Operations Intern at Hojia

Wayne State University; Santa Fe Springs, Northern (CA, KY); Hybrid; USD 36,000 - 44,000; Full time

Job summary

HOJIA is seeking an Operations Intern to support store openings, management training, and day-to-day operational performance across HOJIA-managed brands and locations, starting with a 3-month, California-based internship.

This hands-on, in-store role involves working with Store Managers, solving operational issues, and traveling between California locations. A reliable car is required, with growth to a full Field Operations Associate role.

Qualifications

• 1–2 years of restaurant, food and beverage, hospitality, retail, or related operations experience (part-time or internship experience counts).
• Comfortable coaching frontline staff and new managers through established playbooks and systems (prior team lead or training experience a plus).
• Strong communication, organization, and problem-solving skills; able to work independently.
• Must have a reliable car and be willing to drive to store locations across California as part of regular work.
• Bilingual English/Mandarin Chinese is a strong plus, but not required.

Responsibilities

• Support store visits across California locations to help ensure compliance with company policies, brand standards, service expectations, product quality, cleanliness, and operational procedures.
• Assist in training, onboarding, and coaching Store Managers and store leadership teams, including identifying performance gaps and improvement opportunities.
• Help support new store openings in California, setting up operating routines, running through opening checklists, and helping store teams get comfortable with day-to-day workflows.
• Help monitor store performance, including staffing, scheduling, labor, inventory, waste, customer experience, and overall operational efficiency.
• Provide hands-on, in-store support for underperforming, transitioning, or newly opened California locations, working alongside the Store Manager rather than in place of them.
• Help maintain and update SOPs, training materials, and checklists so they stay accurate and easy for store teams to follow.
• Support communication between HOJIA leadership and Store Managers, helping relay updates on store performance, training progress, openings, and operational issues.
• Collaborate with HR, marketing, supply chain, and other cross-functional teams to support company and brand goals.

Skills

Restaurant operations

Coaching frontline staff

Communication

Organization

Problem solving

Reliable car

Job description

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HOJIA is a California-based company focused on bringing high-quality Asian food and beverage brands to the U.S. market. We work across brand development, retail operations, and cross-border partnerships. Our first U.S. launch, GUIJI, is a premium Taiwanese tea brand known for its commitment to freshness and craftsmanship.

As we continue expanding into new markets, we are looking for an operations-minded intern who can grow with the company and help build strong, consistent operations across our brands.

Job Summary

HOJIA is seeking a Operations Intern to support store openings, management training, and day-to-day operational performance across HOJIA-managed brands and locations, starting with a 3-month, California-based internship.

This is a hands-on, in-store role for someone ready to learn multi-location operations from the ground up. You'll work directly with Store Managers on HOJIA's systems and playbooks, help solve day-to-day operational issues, and travel locally between store locations across California, a reliable car is required.

Interns who successfully complete the program and receive a return offer will move into the full Field Operations Associate role, which expands into broader responsibilities and travel to markets outside California. See “Growth Path” below for details.

Key Responsibilities

Support store visits across California locations to help ensure compliance with company policies, brand standards, service expectations, product quality, cleanliness, and operational procedures.

Assist in training, onboarding, and coaching Store Managers and store leadership teams, including identifying performance gaps and improvement opportunities.

Help support new store openings in California, setting up operating routines, running through opening checklists, and helping store teams get comfortable with day-to-day workflows.

Help monitor store performance, including staffing, scheduling, labor, inventory, waste, customer experience, and overall operational efficiency.

Provide hands‑on, in‑store support for underperforming, transitioning, or newly opened California locations, working alongside the Store Manager rather than in place of them.

Help maintain and update SOPs, training materials, and checklists so they stay accurate and easy for store teams to follow.

Support communication between HOJIA leadership and Store Managers, helping relay updates on store performance, training progress, openings, and operational issues.

Collaborate with HR, marketing, supply chain, and other cross‑functional teams to support company and brand goals.

Qualifications & Skills

1–2 years of restaurant, food and beverage, hospitality, retail, or related operations experience (part‑time or internship experience counts).

Comfortable coaching frontline staff and new managers through established playbooks and systems (prior team lead or training experience a plus).

Strong communication, organization, and problem‑solving skills; able to work independently.

Must have a reliable car and be willing to drive to store locations across California as part of regular work.

Bilingual English/Mandarin Chinese is a strong plus, but not required.

Additional Information

Job Type: Full‑time internship (3 months), with potential to convert to a full‑time Operations Associate role

Compensation: $20 per hour

Primary Work Location: Santa Fe Springs, CA, with regular driving to store locations across California

Candidates must be able to commute to our Santa Fe Springs office. Relocation assistance for moving to the Santa Fe Springs area is not provided. Company‑required business travel expenses will be reimbursed in accordance with company policy.

HOJIA is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees and applicants and do not discriminate based on any characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.