Every year, we invite highly qualified students – graduate, undergraduate, and MBA – to apply to our internship program. As one of the most prolific innovation centers in the world, PARC offers a truly exceptional internship experience.
Considered valuable members of our community, interns are fully integrated into the daily activities of PARC's highly collaborative, multidisciplinary culture.
PARC interns have the opportunity to:
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work with leading researchers in the physical, computer, biological, and social sciences;
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pursue independent projects;
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engage in different stages of the research or business-development pipeline;
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participate in lab meetings, presentations, poster sessions, and special programs; and
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receive authorship on publications and/or patents.
"It [my PARC internship] was one of the best experiences of my life, personally as well as professionally."
--Summer Intern 2003
A number of PARC employees started their careers here as interns. We value the new ideas and fresh perspectives students bring, and want your experience at PARC to be educational and extraordinary.
Duration — Internships typically last about 12 weeks and are usually, but not always, during the summer.
Housing & Financial — All internships are paid and take place on site. PARC provides roundtrip transportation and limited relocation assistance upon arrival, but students are responsible for finding their own housing and ongoing transportation.
Transportation — Palo Alto has a reasonable public transportation system (for PARC location and map, see directions). Personal cars are convenient, though many PARC employees find the area and climate to be bicycle friendly.
Type of Work — PARC offers a diverse array of projects that research interns may have the opportunity to work on. Interns are also encouraged to co-author articles and patents. MBA interns work directly with research teams and business development directors to move research through all stages of the technology pipeline (e.g., from assessing early-stage technologies to facilitating spin-offs). At the end of August, interns showcase their work in a Summer Poster Session widely attended by the PARC community.
Other Activities — Interns will have opportunities throughout the summer to visit nearby companies (e.g., HP, Google, Sun, Microsoft) as part of the "Summer Intern Research Series" of talks.
Eligibility — PARC is looking for exceptional graduate research and undergraduate students in Anthropology, Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Linguistics, Mathematics, Physics, Sociology, and other fields. Graduate applicants typically hold Bachelor's degrees in one of the above fields and are enrolled in advanced-degree programs by the time internships begin. MBA applicants should be enrolled in a two-year MBA program and demonstrate interest in technology entrepreneurship, commercialization, or research activity.
Residency Requirements — International students are welcome to apply since there are no residency requirements.
Application Materials
Graduate research and undergraduate applicants — plain-text resume and 2 letters of recommendation
MBA applicants — cover letter describing experience, plain-text resume, and 2 professional references who can be contacted by phone
