can be sustained after the internship concludes.
Required Qualifications:
- Must be a degree-seeking undergraduate OR graduate student at the University of Nevada, Reno after the Spring ‘26 semester
- Spring ‘26 or earlier graduates are not eligible for the Wolf Pack STEM Internship Program
- Student must be enrolled in a major or minor program in the following colleges:
- Agriculture, Biotechnology, and Natural Resources (CABNR)
- Business
- Engineering
- Science
- Public Health/Orvis
- Strong organizational skills and attention to detail
- Proficiency in Excel (basic formulas, data organization)
- Clear written and verbal communication skills
- Ability to work independently and manage time without close supervision
- Comfortable operating in a fast-paced, unstructured (startup) environment
- Basic problem-solving and analytical thinking skills
- Reliable, responsive, and accountable for assigned work
Preferred Qualifications:
- Interest in healthcare, operations, or business management
- Experience with Excel (pivot tables, basic dashboards)
- Familiarity with or curiosity about using AI tools to improve workflows and productivity
- Prior experience in a customer service, staffing, or service-based environment
- Exposure to basic data analysis or process improvement concepts
Desired Schedule for Intern:
Full-time (40 hours per week) during standard business hours, Monday through Friday.
Some flexibility is expected based on business needs, with occasional early morning or late afternoon check-ins tied to scheduling and caregiver coordination. Remote work is supported, with regular virtual check-ins and availability during core hours required.
Pack STEM internships require interns to complete 360 hours during their internship. It is the intern’s responsibility to ensure this requirement is met.