We think our internships are great, but we might be biased.
Take it from past z|Interns, many of whom are now full-time employees, some for as long as 15+ years.
Luke McDermott | Director of Experiential Services
Summer 2015 & 2016 | Iowa State University
Why did you choose Zirous for an internship?
I choose Zirous for an internship because I had taken a couple of computer science courses and thought an internship would be the best way to put my skills to the test and expand on the knowledge I gained in class. What I didn’t know is that I would learn way more in one summer than I did in the majority of my courses. After the first summer, it was a no-brainer that I wanted to come back for a second summer.
Why did you choose Zirous for full-time employment?
After my internships with Zirous, I knew that the environment, culture, and people were what I wanted in a full-time position. I knew they respected the work/life balance and offered ways to better yourself in a professional manner so it was an easy choice for me.
Georgia Porter | Senior Solutions Consultant
Summer 2021 | Simpson College
Why did you choose Zirous for an internship?
I chose Zirous after finding them through LinkedIn and connecting with a Simpson alum working full time. I was intrigued after exploring the Zirous website and seeing such a modern and exciting culture portrayed through past projects and employee testimonials. The interview process was unlike any other I had experienced, quickly feeling welcomed, introduced to the CEO Mike McDermott, and even receiving M&M’s (a staple in the office) in the mail for participating in question activities. When making my final decision for how to spend my summer, I connected with a past Zirous intern and learned even more about the internship program and their journey. From the start, I felt like a valued employee even before I walked through the door.
Why did you choose Zirous for full-time employment?
Looking into the future of my career, I knew I wanted variety in the projects I’m passionate about. As a consulting company, Zirous provides the opportunity to interact with several industries while focusing on a few personal development areas. At another company, I could have been locked into creating insurance applications for years to come. I’m excited about working with new technologies and continuing to grow alongside Zirous. To top it off, the internship program gave a glimpse into the amazing culture established here and I’ve enjoyed participating in all the ways to get involved.
Lakin Jenkins | Experience Engineer
Summer 2022 & 2021, Spring 2022 | Iowa State University
Why did you choose Zirous for an internship?
I chose Zirous for an internship originally because of the new experiences I knew I would get to be introduced to and getting to experience a smaller company. I chose to stay at Zirous a second year because of the amazing culture they had and the fact that the second year they allowed me to get introduced to another practice area in the company.
Why would you recommend Zirous for an internship / employment?
I would recommend Zirous for an internship because of its culture and variety of options. This company culture is incomparable and you make friends here very fast. They always have multiple projects going on at the same time so if you’re not happy with what you’re doing there’s always another option and you can find your niche.
Eric Gleiter | Senior Application Developer
Summer 2020 | Iowa State University
Why did you choose Zirous for an internship?
I heard of Zirous from a past intern who spoke highly of the people and the culture, which sparked my interest. Then during the interview process, all of the positive things I had heard were confirmed. There was such a large emphasis placed on growth and learning, that I knew Zirous would be a great place for me to get real world experience. Additionally, when I met the staff at the interview everyone was so welcoming and helpful, It was a much better experience than I had at other companies, and I knew I had to take the opportunity.
Why did you choose Zirous for full-time employment?
The thing I liked most about Zirous and what ultimately led to come back full time, is the culture. At Zirous everyone is both extremely knowledgeable and helpful. I felt like anytime I hit a roadblock during my project there was someone who was an expert and was also willing to take the time to help me solve my problem in a way where I understood what was happening. My internship was remote, so to be able to see this culture when we were all working from home was very impressive and made me sure I wanted to be a part of it.
Katie Perkins | Solutions Architect
Summer 2017, Summer 2018, Summer 2019 | Iowa State University
Why did you choose Zirous for an internship?
Zirous seemed like the best fit for me. It was close to home and most importantly, it gave me the opportunity to learn more. I didn’t just apply what I’ve been learning in school to a project. I was able to learn new skills and technologies that will help me in future classes and work after I graduate.
What have you enjoyed most about your internships at Zirous?
What I love most about Zirous is the people. Everyone wants to help you grow, whether it’s in your area of interest or in your professional skills. I could go up to anyone and ask them about what they do or to get advice from them.
Kaitlin Sickles | Senior Solutions Consultant
Summer 2018 | Drake University
Why did you choose Zirous for an internship?
I was looking for a data analytics internship, and Zirous offered that experience. During the interview, I met people that I would be working with, and I was excited to learn data analytics and machine learning from them.
Why did you choose Zirous for full-time employment?
I chose Zirous for full-time employment because of the time I spent here during my internship. The people I work with and the projects I work on were exactly what I was looking for in full-time work as well.
