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Come RISE with Panera! Panera Bread’s Internship Program is designed to help you build momentum early through a 10-week experience at our Boston, MA Support Center. You'll contribute to meaningful work, support real business priorities, and gain a hands-on understanding of how Panera operates, innovates, and grows. 

Whether this is your first internship or the beginning of a long-term career with Panera, we're committed to helping you learn, grow, and make an impact. Many interns continue their journey through our Starter Leadership Development Program and entry-level opportunities across the company. 
 
The goal is simple: help you build practical business experience, strengthen your skills, and explore what a future career at Panera could look like.
A sense of mutual respect and mindfulness permeates our culture-in fact, it’s the key to our success.

ready to rise with panera? 

Panera Bread's Starter Leadership Development Program gives you a front‑row seat to the action based out of our Boston, MA Support Center it delivers hands-on experience in multiple parts of the business, impact you can see, and a real-life viewpoint of your career long-term.

The goal is simple- the program devleops high-performing talent and the company's next leaders, positioning them for future success across the organization after the program. Successful graduates typically move into full-time Anaylst-level roles aligned to business needs. 


10 Weeks

Join an iconic brand and gain hands-on experience at our Support Center, contributing to meaningful projects alongside the teams that bring the Panera experience to life in our cafes. 

1 Team

Be part of a specific team while collaborating cross-functionally, gaining visibility into how different parts of the business come together to drive results.

jumpstart your career

Build a strong foundation and position yourself for continued growth with Panera, including future opportunities in our Starter Leadership Development Program and full-time roles. 
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Panera Bread 
Internship PROGRAM

Click on each section to explore and learn more

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Program Experience
Program Culture
Explore Rotations
Recruitment Process
Program Benefits
Upcoming Events
FAQs

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the program experience

Gain real experience, explore multiple career paths, and grow with a brand shaping the future of the industry! 
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real business impact

Jump into meaningful work from day one. You'll see how your work helps shape the guest and team member experience in our cafes. 
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hands-on learning

The best way to learn is by doing. Through hands-on work, feedback, and development experiences, you'll build skills that prepare you for what's next. 
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executive sponsorship

Partner with senior leaders through an executive-sponsored case study and gain a behind-the-scenes look at how Panera solves challenges and makes decisions. 
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cross-functional exposure

Your internship doesn't stop with your team. Explore how different parts of the business connect, collaborate, and work together to bring the Panera experience to life.
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networking & community

Join a group of interns, build your network, and make meaningful connections through networking events, community experiences and plenty of opporunities to get know the people behind Panera.
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Program Values and Culture

During the Starter Leadership Development Program, you’ll complete four rotations across five key areas of the business. Each rotation is designed to ensure you work on business-critical projects, offering meaningful exposure, hands-on learning and real impact.
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We believe in quality ingredients, thougfully prepared. There are no substitutes for craft- that belief baked into all we do.
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It's something you can feel. And we share that warmth with everybody. We truly, genuinely care for our guest and teammates.
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We work together and win as one or we don't win at all. We ask for help when we need it and offer our help fully to others.
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We're accountable. We each take responsbility for our actions and performance so we can do big great things together.
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 We embrace the challenge of doing hard things better than others to achieve extraordinary results. We don't give up, we rise up. 
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Learn more

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Explore our rotations

During the Internship Program, you'll spend 10 weeks embedded within one team, contributing to meaningful work and learning how Panera operates as a business. While your experience will be centered within a specific function, you'll collaborate across teams and gain visibility into the broader organization. Opporunities may be available within, but not limited to the, below departments.

Bringing the Brand to Life - Explore how Panera connects with guests by strategically amplifying the brand, promoting new menu and category items and igniting value. You may support new loyalty initiatives, help bring new menu items to life and collaborate with cross-functional partners to market everything we create. 

