How to hire a computer science internship

How to hire a computer science internship, step by step

Here's a step-by-step computer science internship hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a computer science internship job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new computer science internship
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a computer science internship, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them a computer science internship to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire a computer science internship that fits the bill.

   This list presents computer science internship salaries for various positions.

   Type of Computer Science Internship	Description	Hourly rate
   Computer Science Internship	Computer support specialists provide help and advice to people and organizations using computer software or equipment. Some, called computer network support specialists, support information technology (IT) employees within their organization... Show more	$13-19
   Student Technician	A student technician is responsible for assisting the school personnel and faculty on utilizing class technologies and other learning equipment. Student technicians accept school requests for setting-up audio-visual equipment during school events, class presentations, and related technical support services... Show more	$7-24
   Student Information Technician	In learning institutions, a student information technician is typically in charge of handling information systems, ensuring data security and accuracy. Their responsibilities include installing and upgrading systems, providing technical support in different areas, managing software and hardware, and devising strategies to keep student information safe and secure... Show more	$9-25

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Python
   • C++
   • Java
   • Visualization
   • Linux
   • PowerPoint
   • Web Application
   • JavaScript
   • Math
   • Computer Programs
   • Computer System
   • Object Oriented Programming
   • Perl
   • SQL Server

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Repair laptops, PCs, install and maintain WIFI networks, resolve issues, manage and install wireless printers.
   • Manage the day to day operation of the company; troubleshooter for defective printers, computers and computer accessories.
   • Develop Perl scripts to automate debugging processes
   • Manage encryption key using common asymmetric algorithms and distribute mechanism.
   • Manage configuration and connectivity of customer virtual networks through VMware tools.
   • Develop a web application in python and JavaScript for lineage data visualization of sequence strains.

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your computer science internship job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A computer science internship salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, computer science interns' average salary in florida is 31% less than in connecticut.
   • Seniority. Entry-level computer science interns earn 29% less than senior-level computer science interns.
   • Certifications. A computer science internship with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in a computer science internship's salary.

   Average computer science internship salary

   $16.71hourly

   $34,749 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level computer science internship salary

   $29,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 19, 2026

4. Writing a computer science internship job description

   A computer science internship job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. To help get you started, here's an example of a computer science internship job description:

   Computer science internship job description example

   Fyusion is a machine learning & computer vision company that enables anyone to capture and display interactive 3D 360 images using their smartphone. Our unique 3D format allows for significant additional functionality that 2D images can't offer, including: background image effects & automatic damage detection for cars, and an understanding of the human skeleton for tagging products & features in fashion E-commerce. Our investors and customers include large international conglomerates and industry leaders, which puts us in a unique and advantageous position. We have ambitious goals and are looking for new energetic team members to help us reach them together.
   
   The Computer Vision team at Fyusion develops and applies state of the art algorithms in visualization, 3D reconstruction, SLAM, bundle adjustment, state estimation, and sensor fusion. We combine this with the efforts from our Machine Learning team to deliver an intelligent product which is loved by our customers.
   
   We are looking for candidates who are excited about solving complex problems at the intersection of classical 3D geometry and Deep Learning. You will have the resources and opportunities to publish your work at major conferences.
   
   Here are our requirements:Experience with 3D geometry, SLAM, Structure from Motion, bundle adjustment, view synthesis Proficient in C++, OpenCV
   
   Bonus if you have experience with Computer Graphics:NeRF (Representing Scenes as Neural Radiance Fields for View Synthesis) Rendering photorealistic dataimage based renderingcomputational geometry
   Here's what we can offer you:
   
   Paid company holidays, commuter benefits, company catered lunches, a fully stocked snack pantry, team and company off-sites, but the most exciting: the chance to work on an incredible pioneering technology team that impacts user-facing services.
   
   If you read this and think this is what you want to do, apply! If you read this, and think that you might need some help hitting all of the points, please apply! We have an entire team that is happy to mentor and share their knowledge with you.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right computer science internship for your business:

   • Consider promoting from within or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to find candidates who meet your education requirements.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your computer science internship job on Zippia to find and recruit computer science internship candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites such as dice, engineering.com, stack overflow, it job pro.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit computer science interns, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates can move on to the technical interview.

   Sometimes, it's not enough to interview computer science internship candidates, so you can ask them to do a test project. If you are not a technical person and don't know what a test project should be, you can use these websites:

   • TestDome
   • CodeSignal
   • Testlify
   • BarRaiser
   • Coderbyte

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new computer science internship

   Once you've decided on a perfect computer science internship candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

   It's also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new computer science internship. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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