Matt Krueger | Solutions Architect
Summer 2015, Summer 2016 | Iowa State University
Why did you choose Zirous for an internship?
Zirous presented truly interesting summer projects. My intern program was focused wholly on developing my skill set and they devoted a generous amount of resources to doing so. The work applied what was taught in university and successfully expanded my practical skills in diverse and new areas.
Why did you choose Zirous for full-time employment?
Zirous has a fantastic staff of people I love to work with and learn from. Employees are treated very well, being relaxed, flexible, and highly respectful of work-life balance. As a professional, I grew much more during my internships at Zirous than I did at other companies and I knew that focus on professional development would continue throughout full-time employment. The projects you work on and technology you use here are highly diverse, keeping the work fresh and maintaining a rewarding experience full of new and exciting opportunities.
Colton Rodgers | Director of Security
Summer 2014 | Drake University
Why did you choose Zirous for an internship?
Zirous offered me a chance to get real world experience in the fields that I was pursuing and seemed to me like the flexible company that I would like to work for, as well as giving me challenges each and every day so that I could better hone my talents and skills.
Why did you choose Zirous for full-time employment?
The people I would be working with, and the everyday atmosphere that would come with it. It felt like the right place for me. A place where I am continually challenged in work that I enjoy doing and learning about is a place where I know I can thrive and help the business thrive as well.
MaKenzie Clemons | Director of Research & Technology
Summer 2013 | Vanderbilt University
Why did you choose Zirous for an internship?
I was looking for a place to use my engineering skills and apply them to problem solving in a software development context. I was looking forward to a summer of learning and developing my coding skills since I was not originally a computer engineering or computer science major.
Why did you choose Zirous for full-time employment?
I kept coming back to Zirous as a front runner in my search because of the caliber of people I knew I’d have the opportunity to work with, as well as the cutting edge technologies and continuous learning opportunities I knew would be a part of working for a company like Zirous.
Tony Brimeyer | VP of Integration Services
Spring 2007, Summer 2007; Part-Time: Fall 2007 | Iowa State University
Why did you choose Zirous for an internship?
One of my “nice-to-have” requirements for an internship/employment was that I didn’t want to spend my career working on or maintaining a single piece of technology or a single project, so for the Fall 2006 career fair Zirous Inc. was on my list for that reason. In terms of the interview process, it could not have been more different. My interviews with large companies were on-site at Iowa State and impersonal, compared to the Zirous on-site interview and the welcoming atmosphere. Everyone was genuinely interested in showing me what Zirous was all about as much as interviewing me to find out if I would be a fit.
Why did you choose Zirous for full-time employment?
It was never work for me. I was learning at a much faster pace as an intern at Zirous than I was at ISU while at the same time realizing how much there was that I didn’t know. None of that would have been possible if there wasn’t an open-door culture. I always felt like I was able to ask anyone questions, and if they didn’t know the answer they would introduce me to someone that did and would be just as willing to help. At the time, the thing I liked the most about software development was that when you get a group of people working cohesively, you can build something better than the sum of what each person can do individually. I knew I could experience that here.
Luke Wenz | Director of Integration Services
Summer 2006 | Iowa State University
Why did you choose Zirous for an internship?
I chose Zirous for an internship for the opportunities to further develop the technical skills I learned in my classes and to get real world experience.
Why did you choose Zirous for full-time employment?
I liked the opportunity to be a full-stack developer and not siloed off in a small technical niche. I also enjoyed the high quality employees I could learn from both technically and from a professional perspective. Finally, I liked the laid back company culture and the flexibility it provided for work life balance.
Erin Putrah | Senior Solutions Consultant
Spring 2004 | Simpson College
Why did you choose Zirous for an internship?
I chose Zirous for an internship because I visited their booth at the Iowa State job fair and thought the job would be a good fit for me and that the people I met there would be fun to work with.
Why did you choose Zirous for full-time employment?
I liked that working in consulting allowed me to work with lots of other technical people and on a variety of different types of projects, and I really enjoyed working with them during my internship.
Sydney Righi | Project Coordinator
Summer 2022 | Emporia State University
What did you like about your internship project?
I loved that I had a variety of projects to work on. They were challenging and always kept me on my toes. I liked working on Advisory Services because I was able to work with a team using problem solving and critical thinking skills. It gave us the freedom to take it wherever we thought best. It also forced me to explore every aspect of what it takes to build a new business offering, which is something I had not been able to experience before. I also really enjoyed working with the Iowa State Fair augmented reality team. This was also a unique opportunity where I was able to participate in the administrative side of things as well as learn about what goes into creating and testing an app.
Why did you choose Zirous for an internship?
I learned about Zirous through my sister and knew that it was an excellent place to work and that they truly care about their employees. Everyone I spoke with during the interview process was extremely friendly and welcoming, and I could tell it would be a great company to be a part of.
