AI Automation Intern

Position Summary

K1 is seeking an AI Automation Intern to join our founding AI team in Manhattan Beach, CA. This is not a typical internship. You will be one of three founding members of K1's internal AI function, reporting directly to a Founding Partner, with no middle management, no busy work, and real ownership from day one. You will work at the intersection of artificial intelligence, enterprise software, and private equity operations — shipping real automations, building real tools, and driving real impact across a portfolio of 275+ companies.

Top performers will convert to full-time roles with a mandate to build and lead their own team. The right candidate will embody the values of K1 – Passion, Persistence, Humility, and Excellence.

• Designing, building, and deploying AI-powered automations using Claude, Microsoft 365 (Power Automate, Copilot, SharePoint), and custom integrations to eliminate manual processes across the firm and portfolio companies;
• Rapidly prototyping AI tools and agents — from competitive intelligence scrapers to board‑report generators — and iterating quickly based on real user feedback;
• Evaluating emerging AI models, tools, and frameworks and synthesizing findings into actionable recommendations for the investment team;
• Building internal dashboards, data pipelines, and agentic workflows that give K1's investment professionals an unfair advantage;
• Performing other duties as assigned.

• Open to May 2026 graduates (including out‑of‑state candidates willing to relocate) and 2027–2028 graduates based in the Los Angeles area;
• Currently pursuing a Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science, Data Science, Business + CS, or a related field;
• At least one prior internship or substantive project experience in AI/ML, software engineering, or data science;
• Proficiency with Claude (Anthropic) as a daily working tool – prompt engineering, multi‑step workflows, and integration into real tasks;
• Working knowledge of Microsoft 365 (Excel, PowerPoint, SharePoint, Teams); familiarity with Power Automate or Copilot Studio is a plus;
• Bias toward action, comfort with ambiguity, and a genuine obsession with where AI is headed;
• Ability to work in‑office in Manhattan Beach 2–3 days per week.

• Direct access to a Founding Partner – no layers, no bureaucracy;
• Full‑time conversion opportunity with an accelerated path to building your own team;
• Portfolio‑wide exposure across 275+ enterprise software companies;
• Competitive hourly compensation.