Founder Associate Intern

InternOn-site
CompanyClera
LocationSan Francisco
CategorySoftware Engineering
DepartmentEngineering
SeniorityIntern
WorkplaceOn-site
Posted2026-09-22
Estimated salary$5K - $13K (a market estimate, not the employer's figure)
Viaashby

Description

ABOUT THE ROLE

This internship places you at the center of a pre-seed AI recruiting startup, working directly alongside the founding team to connect ambitious candidates with career-defining roles at top VC-backed companies. You will own meaningful workflows from day one, with your work directly shaping the candidate experience and growth of the platform.

WHAT YOU'LL DO

  • Manage relationships with incoming candidates, ensuring an exceptional end-to-end experience from first contact through placement.
  • Connect qualified talent with relevant startup opportunities by understanding their backgrounds, goals, and preferences.
  • Own and improve operational workflows that support the recruiting and matching process.
  • Collaborate cross-functionally with the founding team on growth, sourcing, and process optimization initiatives.
  • Identify and implement automation opportunities to increase team throughput and quality of outcomes.
  • Contribute to social media and community-building efforts to attract top talent to the platform.

WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR

  • At least 3 months of prior internship experience in a fast-paced environment such as consulting, sales, a startup, or venture capital.
  • Demonstrated ability to take end-to-end ownership of projects and deliver results independently.
  • Strong written and verbal communication skills, verifiable through professional or project work.
  • Evidence of high academic performance or selective university attendance, substantial completed projects, or active open-source contributions.
  • Comfort operating in informal, entrepreneurial team environments with minimal structure.
  • Completed Bachelor's degree.
  • Willing to relocate to San Francisco and participate in a shared live-and-work (hacker house) setup for the duration of the internship.
  • Willing to commit to a 6-day work week.
  • Prior experience in recruiting, talent acquisition, or candidate relationship management is a plus.
  • Familiarity with the VC-backed startup ecosystem and hiring practices is a plus.
  • Experience with workflow automation or process optimization tools is a plus.

LOCATION

On-site in San Francisco, California, United States. The team currently lives and works together in a shared hacker house, with no commute and tight day-to-day collaboration. Visa sponsorship is available.