Understanding the Business – Play a part in how Panera plans, invests and measures success. You may work with budgets, forecasts, or performance insights that help teams make smart, informed decisions that set up the company for future success.

Seeing How It All Comes Together – Learn how partnerships, ingredients and products come together behind the scenes to support our cafes. You will explore sourcing, logistics and quality assurance that keep operations running smoothly at more than 2,000+ cafes across the country. 

Shaping the Innovation that Powers Tomorrow’s Successes – Be part of the team that drives initiatives focused on change, innovation and continuous improvement across the business. You will work to bring Panera RISE to life, helping teams analyze consumer insights and data to deliver results as we adapt and grow. 

Experiencing the Heart of Panera and What Makes Us Tick – Get closer to the consumer experience and the teams and technology that bring Panera to life every day. You’ll support operational processes, find ways to improve the guest experience through service and technology, and learn how decisions are made without compromising the guest experience. 
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Recruitment Process

At Panera, every guest gets our best, and the recruitment process is no different. We approach it with care, clarity and warmth. Our process is clear, fast‑moving and transparent, with communication at every step.  

apply

Once you submit your application, our recruiting team takes a close look at your experiences, skills and interests to understand how they align with Panera's Internship  Program and company values. Yes, a team reviews all applications in real-time as submitted. 

Skills Based Assessment

Skills-based hiring allows us to go beyond what’s on your resume to understand how you think, problem solve and approach real‑world scenarios. We're looking to find the best match for everyone, with a focus on transferrable skillsets. 

Recruiter Phone Screen

A two‑way conversation allows us to get to know you – and we also want you to get to know Panera and our Internship Program

Function Lead Screen

A focused interview with a business leader helps us  understand your strengths, explore how you would contribute to the team, and ensure strong alignment you and your role.

Offers

We make decisions quickly and offers will be extended after we debrief with function leads.

Find Your Path

Watching your future unfold is just the start once you join us! 
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Benefits at Panera 

At Panera, we have benefits to support your career, your goals, and your life. 
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Your Health & Well-Being

  • Paid Volunteer Day and Company Holidays
  • Paid Time Off and Wellness support
  • Potential For Relocation and Summer Housing
  • Commuting and Public Transportation Options
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Your Future & Growth 

  • Executive-Sponsored Case Study
  • Leadership Development Events
  • Fireside Chats with Employees
  • Social Events and Volunteer Opporunities
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Your Lifestyle & Perks

  • Hybrid Working Model
  • 50% Off Bread Bucks Gift Cards Monthly
  • Dress-For-Your-Day Envirnoment
A sense of mutual respect and mindfulness permeates our culture-in fact, it’s the key to our success.

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Early Talent- FAQ's

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The internship runs from June through August each summer.

The program is 10 weeks long. 

 Yes, interns are compensated hourly for their participation in the program, and may receive additional benefits. All details for the upcoming Internship Program are listed in the job posting once live.

Interns are required onsite in Boston, MA a minimum of three days per week on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday for the duration of the program. Based on business needs, additional days in the office may be requried. 

 

Students currently enrolled in an accredited university with an expected graduation date for the summer following the program.

We welcome students from all majors. Transferrable skillsets and an interest in the main program areas are most important to us.

Opportunities may be available across business-related functions, including: Marketing, Finance, Operations, Transformation, and Supply Chain.

No, although prior work, leadership, volunteer, campus organization, or project experience may help strengthen your application.

Yes, we encourage your application as long as you meet the program requirements.

Graduating seniors should apply to the Starter Leadership Development Program and more information can be found here: https://careers.panerabread.com/global/en/panerabreadstarter

Housing and relocation assistance are evaluated annually and communicated in the job posting and during the application process.

The Internship Program is designed to be a pipeline into future opportunities at Panera. High-performing interns may be considered for the Starter Leadership Development Program and other early career opportunities based on business needs, performance, and program availability.

School credit can be offered in some cases, and you should speak to your recruiter during the process.
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