Founder Associate Intern

About the Role Join a small, high-velocity founding team at a pre-seed AI-powered recruiting startup operating in the $600B global headhunting industry. You'll work directly alongside founders to connect exceptional talent with career-defining opportunities at top VC-backed startups — many in AI. This is a hands-on, high-ownership internship designed for driven overachievers who want to build, not observe. The team operates out of a shared live/work hacker-house in San Francisco, enabling zero-commute days, tight feedback loops, and strong team bonding. If you thrive in fast-moving, informal, and intensely productive environments, this role is for you. What You'll Do Work directly with founders on day-to-day operations across talent sourcing, candidate experience, and client relationships Own end-to-end workflows connecting candidates with startups — from initial outreach to successful placement Ensure hundreds of inbound candidates enjoy an outstanding, high-touch experience Identify and drive process improvements and workflow optimizations across recruiting pipelines Collaborate cross-functionally with founders, candidates, and startup clients Take on high-ownership initiatives with real, measurable outcomes What We're Looking For Required: At least 3 months of prior internship experience in a fast-paced environment (consulting, sales, startups, or VC) Demonstrated ability to deliver results with end-to-end ownership in startup or consulting settings Strong written and verbal communication skills for cross-functional collaboration Experience working in entrepreneurial, fast-moving, informal team environments Evidence of exceptional academic performance — top GPA, selective university, substantial projects, or active GitHub contributions Willingness to relocate to San Francisco and live/work in a shared hacker-house environment Willingness to commit to 6-day work weeks for the duration of the internship Nice to Have: Prior experience in recruiting, talent acquisition, or candidate relationship management Familiarity with the VC-backed startup ecosystem and hiring practices Experience with workflow automation or process optimization Compensation & Benefits Visa sponsorship available Direct access to and mentorship from founders with backgrounds at top-tier firms Immersive, high-growth environment with strong team culture Location This is a fully on-site role based in San Francisco, CA . The team lives and works together in a shared hacker-house — relocation to San Francisco is required. Remote work is not available for this position.