The Wikimedia Foundation, the non-profit behind Wikipedia, is recruiting for its Software Engineering Internship Program 2027. It’s a paid, fully remote four-month programme (late February to late June 2027) where interns work on real open-source code that serves more than half a billion Wikipedia page views a day. You don’t need a degree: graduates, non-graduates and career changers are all welcome.
Applications close on 20 November 2026.
Can Africans apply? The role is listed as “Remote (US)”, with hiring in specific US states. However, the application form also asks international candidates for their country of residence and whether they can work as an independent contractor. Wikimedia also welcomes applicants from communities where free knowledge is “just emerging”. So candidates in Africa may be considered as remote contractors, but this isn’t guaranteed. No visa sponsorship is offered. If you apply from outside the US, confirm your eligibility with the recruiter.
At a Glance
| Organisation | Wikimedia Foundation (Wikipedia) |
| Role | Software Engineering Intern (2027 cohort) |
| Format | 100% remote, 40 hours a week, paid |
| Dates | 4 months, late February – late June 2027 |
| Pay (US-based) | US$34.32–42.13 an hour. Pay elsewhere depends on location. |
| Deadline | 20 November 2026 |
Teams You Could Join
- Mobile Apps: the native Android and iOS Wikipedia apps
- Editing: VisualEditor, DiscussionTools and Edit Check, including a new “Suggestion Mode”
- Data Platform Engineering: privacy-aware data systems for research and products
- Release Engineering: tools and automation to build, test and deploy code
- Connection: tools for Wikimedia campaign and event organisers
- Tools Infrastructure and Observability: cloud hosting for community tools, plus system monitoring
Benefits
- Paid full-time internship. Pay depends on your location and skills.
- A laptop and software provided for the programme
- A dedicated mentor and manager, and a clear project with deliverables
- Experience on code used by billions of people
- Exposure to the global Wikimedia volunteer movement
- Possible in-person events to meet other interns and teams
This is a contract role, so there are no benefits beyond those required by local law.
Eligibility and Skills
- Open to graduates, non-graduates and career changers.
- Basic experience with at least one back-end or front-end language (PHP, JavaScript, Python) or a mobile language (Kotlin, Swift), or a demonstrated interest in cybersecurity or privacy.
- Basic experience with databases and a scripting language.
- For some roles: SQL, the Linux command line, and networking or distributed-systems concepts.
- The ability to work independently, meet deadlines and communicate well across cultures.
- You must be legally authorised to work where you live. No sponsorship is offered, and international candidates must be able to work as independent contractors.
- You must be able to commit to 40 hours a week for four months.
People from groups underrepresented in tech are especially encouraged to apply.
How to Apply
- Open the official job posting (link below) and read the team descriptions.
- Fill in the application on Greenhouse, upload your CV, and answer questions about your remote-work experience, location and work authorisation.
- Highlight any open-source work, GitHub projects, or contributions to Wikipedia and other Wikimedia projects.
- Submit before 20 November 2026.
Apply for the Wikimedia Software Engineering Internship 2027 (official)
Accessibility support: [email protected]
Tips
- Show code. Link to GitHub projects, even small ones, and explain what you built.
- Contribute to Wikimedia first. Fixing a small bug or improving a Wikipedia tool shows real commitment.
- Explain your remote-work experience, such as online courses, virtual teams or open-source collaboration.
- Check your contractor status. In many African countries you can invoice as a freelancer, so make sure you can receive international payments.