Molly Carrick | Experience Engineer
Summer 2022 | Iowa State University
What did you like about your internship project?
I liked the Virtual Reality project because it was a technology that I had never worked with before, so it gave me the opportunity to learn some unique skills. It was also open-ended which allowed my intern team to be creative. With this project, I felt like I was actually doing something worthwhile. It was clearly not just busy work and in the end, we were able to be very proud of our final product.
Why did you choose Zirous for an internship?
I chose Zirous because I could tell that it was filled with friendly people who wanted to include me in their team. They never treated me as if I was just an intern. They also gave me the tools I needed to thrive in the internship despite not having any prior experience with virtual reality development.
Brooke McKee | Solutions Consultant
Summer 2022 & 2023 | University of Iowa
What did you like about your internship project?
This summer I worked in the Data Division and was given the opportunity to work on a client-facing project. I sat in on the calls and was present in all the discussions we had to piece together an email marketing dashboard for the client. From speaking with the clients I created my own dashboard using Zirous internal data. This was a really great experience to get my hands on real-world examples of analytical thinking and problem solving. I was also exposed to a variety of tools I had never used before like Marketo, Salesforce and Looker Studio which was really exciting.
Why would you recommend Zirous for an internship/employment?
Zirous has a ton of opportunities to grow and develop your professional network and skills while also having fun and trying new things. If you’re not afraid to try something new or are looking for more leisure activities to get involved in, Zirous is a great place to start! Here at Zirous there is a vast amount of knowledge spread across the workplace as well as many unique opportunities. I highly recommend reaching out to Zirous and learning more about everything Zirous has to offer. While the company is a technology firm by definition, there is so much more to discover!
Miguel Kunkle | Experience Designer
Summer 2022 & 2023 | University of Missouri
What did you like about your internship project?
Our internship project was a combination of many things I love, with Zirous behind us all the way. Getting to incorporate my 3D skills to provide for not only Augmented Reality, but Virtual Reality as well was incredibly fun. I feel like the possibilities with 3D are endless, and Zirous is the place to be if you want to innovate. Our projects are the groundwork for hopefully many more projects to come, and the team will continue to grow and innovate to meet each new challenge.
Why did you choose Zirous for an internship?
The intern project was something not being done by other companies, and suddenly my niche knowledge became my strength. Looking through the testimonials of previous interns, I felt that the culture was open and inviting, and when I took my first steps through the office, all of my feelings were proven true.
Andrew Deick | Experience Engineer
Summer 2022 | Iowa State University
Why did you choose Zirous for an internship?
I found Zirous by wandering the Iowa State career fair, but by the end of my in-person interview, I felt really good about working here. The people were not only enthusiastic and passionate, but they also had an appreciation for each other, not as co-workers but just as friends.
Why did you choose Zirous for full time employment?
As I move to the next step in my life, I want a company that will stand with me the whole way. Zirous has shown themselves to be very flexible with scheduling, and understanding when it comes to work-life balance. I also am looking forward to being on the leading edge of professional VR development and I’m excited about all of the possibilities!
Kyle Nachiengane | Help Desk Technician
Summer 2023 & 2024 | Iowa State University
What did you like about your internship project?
Being able to apply the theoretical knowledge I have gained in school to tangible, everyday projects. For example, I had the opportunity to apply framework and front-end library technologies to the project I worked on.
Why would you recommend Zirous for an internship / employment?
Zirous provides many fun activities to collaborate with coworkers outside of work. Also, they work hard to help interns and employees grow in not only their fields but as people. Everyone is willing to help you in any way they can. They have many different departments that allow you to explore what you enjoy or are interested in.
Heath Frost | Cyber Security Intern
Summer 2023 & 2024 | Grand Canyon University
What did you like about your internship project?
Once again, the freedom I was given was unmatched. It was great to see the trust I was given last year was given to me once again. Aside from breaking stuff, this year I was also given some work on the other side of the coin. I was tasked with testing out a new networking tool which involved setting up a network as opposed to breaking one down. This project really taught me a lot and was a great contrast to what I have been learning in school. It also allowed me to work with some of our partners and clients which I did not get to do last year. Being in the office this summer was also super fun as I got to know people from the office more than I did last year.
Why did you choose Zirous for an internship?
I went back to Zirous for a second internship mostly because I knew that I would learn a ton. When I went back to school after my first internship I was surprised to be way ahead of the curve in my classes. Sometimes it felt like my classes were just reviewing what I learned during my internship. So when I was asked to come back, but this time in the office, I knew I would be able to learn even more. It was also exciting to see people I met last year and new faces that were hired during my absence.
