Summer 2027 recruiting
Pinterest internships: when they open and how to apply
Pinterest splits student hiring into clearly labeled tracks: separate internships for software engineering, Master's machine learning, PhD machine learning, data science, and UX quantitative research. Interns are called Pinterns. Summer runs in two cohorts, and some tracks also hire for fall.
PinterestEarly-career programs
- Software Engineering Internship
- Master's Machine Learning Internship
- PhD Machine Learning Internship
- Data Science Internship
- Early ID
Internships and programs at Pinterest
The early-career programs it runs for students and recent graduates, by the names it uses for them.
- Software Engineering Internship
- The largest track, for Bachelor's through PhD students. Summer internships run 12 weeks, with a May start for semester schools and a June start for quarter schools, and fall internships are offered on select tracks.
- Master's Machine Learning Internship
- A 12-week internship for Master's students in machine learning, with its own posting and its own interview pathway separate from general SWE.
- PhD Machine Learning Internship
- An internship for PhD students in machine learning and related fields, which pairs with a Machine Learning Engineer new grad role for graduating students.
- Data Science Internship
- A 12-week summer internship on product analytics and experimentation. It sits next to a UX Quantitative Research internship for students in survey and behavioral research methods.
- Early ID
- An eight month virtual program for first and second year college students preparing for technical internships, as described in a 2025 RippleMatch profile. It has been Pinterest's route for students too early for the regular internship.
When Pinterest posts internships
Pinterest's university page says applications open in August or September in a normal year, and for this cycle it says applications will open in fall 2026. That covers the internships and the new grad roles. Peak review runs from August through April, and roles fill as they go, so the first weeks after postings appear matter most.
Between cycles, the University page can show no openings at all. That's normal. Students who can take a fall term off can also look at fall internships on the tracks that offer them.
These are patterns from recent cycles, not published dates, and they shift. The reliable signal is the posting itself: Trakker is an internship tracker that reads Pinterest’s careers site directly and can email you within minutes of a new role appearing.
Who can apply
Interns must be enrolled in an accredited program working toward a Bachelor's through PhD in their field. Pinterest doesn't publish a minimum GPA; SWE postings describe coursework, projects, and coding fundamentals instead.
New grad roles in software engineering and machine learning engineering are for recent graduates. A separate Apprenticeship serves professionals from non-tech backgrounds, covering engineering, product management, design, and research.
The interview process
Pinterest publishes separate interview guides for general software engineering and for machine learning and data science. SWE candidates get coding interviews on data structures and algorithms; ML and data science candidates get modeling, statistics, and applied coding.
Candidates report a recruiter screen, one or two technical rounds, and a final round that includes a behavioral conversation. Specifics vary by track and office.
Tips for applying to Pinterest
- Pick the right track before you apply. Master's ML, PhD ML, data science, and SWE are different postings with different interviews.
- Semester or quarter school? Pick the matching cohort: May starts suit semester calendars, June starts suit quarter calendars.
- First and second years should look at Early ID when it runs; the regular internship is built for students further along.
- Know the product. Pinterest's recommendation and visual search problems give you something concrete to say in behavioral and ML interviews.
Pinterest internship questions
- When does Pinterest post internships?
- Pinterest says applications typically open in August or September, and for this cycle it says fall 2026. Roles fill as they go, so apply soon after they appear.
- What internships does Pinterest offer?
- Software engineering, Master's machine learning, PhD machine learning, data science, and UX quantitative research. Summer internships run 12 weeks in May and June cohorts, and some tracks offer fall internships.
- Can freshmen apply to Pinterest internships?
- The regular internships are aimed at students further into their degree. First and second year students have been the audience for Early ID, an eight month virtual program that prepares them for internships.
- Does Pinterest have a GPA requirement for interns?
- Pinterest does not publish a minimum GPA on its intern postings. Requirements are described in terms of coursework, projects, and coding fundamentals.
Where else to look
Employers students often weigh against Pinterest, and the role tracks its internships fall under.
Sources
What this page was checked against. Programs and timelines change from cycle to cycle, so Pinterest’s own careers site has the final word.
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