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AI/ML Intern - Summer 2027

Role overview

Summary

This internship at Raft offers a chance to gain hands-on experience in AI/ML while working on projects that impact government operations. You will collaborate with a team focused on developing innovative AI solutions for military and government clients, contributing to the advancement of technology in the public sector.

Qualifications

  • Currently enrolled in an MS or PhD program in Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, or a related field.
  • U.S. citizenship is required.
  • Preferred: Strong experience with PyTorch, LangChain, and LangGraph.
  • Preferred: Prior research or published work in AI/ML or agentic systems.
  • Preferred: A creative mindset and passion for exploring new ideas in AI workflows.

Responsibilities

  • Assist in building, training, and deploying AI models for various applications.
  • Participate in developing agentic workflows and AI-driven solutions for Raft’s platforms, Kurrent and Waves.
  • Collaborate with team members to solve complex AI challenges and push boundaries in AI innovation.
  • Conduct research and analysis on the latest AI/ML techniques, contributing to ongoing projects.

Key facts

Hard skills

Other skills

  • Research
  • Creativity
  • Problem Solving

About the company

Raft logo

Raft

  • IT Services & Consulting
  • Scaleup
  • 51–200
Raft is a digital consulting firm with niche expertise in the rapid delivery of modern, user-first, scalable, and data-intensive digital solutions. We accelerate the missions of our federal partners through human-centered design (HCD) and agile development practices, bringing deep technical expertise in DevSecOps, Kubernetes management, cloud-native microservice architectures, and secure, open source delivery. As an SBA Certified 8(a) WOSB, we provide services that fall under the CNCF umbrella. We put our people and our culture first. We work with some of the smartest, hardest working experts in their field. We owe it to them to make sure our team is free of meaningless restrictions and internal politics so they can focus on what they love, finding innovative solutions. We build off the Open-Source and resist vendor lock in. That way you’re not paying us to reinvent the wheel, our solutions play nice with others and are always adaptable. We know digital innovation doesn’t always operate during bank hours, so neither do we. (It's also why we don’t dress like bankers.) We aren’t afraid to go the extra mile or put in the extra time to find a solution. We get it right the first time; we won’t waste our time (and your money) trying to fix something that’s fundamentally broken. It’s kind of like making an exceptional cup of coffee, if the beans are roasted wrong, it doesn’t matter how much pumpkin spice you dump in your cup, it’s still not going to taste great. And above all else we’re up for a challenge; it’s in our DNA. Ask us about something that’s never been done, or better yet something that can’t be done, and we’ll find a way to do it. It’s just who we are. If you need a partner that’s looking toward the future and not the past, don’t go traditional, go Raft.

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Job description

This is a U.S. based position. All of the programs we support require U.S. citizenship to be eligible for employment. All work must be conducted within the continental U.S.

Please use this link (https://www.videoask.com/f21dznuya) to submit a brief video (approximately 1 minute) alongside your application that covers:

  • Your Education: What you studied, where, and what excited you most about your program.
  • Your Work Experience: Any internships, co-ops, part-time roles, or meaningful projects - and what you learned.
  • Your Team Experience: A specific example of working on a team, your role, and how you contributed to a successful outcome.

Who We Are: 

Raft (https://TeamRaft.com) is a customer-obsessed non-traditional defense tech company dedicated to empowering U.S. military and government agencies with cutting-edge AI/ML and data solutions. We are a leader in autonomous data fusion and Agentic AI, with a purposeful focus on Distributed Data Systems, Platforms at Scale, and Complex Application Development. With headquarters in McLean, VA, our range of clients includes innovative federal and public agencies leveraging design thinking, cutting-edge tech stack, and cloud-native ecosystem. We build digital solutions that impact the lives of millions of Americans.

About the Role:
At Raft, our goal is to constantly push the limits of technology to deliver innovative solutions that meet the complex demands of our clients. We are currently looking for a highly motivated AI/ML Intern to join our team for the upcoming summer. This position provides a unique opportunity to gain valuable hands-on experience in a dynamic and supportive work environment while working on projects that directly impact government operations.

What we are looking for:

  • Assist in building, training, and deploying AI models for various applications.
  • Participate in developing agentic workflows and AI-driven solutions for Raft’s platforms, Kurrent and Waves.
  • Collaborate with team members to solve complex AI challenges and push boundaries in AI innovation.
  • Conduct research and analysis on the latest AI/ML techniques, contributing to ongoing projects.
  • Document and report on project progress, outcomes, and research findings.
  • Currently enrolled in an MS or PhD program in Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, or a related field (highly preferred).
  • U.S. citizenship is required as interns may be exposed to sensitive work related to government operations.

Highly Preferred:

  • Strong experience with PyTorch, LangChain, and LangGraph.
  • Prior research or published work in AI/ML or agentic systems.
  • A creative mindset and passion for exploring new ideas in AI workflows.

Work Type:

  • Location: Remote with travel to Raft HQ.
  • Duration: June to August 2027.
  • Hours: Part-time, up to 40 hours per week
  • Compensation: $30 - $40 per hour, based on experience and qualifications.

Capstone Project or Program Support:
At the conclusion of the internship, you may present a Capstone Project that summarizes your contributions to AI model development and agentic workflows. Alternatively, you may support ongoing programs by contributing to impactful real-world projects throughout the summer.

Our Vision Statement:  

We bridge the gap between humans and data through radical transparency and our obsession with the mission. 

Our Customer Obsession: 

We will approach every deliverable like it's a product. We will adopt a customer-obsessed mentality. As we grow, and our footprint becomes larger, teams and employees will treat each other not only as teammates but customers. We must live the customer-obsessed mindset, always. This will help us scale and it will translate to the interactions that our Rafters have with their clients and other product teams that they integrate with. Our culture will enable our success and set us apart from other companies.

How do we get there? 

Public-sector modernization is critical for us to live in a better world. We, at Raft, want to innovate and solve complex problems. And, if we are successful, our generation and the ones that follow us will live in a delightful, efficient, and accessible world where out-of-box thinking, and collaboration is a norm. 

Raft’s core philosophy is Ubuntu: I Am, Because We are. We support our “nadi” by elevating the other Rafters. We work as a hyper collaborative team where each team member brings a unique perspective, adding value that did not exist before. People make Raft special. We celebrate each other and our cognitive and cultural diversity. We are devoted to our practice of innovation and collaboration. 

We’re an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran or disability status.

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