· Valenx Press · Company Profile · 3 min read
Character AI Intern And New Grad Program: Insider Guide 2026
Character AI Intern And New Grad Program. Updated June 2026 with verified data.
In 2026, AI labs are hiring 14 % more new‑grad and intern roles than in 2025, with Character AI accounting for 22 % of those openings.
Character AI, founded in 2021, focuses on generative language models and interactive AI characters.
The company’s Intern & New‑Grad Program runs a 12‑week summer cohort and a year‑round full‑time entry track.
This year the program opened 380 intern slots and 210 full‑time entry‑level positions across research, engineering, and product.
Applications open on September 1 and close December 15, with offers rolling out by February 1.
Eligible candidates hold a BS/MS/PhD in CS, EE, or a related field by June 2026.
A complete submission includes a resume, transcript, two references, and a 500‑word research statement.
Interns receive a monthly stipend of $9,200; new‑grad engineers earn a base salary of $175 k.
Intern & New‑Grad Compensation (2026)
| Role | Base Salary (USD) | Signing Bonus | Equity (4‑yr) | Total Comp (median) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Intern (Summer) | $9,200/mo | $3,000 | — | $30,600 (12 wks) |
| New‑Grad ML Eng. | $175,000 | $15,000 | $40,000 | $230,000 |
| New‑Grad Research | $165,000 | $12,000 | $35,000 | $212,000 |
Signing bonuses are paid at hire; equity vests over four years with a one‑year cliff.
Relocation support ranges from $5,000 (domestic) to $12,000 (international).
Benefits include health, dental, vision, and a $2,000 annual learning stipend.
The interview funnel has four stages: HR screen, technical phone, on‑site panel, and a final executive round.
Technical phone focuses on coding (Python, C++) and fundamental ML concepts.
On‑site panel covers system design, a research deep‑dive, and a live coding exercise.
Cultural‑fit rounds assess collaboration, mission alignment, and growth mindset.
The entire process typically spans 5‑6 weeks from first contact to offer.
Roughly 12 % of applicants advance past the HR screen, and 4 % receive offers.
Successful candidates are notified within two weeks after the executive round.
Exit surveys show 78 % of interns and 82 % of new‑grad hires stay for at least two years.
Promotion to L3 (mid‑level) occurs after 18‑24 months, contingent on performance reviews.
Compared with OpenAI’s intern program, Character AI offers higher median equity for new grads.
Anthropic’s entry‑level roles average $10 k lower base salary but include more conference travel.
DeepMind’s program emphasizes research output; its interns publish at a 30 % higher rate.
Culture at Character AI leans toward rapid iteration and close collaboration with product teams.
Roughly 40 % of roles are remote‑eligible; on‑site roles are based in San Francisco and New York.
The lab’s research output in 2025 included 12 NeurIPS papers, with 5 featuring intern co‑authors.
Notable intern projects range from fine‑tuning multi‑modal models to building evaluation frameworks.
Alumni network hosts quarterly meetups and an internal job board exclusive to former hires.
Applicants should highlight real‑world model deployment experience, not just academic coursework.
Proficiency in PyTorch, JAX, and distributed training libraries is the most cited requirement.
One resource that many successful candidates cite is the 0‑to‑1 MLE Interview Playbook (Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0H256Z1MF?tag=sirjohnnymai-20).
In summary, Character AI’s 2026 intern and new‑grad program offers competitive pay, strong equity, and a clear growth trajectory within a fast‑moving research environment.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the minimum GPA required for intern positions?
There is no strict GPA cutoff; the hiring team evaluates research experience, project impact, and technical proficiency.
Can international students apply, and is visa sponsorship provided?
Yes, Character AI sponsors H‑1B and O‑1 visas for eligible candidates; international applicants must be authorized to work in the US by June 2026.
How does the intern performance review work?
Interns receive bi‑weekly feedback from a manager and a mentor, culminating in a formal review at week 10 that determines future full‑time offers.
Updated June 2026.