At Rocketgenius, our internship program is more than just a summer opportunity – it’s a launchpad for growth, learning, and lasting connections.

Every year, we welcome a new group of interns to collaborate with our fully remote team, work on real projects that power Gravity Forms and the wider WordPress ecosystem, and discover what it’s like to build meaningful software in a people-first environment.

We’re thrilled to announce that applications for the Rocketgenius Summer 2026 Internship are now open! As we kick off another season of learning and innovation, we wanted to share what the experience is really like – from the inside.

In this post, Martin Grigoryan, one of our 2025 interns, reflects on his first two weeks at Rocketgenius and what it’s been like to join the team, learn the workflow, and grow as a developer.

The beginning

It began on a summer hike. Somewhere along the trail, a familiar phrase came to mind: “If you love what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life.” I wasn’t sure what it meant for me in that moment, so I let the thought pass and kept hiking. Later that day, back at my desk, it returned in a way I couldn’t ignore.

I opened the Gravity Forms newsletter, one I always look forward to reading because it consistently highlights updates and new features. Normally, I skim through to find the changelog, but this time something else caught my eye. It was an announcement for an internship opportunity at Rocketgenius. I paused, set my phone down, and the phrase from my hike replayed in my head. I love working with WordPress. I love using Gravity Forms to solve real-world problems for clients. And here was a chance to combine both in a team setting. That realization brought a unique sense of joy, and without hesitation, I applied.

The next morning, I woke to an email from Rocketgenius. Expecting an automated confirmation, I was surprised to find a personal note outlining the next steps. That small detail gave me an early glimpse into the company’s culture: thoughtful, intentional, and people-focused. The internship included a curriculum to complete, which I saw as a challenge worth embracing.

The pre-start coursework

I have been building websites with WordPress and Gravity Forms since 2012, so the coursework felt familiar yet valuable. It covered everything from HTML and CSS to plugin development, custom post types, and PHP for WordPress. My favorite was the PHP for WordPress course, which tied together concepts I had used for years and explained them in a way that clicked.

Throughout the pre-internship phase, I kept in touch with my mentor on Slack, shared updates, and joined Zoom calls to review progress. It was my first real taste of how a 100 percent remote team operates, and it left me excited for what was ahead.

The start of the internship

When fall arrived, the internship officially began. A new laptop was shipped to me, and a kickoff call was scheduled with my manager and several people from the team. From the very first minutes, I felt welcomed and supported.

The onboarding documentation was extensive: schedules, wikis, links, and checklists that answered almost every question I could have. It was clear how much care went into making sure new interns felt part of the team from day one.

Week one: Stepping into the workflow

My first week was a mix of introductions and learning the rhythm of the company. I met my manager, my senior developer mentor, and several other team members across different areas. Within the first day, I had already spoken with six people, each generous with their time and eager to help me get settled.

I was introduced to the tools that keep Rocketgenius moving: Slack, GitHub, internal wikis, and a Slack bot that prompts daily check-ins. That small automation turned out to be one of my favorite aspects of the workflow. It not only kept me accountable but also gave teammates a quick way to see what I was working on, where I might be stuck, and how the week was going.

At the end of the week, I experienced my first end-of-week meeting, where everyone shared updates and reflected on what went well. It struck me how structured yet flexible the culture was. Meetings were never filler; they served a clear purpose of alignment, accountability, and support.

Week two: Digging deeper

In my second week, I started to move beyond setup and into practice. I spent more time in the documentation and wikis, finalized my local development environment, and began exploring Gravity Forms hands-on. The weekly kickoff meeting on Monday gave the week direction, while a one-on-one with my manager provided space to ask questions and get feedback.

One highlight of the week was meeting the customer support team and tackling mock issues through HelpScout. It was my first glimpse of how support operates at scale, and it taught me that technical accuracy is only half the job. The other half is communicating solutions clearly and empathetically.

Every interaction reinforced what I had sensed early on, that this is a company that values communication as much as code. Questions were encouraged, feedback was constructive, and every teammate I reached out to responded with kindness.

Lessons from the first two weeks

Two weeks may not sound like much, but the learning was substantial. A few lessons that stood out include:

• Details matter. From annotating screenshots to writing clear reproduction steps, small things make collaboration smoother.
• Communication is everything. Whether in Slack messages or customer replies, clarity builds trust.
• Remote does not mean disconnected. With the right structure, tools, and culture, a distributed team can feel just as connected, if not more so, than an in person one.

Looking ahead

The first two weeks were more than just an introduction to Rocketgenius. It was a window into how a team can combine technical excellence with genuine human connection. In just two weeks, I learned new skills, grew more comfortable in a remote environment, and gained a deeper appreciation for what it takes to build and support a product at scale.

I am excited to keep going, to learn more about the product I have relied on for over a decade, and to contribute in meaningful ways. If the first two weeks are any indication, this internship will not just be work I enjoy. It will be work I am proud of.

Apply for the Rocketgenius Summer 2026 Internship

Inspired by Martin’s journey? Your own Rocketgenius story could start this summer.

The Rocketgenius Summer 2026 Internship is a fully remote, paid program designed to help aspiring engineers learn, build, and grow alongside the people behind Gravity Forms and other leading WordPress products.

Learn more and apply now – applications are open through April 1, 2026, but spaces are limited.