Business Development Intern

About Tiki AI

Tiki AI builds the infrastructure that teaches frontier AGI systems how to think, not just predict. We turn top-tier human expertise in STEM, code, and other domains into high-signal training data through cognitive extraction, going far beyond basic labeling. And we own the outcome, not just the delivery. We run the full model feedback loop: evaluate a model to find where its reasoning breaks, design data to fix it, prove the lift through training, then re-evaluate and go again. That is how we stabilize complex reasoning and fix long-horizon agent failures in production-scale systems, and how we report impact as a measurable improvement in the model.

We lead with evaluation, because eval decides what to build, not just whether the last batch worked. That focus is driving our momentum: we are the trusted partner for several of the top-5 frontier labs, with exponential, multimillion dollar quarterly growth.

We are hiring the team that will define how the world's most advanced AI models are trained and evaluated. If you want to work at the infrastructure layer of AGI, not the periphery, this is where that happens.

About the Role

This is a paid internship structured as a 3-month W2 employment engagement, designed for candidates at the start of their careers. You will work directly alongside our sales team in a "Special Operations" style of prospecting.

This is not a high-volume "spray and pray" role. It is about precision: identifying the right technical stakeholders at frontier AI labs, building deep insight into their challenges, and crafting outreach that actually gets read. You will own the intelligence and early-stage project management that keeps the sales pipeline moving.

What You'll Do

• Strategic Stakeholder Mapping. Map org charts at prospective enterprise accounts (frontier LLMs and AI labs), identifying deal champions, coaches, technical buyers, and economic buyers. Find the people who feel the pain of bad training data.
• Deep-Dive Research. Go beyond job titles. Research prospect backgrounds, recent publications, professional pain points, and personal interests to equip the sales team with genuine, human entry points for conversation.
• Hyper-Personalized Outreach. Draft creative, high-impact messaging across multiple channels that speaks to each prospect's specific context. Facilitate early conversations between prospects and the BDM you are paired with.
• Pipeline Project Management. Own CRM hygiene for your team. Track every prospect, schedule every follow-up, and ensure no contact falls through the cracks as deals move through the funnel.
• Market Intelligence. Monitor industry news and competitive movements so the sales team can adapt its strategy in real time.

What We're Looking For

• Strong research skills. You love detective work. You know how to find information that is not obvious and connect dots that others miss.
• Strong written communication. You can write concise, compelling outreach that sounds like a human, not a template. You understand the difference between noise and value.
• Organizational rigor. You are comfortable working in a CRM and project management tools to manage complex follow-up schedules without dropping the ball.
• Genuine curiosity about AI. You want to understand how large language models work and are motivated to learn the technical vocabulary of our buyers.
• Creative agency. You do not wait to be told what to do. You understand the objective and can spot solutions that most people miss.
• Mandarin proficiency (a plus). Fluency in Mandarin is a nice-to-have for this role.
• Active alumni or professional networks (a plus). If you maintain strong ties to a university alumni community, a professional association, or a technical community and know how to activate those relationships, we want to hear about it.

What You'll Get

• $25–$35/hour (W2, taxes withheld; rate based on experience)
• Flexible schedule (20–40 hours per week, by mutual agreement)
• Exposure to an early-stage startup in the AI space
• Structured performance feedback at the midpoint and end of the engagement
• Real influence: this is not a support role, it is a core part of how we build pipeline

About the Engagement Structure

The 3-month window is intentional. At the end of the engagement, strong performers will be considered for extension or a full-time offer.

At this time, we are only able to hire candidates authorized to work in the United States.

Tiki AI values creativity and collaboration, and we are committed to creating an inclusive workplace where differences are respected and innovation is encouraged. We believe diverse perspectives strengthen our organization and drive better business outcomes.

Tiki AI is an Equal Opportunity Employer and provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, creed, national origin, ancestry, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age (40+), marital status, pregnancy, medical condition, disability (physical or mental), genetic information, military or veteran status, or any other status protected by applicable federal, California, or local law.

Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, Tiki AI will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records, consistent with applicable law.

Tiki AI participates in the federal E-Verify program and will verify the identity and employment authorization of all newly hired employees as required by law.

Tiki AI provides reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), California Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA), and San Francisco ordinances.