The posting
Position
Intern, Founder's Office
Team
Founder's Office, APLYD
Level and grade
Intern
Position type
Full-time internship, 3 months
Location
Delhi, India
Reports to
Nakul Jain, Co-Founder and CEO
Travel
Occasional, as needed
Stipend
Nominal Stipend
About Us
APLYD helps governments, multilateral institutions, development finance institutions and foundations use AI in public systems. Most public-sector AI stops at the pilot. Our work is getting it into everyday service delivery and keeping it running once we leave.
Athena Infonomics has done this work for years. In 2026 we set it up as its own company. We cover strategy and readiness, field data and last-mile reach, design and build, evaluation and audit, and scale and production.
440+ engagements · 240+ global clients · 85+ specialists · 7 countries · 5 continents
The Role
You will work directly with APLYD's founders on the priorities that shape a young company: new business, partnerships, internal operations and how we tell our story. It is a generalist role. One week you may be building a proposal for a state government; the next you may be setting up a tracker for leadership reviews or researching how other countries regulate public-sector AI.
This role suits someone who wants a close view of how an applied-AI company is built, and who is comfortable with ambiguity, short deadlines and changing priorities.
Core Job Responsibilities
- Business development. Research opportunities, prospective clients and funders, and support proposals, concept notes and pitch decks.
- Research and insight. Produce short briefs on AI in government: policy, regulation, use cases and the competitive landscape.
- Founder support. Prepare documents and decks for leadership, client and partner meetings, capture notes and track follow-ups to closure.
- Strategic projects. Own one or two internal projects end to end, such as a pipeline dashboard, a case-study library or an offering playbook.
- Operations and coordination. Keep priority trackers current and coordinate across APLYD teams and Athena functions such as finance, HR and communications.
- Communications. Help draft case studies, website content, LinkedIn posts and event material with the Communications team.
- Execution and coordination: Maintain action trackers, follow up with teams, and flag delays or dependencies to keep priority initiatives moving.
- Process development: Help document and improve internal processes across areas such as business development, hiring, finance, and operations.
Any other tasks of similar nature, as assigned by the Founder.
Qualifications and Competencies
- A final-year student or recent graduate (within two years) of a Master's or Bachelor's programme in public policy, economics, development studies, management, engineering or a related field.
- Clear, structured writing, and the ability to turn messy information into a crisp one-pager or deck.
- Strong research and analytical skills, and comfort with Excel or Google Sheets.
- A real interest in AI, technology and public systems. You follow the space and have views on it.
- Ownership. You follow through without reminders and flag problems early.
- Discretion with sensitive leadership and client information.
- Based in Delhi NCR.
Also useful, though we will not screen on it
- A prior internship or work in consulting, a startup, a government programme or a development organisation.
- Basic data skills (Python, SQL or a BI tool) or design skills (Canva, Figma).
- Working knowledge of an Indian language besides English.
Additional Requirements
- This position requires successful completion of a reference check and verification of academic credentials.
- Availability for the full three-month period, starting [21 October 2026].
- A no-objection certificate from your institution, where your programme requires one.
What You'll Gain
- Direct exposure to founders and senior leaders, and to how decisions get made.
- Real responsibility from week one, with work that reaches clients and leadership.
- A broad view of applied AI in government, from strategy to delivery to evaluation.
- Mentorship, regular feedback, and a certificate and recommendation on completion.
- A route to a full-time role for strong performers.
How to Apply
Through Keka.
Shortlisted candidates will complete a short written task, followed by two conversations: one with the Founder's Office and one with a co-founder.
APLYD’s Work Culture
At APLYD, we function in an outcomes-based work environment with flexible hours and a high level of autonomy. Professional development and thought leadership are key elements of our business model: we support our team members’ professional growth through on-the-job training, and we encourage the cultivation of our colleagues’ personal brands through participation in panels, events, publications, and other thought-leadership opportunities. We embrace a transparent, open work environment with meaningful leadership pathways for those with inventive ideas and initiatives.
APLYD is an Equal Opportunities Employer
APLYD, part of the Athena Infonomics group, is an equal opportunity employer with a commitment to diversity. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, protected veteran status, or disability status.
AI Proficiency and Responsible Use
Proficiency in the responsible and sophisticated use of AI is a mandatory requirement for all roles, across all levels and functions at APLYD and Athena Infonomics.
