Compensation and Benefits Analyst Intern

Location: San Jose, California, United States
Employment type: Internship

About the role

We are looking for a Compensation and Benefits Analyst Intern to join the Total Rewards team and help support thoughtful, data-informed compensation and benefits programs. This is a hands-on opportunity to learn how compensation structures, market data, benefits operations, HR systems, and employee-facing programs work together.

You will work with Total Rewards, HR Operations, Finance, Payroll, HR Business Partners, and other stakeholders to organize information, analyze data, document processes, and move defined projects forward. The right candidate is analytical, detail-oriented, comfortable handling sensitive information, and able to work independently while asking thoughtful questions in an evolving environment.

What you’ll do

Support compensation analysis by collecting, validating, organizing, and summarizing market, employee, job, level, and other approved compensation data.
Prepare Excel-based analyses, reports, dashboards, presentations, and data-backed summaries for Total Rewards and HR stakeholders.
Assist with recurring compensation and benefits activities by maintaining trackers, documenting assumptions, monitoring milestones, and following up on open items.
Support benefits operations by organizing plan information, employee-facing materials, vendor or process documentation, and questions routed to the appropriate team.
Help review HR and compensation data for completeness, consistency, accuracy, and appropriate access; investigate discrepancies and escalate questions with context.
Maintain process documentation, reference materials, checklists, workpapers, and project records so recurring activities are clear and repeatable.
Support HR systems and data workflows by documenting requirements, validating outputs, tracking changes, and identifying opportunities to improve reporting or data quality.
Partner with Total Rewards, HR Operations, Finance, Payroll, HR Business Partners, and other cross-functional stakeholders to clarify needs and communicate progress.
Help identify opportunities to simplify reporting, improve employee or stakeholder experiences, and make compensation and benefits processes more efficient.
Contribute to process-improvement or automation efforts by researching use cases, documenting requirements, tracking milestones, and reporting outcomes.
Work with sensitive compensation, benefits, employee, and business information in accordance with team expectations for confidentiality and data handling.
Own a defined internship project with mentor support, demonstrate measurable progress, deliver implementable work, and present data-backed results and recommendations at the end of the internship.

What you bring

Currently pursuing a bachelor’s or master’s degree in human resources, business, finance, economics, statistics, data analytics, mathematics, or a related field.
Strong analytical and quantitative skills, with careful attention to detail and data accuracy.
Working knowledge of Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint, including the ability to organize data and communicate analysis clearly.
Ability to learn new systems and processes, work with structured and unstructured information, and keep projects moving.
Strong written and verbal communication skills and comfort collaborating with cross-functional partners.
Sound judgment, discretion, and maturity when handling confidential compensation, benefits, employee, and business information.
Organization, ownership, curiosity, flexibility, and willingness to ask questions and learn.
Ability to manage milestones and deadlines, follow through reliably, and adapt when project scope or priorities change.

Preferred qualifications

Coursework or project experience in compensation, benefits, human resources, finance, accounting, statistics, survey analysis, data visualization, or business analytics.
Experience creating Excel analyses, trackers, dashboards, process documentation, presentations, or other business-facing materials.
Familiarity with HR information systems, compensation or benefits data, benchmarking, employee surveys, or reporting workflows.
Interest in process improvement, automation, and how technology can improve Total Rewards analysis and operations.

Equal opportunity

Astera Labs is an equal opportunity employer committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace. We encourage anyone with relevant experience to apply.

Internship experience and compensation

This is a paid, hourly U.S. internship. The applicable hourly rate is determined as part of the offer process and specified in the offer letter, depending on education level ranges from $35/hour to $55/hour. U.S. interns currently receive a $500-per-week housing/relocation stipend for the duration of the internship. Interns participate in Early Career programming, including technical and professional-development sessions, community events, and an end-of-program project presentation.

About the role

What you’ll do

Support compensation analysis by collecting, validating, organizing, and summarizing market, employee, job, level, and other approved compensation data.

Prepare Excel-based analyses, reports, dashboards, presentations, and data-backed summaries for Total Rewards and HR stakeholders.

Assist with recurring compensation and benefits activities by maintaining trackers, documenting assumptions, monitoring milestones, and following up on open items.

Support benefits operations by organizing plan information, employee-facing materials, vendor or process documentation, and questions routed to the appropriate team.

Help review HR and compensation data for completeness, consistency, accuracy, and appropriate access; investigate discrepancies and escalate questions with context.

Maintain process documentation, reference materials, checklists, workpapers, and project records so recurring activities are clear and repeatable.

Support HR systems and data workflows by documenting requirements, validating outputs, tracking changes, and identifying opportunities to improve reporting or data quality.

Partner with Total Rewards, HR Operations, Finance, Payroll, HR Business Partners, and other cross-functional stakeholders to clarify needs and communicate progress.

Help identify opportunities to simplify reporting, improve employee or stakeholder experiences, and make compensation and benefits processes more efficient.

Contribute to process-improvement or automation efforts by researching use cases, documenting requirements, tracking milestones, and reporting outcomes.

Work with sensitive compensation, benefits, employee, and business information in accordance with team expectations for confidentiality and data handling.

Own a defined internship project with mentor support, demonstrate measurable progress, deliver implementable work, and present data-backed results and recommendations at the end of the internship.

What you bring

Currently pursuing a bachelor’s or master’s degree in human resources, business, finance, economics, statistics, data analytics, mathematics, or a related field.

Strong analytical and quantitative skills, with careful attention to detail and data accuracy.

Working knowledge of Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint, including the ability to organize data and communicate analysis clearly.

Ability to learn new systems and processes, work with structured and unstructured information, and keep projects moving.

Strong written and verbal communication skills and comfort collaborating with cross-functional partners.

Sound judgment, discretion, and maturity when handling confidential compensation, benefits, employee, and business information.

Organization, ownership, curiosity, flexibility, and willingness to ask questions and learn.

Ability to manage milestones and deadlines, follow through reliably, and adapt when project scope or priorities change.

Preferred qualifications

Coursework or project experience in compensation, benefits, human resources, finance, accounting, statistics, survey analysis, data visualization, or business analytics.

Experience creating Excel analyses, trackers, dashboards, process documentation, presentations, or other business-facing materials.

Familiarity with HR information systems, compensation or benefits data, benchmarking, employee surveys, or reporting workflows.

Interest in process improvement, automation, and how technology can improve Total Rewards analysis and operations.

Internship experience and compensation