This past summer (2024), we welcomed 8 Software Engineering Interns to our Santa Monica, CA HQ. Our interns contributed to various projects throughout our engineering ecosystem, enhancing both job seeker and employer products. Their impact on our teams is only amplified by their embodiment of our core values: delivering excellence without ego, building fearlessly, and ensuring that passion and heart are at the center of our goal to connect people to their next great opportunity.
We are thrilled to spotlight their achievements and the diverse perspectives they brought to our team!
SUMMER HIGHLIGHTS
What did our interns work on?
At ZipRecruiter, our interns take on meaningful projects that directly impact our platform. Here’s a look at what a few of them worked on during their internships:
Diana’s Project: Defining the Downstream Value of Organic Jobs
Diana (Machine Learning Intern) focused on “understanding and defining the downstream value (DSV) of organic jobs,” which are a major part of what job seekers see. Her goal was to “define a concrete definition of DSV and measure it based on this definition.” Her project will be used to uncover how organic jobs impact long-term engagement and interactions with paid job listings.
Frank’s Project: Modernizing Screening Questions in the Applicant Tracking System
Frank (Full Stack Intern) worked on modernizing ZipRecruiter’s Applicant Tracking System (ATS) by “moving to a new database, introducing new question types, and new front-end screens.” His efforts will streamline the hiring process for both employers and job seekers by improving the system’s usability and functionality.
Rony’s Project: Exploring Custom Input in Jobseeker Onboarding
Rony’s (Big Data Intern) project explored “the effects of allowing custom input on the ‘Job Title’ screen” during the onboarding process. Previously, job seekers had to select from a preset dropdown list, but his A/B test allowed for any job title input, providing flexibility. This gave Rony the chance to “understand jobseeker behaviors as a result of such a change,” and their impact on the overall user experience.
These projects highlight real contributions made by our ZipRecruiter Internship participants, helping to shape the future of ZipRecruiter while enhancing both functionality and user engagement. Interns at ZipRecruiter are hands on, experiencing real world challenges and design novel solutions that matter.
Learnings along the way 
Our interns at ZipRecruiter gained valuable technical and professional growth. Here’s a look at what some of them learned during their time with us.
Diana highlighted the challenge of building the dataset for her project, which deepened her data science expertise. Unlike previous experiences, where data and objectives were readily available, she had to “understand the nature and roles of organic jobs” to determine useful features. Diana credits her mentor and team for their guidance, saying, “It was a great opportunity to learn and grow, both technically and professionally.”
For Frank, working with new technologies like React, gRPC, and Java Spring Boot was a standout. He valued the hands-on experience, sharing that it allowed him to “learn software design, new technologies, and make deployments to production.”
Sheldon shared his admiration for his team, stating, “I was consistently impressed by the talent and expertise of everyone.” He found the collaboration with skilled professionals to be a significant part of his growth both personally and professionally.
These experiences showcase how ZipRecruiter interns not only gained technical skills but also developed a deeper understanding of industry practices and collaboration!
Favorite aspects of the internship 
“The opportunity to work on an impactful project that addresses real- world issues.” –Sheldon
“Deploying my project to product and seeing the results in real-time…pretty cool knowing that something I made would have a tangible impact on my team and ZipRecruiter as a whole.” –Madhu
“Great insight into cutting-edge technology [learning about A/B testing].” –Rony
Why join ZipRecruiter?
Joining ZipRecruiter offers an exceptional opportunity to be part of a company with an “amazing culture, amazing people, and extremely rewarding work” that genuinely impacts millions of lives. Rony adds that the supportive environment ensures that you “feel valued” and inspired to make a difference. Philip (Full Stack Intern) echoes this sentiment, emphasizing that ZipRecruiter’s culture fosters “open communication” and strong connections among colleagues, making everyone “extremely approachable and supportive.”
ZipRecruiter also stands out for its commitment to learning and growth, as Rohan (Machine Learning Intern) notes, describing it as “easily the best learning opportunity” he’s experienced, with the company being “extremely supportive of new employees proposing new ideas.”
Moreover, ZipRecruiter offers a flexible remote work environment that allows you to “thrive from the places you find most comfortable” while still being deeply connected with your team. This, combined with a collaborative culture and “really cool in-person events” makes ZipRecruiter a place where you find yourself thinking, as Rony puts it, “What more could you ask for?”
The short answer: a trip to Disneyland!
Want to know more about Zip Happenings?
Curious about how top talent and HR teams at leading global companies really work behind the scenes? Tune into our podcast, Talent All-Stars hosted by our ZipRecruiter President, Dave Travers, where we dive into the day-to-day strategies and insights from talent leaders shaping the future of recruitment. Get the inside scoop on how they find and nurture high-performing talent.
Check out details about Breakroom HERE – Breakroom is our newest acquisition which strengthens our position in the market and opens up new opportunities for innovation especially from an engineering standpoint. Hear from the leadership team about what this acquisition means for the future and how it will impact our product offerings!
Join us in our mission to redefine and re-envision how people find their new opportunity —subscribe now and stay informed!
Any Advice? 
“At ZipRecruiter, engineers publish “Open Proposals” and “Open Designs” of their projects for everyone across the company to see (and optionally comment on). Reading these is a great opportunity to learn system design and best practices for building software. It is also a nice way to see what kind of work is being done at the company outside of your team.” –Frank
“To future interns, I would say: don’t be afraid to take initiative! If you have an idea for improving processes or solving problems, take proactive steps toward developing a solution. Your team will appreciate your enthusiasm and support your efforts. Remember, your fresh perspective is valuable, so don’t hesitate to share your thoughts and ideas.” –Sheldon
“My advice for future interns is don’t be afraid to unblock yourself. People at ZipRecruiter tend to be very helpful and are never judgmental. If you find yourself stuck on something it’s always better to ask for help quickly rather than remaining stuck. Also, try to learn more about what your team does outside of your intern project. It’s always valuable to work on things outside of the intern project and having awareness about your team’s work can help you contribute in other ways.” –Madhu