Regan Heckman | Business Development Representative
Summer 2023 | Iowa State University
Why did you choose Zirous for an internship?
I chose Zirous for an internship because they created a unique position for an entrepreneurship student. Unlike other companies there really wasn’t a need or spot for my specific interest. Zirous allows and encourages all of my entrepreneurial dreams inside of a company!
Why would you recommend Zirous for an internship / employment?
I would recommend Zirous for an internship or employment simply because of the people. Everyone I have met and worked with pushes me everyday. We are all life long learners who put in the work everyday to be the best in the industry. It’s very important to surround yourself with the type of person you are and want to become. Zirous’s employees are an outstanding group of people and I am very glad I got to learn alongside them throughout my internship experience.
Spencer Thiele | Extended Reality (XR) Intern
Summer 2023 | Iowa State University
What did you like about your internship project?
The project I worked on during my time at Zirous was a great experience. I really enjoyed the creative freedom we were given when it came to planning the projects and implementing features. Getting to see an idea that I proposed and implemented in a professional level project was amazing.
Why did you choose Zirous for an internship?
I read online about the Zirous internship program when preparing for the career fair. When I saw that their interns get to build a VR/AR application I wanted to learn more. I spoke to them at the career fair and after hearing about their amazing program I wanted to join.
Why would you recommend Zirous for an internship / employment?
Zirous is a great experience for anybody who is looking to gain experience in both development and professionalism while making some friends along the way.
Ian Dalton | Application Developer
Summer 2023 | Iowa State University
Why did you choose Zirous for an internship?
I chose Zirous for an internship because they had a reputation around campus for having an amazing culture and meaningful intern experience.
Why would you recommend Zirous for employment?
I would recommend Zirous for the great work environment; the people are helpful, the culture is fun, and there are many growth opportunities for employees.
Cael Schreier | Application Developer Intern
Summer 2024 | Iowa State University | Returning Full-time May 2025
What did you like about your internship project?
This summer I got to help improve and enhance many internal systems of Zirous as an Application Development Intern. I got to learn a lot of new technologies and skills while working on a project that was actually relevant to the company. Because the project was improving an internal company system, I could see its effects and feedback from other employees and I know that it is something that will stay around and have impacts for a long time to come. I also enjoyed the team I worked with, they were a very fun group and made each day in the office very engaging.
Why would you recommend Zirous for an internship/employment?
I was very drawn to their focus on company culture. From the first time I talked with them at the career fair, I could tell that this was a fun place to work with employees you’d want to be around. They have company clubs, participate in the Des Moines Corporate Games (which are extremely fun!), and have tons of snacks always available. As a programmer, I can program anywhere, but I’d be hard-pressed to find a place as fun to do it as Zirous.
Above all, Zirous is a great place to work. The work is engaging and challenging enough, but help is always close if you need it. The office is fun with tons of people to talk to, but always easy to focus on. It’s like a group project where your partners aren’t randomly assigned, but people who are both fun to talk to and do a fantastic job. There is also a lot of variety in the work you will do. Because Zirous works for so many different clients, there are many opportunities for different projects to work on. If you find you aren’t enjoying a project, once it ends you can do something different. If you find you really enjoyed a project, you can work on a similar one in the future. If you want to completely change it up there are seven different divisions within the company to choose from.
Margaret Sullivan | Application Developer Intern
Summer 2024 | Iowa State University
What did you like about your internship project?
I enjoyed having the opportunity to learn new coding languages and receive experiences that can’t be replicated within the classroom. Since this was an internal project, it was very cool to see the immediate impact that our project had on the day-to-day lives of employees within the company. Additionally, being an internal project we had the advantage of being able to receive vast amounts of valuable feedback and utilize the feedback to adapt and improve our project. This project was an impactful reminder of the ways that improvements to technology in all fields can improve people’s lives.
Why did you choose Zirous for an internship?
Part of the large reason I chose Zirous was because of their clear and personalized communication throughout the entire recruitment process. Their personalized approach made them stand out significantly compared to other companies. Additionally, their unique interviewing process made it clear that they valued their employees on a personal level. Also, due to their variety of divisions, I knew that I would have the opportunity to learn a variety of new skills and explore my interests.
Why would you recommend Zirous for an internship/employment?
Zirous goes above and beyond to cultivate a culture of innovation and positivity. From z|ThinkTank which allows you the opportunity to propose and work on unique projects, to z|Volleyball, with the many clubs and activities Zirous provides you can easily find your fit here. Additionally, everyone at the company genuinely wants to see you succeed and actively goes out of their way to be welcoming. Through the diverse services Zirous provides, you can work on engaging projects that you’re genuinely interested in and work with astoundingly creative and kind individuals.
