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Patreon

Patreon

Membership platform connecting creators with patrons

Machine Learning Intern

Summer 2026Posted on 1/28/2026
$65/hr
Internship
PhD
San Francisco, CA, USA+1 more

More locations: New York, NY, USA

Hybrid

Hybrid role requires three on-site days per week.

About the job

Requirements
  • You are currently pursuing a PhD in Computer Science or a related technical degree (e.g. Math, Physics, Bioinformatics)
  • You possess solid technical knowledge of computer science fundamentals, data structures and machine learning
  • You have experience using Python for large scale data processing and you are strongly proficient using PySpark
  • You demonstrate a willingness to learn and incorporate feedback
  • You are passionate about consumer products and the creator economy
Responsibilities
  • Ship a real-world machine learning feature that directly impacts the creator economy; you will work on a well-defined machine learning project in close partnership with a dedicated mentor, with the goal of shipping a complete, production-ready solution by the end of the internship; this includes training and iterating on ML models, writing high-quality, production-level code, and building backend components to integrate your model into Patreon's existing systems
  • Be part of a great team; you’ll be embedded into a world-class engineering team, working alongside fellow engineers, product managers, designers, and data scientists to make your feature a success
  • Learn a lot; in the spirit of Win Together, you’ll pair with one of our experienced engineers to mentor and guide you as you ramp up and work through all the technical challenges of your internship project
  • You’ll have fun; you’ll experience San Francisco or New York City during your summer internship alongside your intern cohort
Desired Qualifications
  • None

About the company

Patreon is a membership platform that helps creators earn a steady income by connecting them directly with their most devoted fans. Creators set up membership tiers offering exclusive content and perks, and fans pay a monthly fee to access them. The platform handles payments, provides creator tools and integrations to manage memberships, and takes a percentage of earnings as its revenue. This model lets creators rely on recurring support rather than ad-based or per-view income, and it supports a wide range of creators, including writers, musicians, visual artists, and podcasters. Patreon’s goal is to give independent creators financial stability and a closer, ongoing connection with their audience.

Company Size

1,001-5,000

Company Stage

Series F

Total Funding

$352.1M

Headquarters

San Francisco, California

Founded

2013

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Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • Podcast revenue grew 33% in 2025, proving creator demand remains strong.
  • Cloudflare partnership stops scrapers, preserving exclusivity and creator trust.
  • AltStore and free memberships expand monetization beyond traditional subscriptions.

What critics are saying

  • Apple forces all Patreon iOS creators onto in-app billing by November 1, 2026.
  • July 2026 layoffs cut 93 employees, signaling slower growth and cost pressure.
  • Substack and YouTube Memberships keep poaching creators; churn erodes network effects.

What makes Patreon unique

  • Patreon monetizes fans directly; 2025 podcast creators earned $629 million.
  • Patreon now blocks AI training bots with Cloudflare on all posts.
  • Patreon supports paid distribution inside AltStore PAL and iOS creator subscriptions.

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Benefits

Competitive Pay & Equity - Our company was built on the idea of value for value. To get the best on board, we provide competitive base salaries, stock options, and a 401k program.

The Bells and Whistles - As they say, it’s the little things: commuter stipend, computer gear, standing desks, a learning stipend for your professional development and a monthly patronage stipend.

Health Coverage - We offer incredible healthcare options for you and your loved ones (including dental, vision and mental health), as well as snacks and a daily catered lunch.

Balance & Wellness - We offer a gym stipend (or Fitness SF membership), as well as unlimited vacation and sick leave.

Growth & Insights and Company News

Headcount

6 month growth

2%

1 year growth

1%

2 year growth

0%
404 Media
Jul 23rd, 2026
Patreon lays off 20% of workforce as CEO cites AI transformation in tech industry

Patreon has laid off 93 employees, representing 20% of its workforce, CEO Jack Conte announced Thursday in emails to staff and creators. Conte stated the business remains "healthy and strong" whilst the company undergoes organisational restructuring. The company is "flattening the organisation, refocusing teams on our top priorities, and evolving key aspects of our operations to make us faster at adapting to change," Conte wrote. He emphasised that AI isn't replacing human creativity but has transformed how the tech industry operates. Affected employees will receive 16 weeks' pay, one additional week per year worked, healthcare coverage through year-end, and a $1,500 laptop replacement stipend. The announcement follows Patreon's recent partnership with Cloudflare to protect creators' work from AI training crawlers.

Variety
Apr 8th, 2026
Patreon Says Podcasters Earned $629 Million in 2025, Up 33%, as Platform’s Biggest Content Category Keeps Growing

Revenue generated by podcasters on the Patreon direct-to-fan platform hit $629 million in 2025, up 33%, the company says.

Adweek
Mar 28th, 2025
Patreon Hires Shake Shack's Mike McGarry as First SVP of Marketing

Patreon hires Shake Shack's Mike McGarry as first SVP of marketing.

TechCrunch
Sep 17th, 2024
Patreon launches features to automate away creators' administrative workload and help them make more money

Last year, Patreon introduced e-commerce features and free memberships, which allow fans to subscribe to a creator's public posts without having to pay for paywalled content.

The Verge
Apr 17th, 2024
Third-party browsers report record iPhone users.

AltStore PAL is integrating its marketplace with Patreon for monetization, and will support developers who want to distribute beta apps as a reward for crowd-sourced funding, which isn't allowed in the App Store.

INACTIVE