AI Research Intern

Location:New York, NY

Department:Engineering

AI Research Intern

Location: New York, NY

Department: Engineering

 

AI Research Intern

Navan is the all-in-one travel and expense management platform that is transforming the way businesses manage their corporate travel and expenses. Leveraging AI-driven automation, real time data, and an intuitive user experience, Navan simplifies business travel and finance operations for companies worldwide. 

We're launching a new effort in Agentic AI, an initiative designed to accelerate the development of Agentic AI research and foster research talent. Over the course of six months, interns will be part of an engineering and research team with Navan and academia mentors that aims to explore the spectrum of architectures of Agentic AI systems. 

About Navan Cognition

Navan is revolutionizing corporate travel and expense management with AI-driven automation and real-time data solutions. Our proprietary Navan Cognition system has transformed AI-powered dialogue agents, achieving performance levels competitive with top AI innovators. To sustain and expand these advancements, we are building a research-driven team that will pioneer LLM-based cognitive architectures and integrate cutting-edge AI research into our products.

Internship Overview

As an AI PhD Intern, you will contribute to the advancement of LLM-based dialogue agents by developing formal mathematical frameworks, benchmarking performance, and optimizing AI architectures. You will collaborate closely with engineers and researchers to bridge theory and real-world application, ensuring that Navan Cognition remains at the forefront of AI innovation. A three-month full-time commitment is expected. Interns who have other obligations, such as coursework and research who are seeking part-time commitment will be considered

What You’ll Do

  • Research and develop Generative AI models to enhance Navan Cognition’s AI capabilities
  • Conduct benchmarking and comparative analysis of dialogue agent performance relative to state-of-the-art AI solutions
  • Apply formal mathematical frameworks to describe, analyze, and optimize LLM-based architectures
  • Design and implement experiments to evaluate AI models' effectiveness, scalability, and efficiency
  • Work closely with cross-functional teams to integrate AI solutions into Navan’s existing platforms
  • Stay current with advancements in AI, NLP, and machine learning, incorporating new techniques where applicable
  • Contribute to internal research reports and publish findings in leading AI conferences and journals

What We’re Looking For

  • PhD candidate in Computer Science, Machine Learning, AI, or a related field
  • Strong background in machine learning, AI algorithms, and natural language processing (NLP)
  • Experience with commercial LLMs (e.g., OpenAI, Anthropic) and/or open-source models (e.g., Llama, DeepSeek)
  • Proficiency in JavaScript (Python experience is a plus)
  • Familiarity with structured and unstructured datasets, API integration, and data management
  • Knowledge of testing frameworks, experiment design, and model evaluation
  • Passion for AI research and staying ahead of industry advancements
  • Strong problem-solving skills, analytical thinking, and ability to collaborate with cross-functional teams

Why Join Us?

  • Work on cutting-edge LLM-based AI research with direct real-world applications
  • Collaborate with world-class engineers and researchers in a fast-paced, innovation-driven environment
  • Gain hands-on experience in applying AI research to enterprise solutions
  • Potential to publish research findings and contribute to the AI community

 

The posted pay range represents the anticipated low and high end of the compensation for this position and is subject to change based on business need. To determine a successful candidate’s starting pay, we carefully consider a variety of factors, including primary work location, an evaluation of the candidate’s skills and experience, market demands, and internal parity.

For roles with on-target-earnings (OTE), the pay range includes both base salary and target incentive compensation. Target incentive compensation for some roles may include a ramping draw period. Compensation is higher for those who exceed targets. Candidates may receive more information from the recruiter.
Pay Range
$12$60 USD

Navan About Us

Navan is the all-in-one super app that makes travel and expense easy so you can focus on being there, not getting there. Say goodbye to spending hours on the phone trying to change your flight or saving stacks of receipts to manually input expenses. From EAs and finance teams to travel managers and employees, Navan empowers people to focus on the things that matter most to them — all while providing companies with real-time visibility, savings, and control.

Navan’s investors include visionaries like Andreessen Horowitz, Lightspeed Ventures, Greenoaks, Zeev Ventures, and entrepreneurs Lee Fixel, Adam Bain, and Elad Gil. Valued at $9.2B, Navan is well-positioned for continued growth as it continues its takeover of the travel and expense market.

In April 2023, Navan expanded in the Indian market with the acquisition of Tripeur, a modern, people-centric corporate travel and expense management company. The group’s fifth acquisition in under two years, Tripeur joined the Navan Group alongside Spanish meetings and events specialists, Atlanta Events & Corporate Travel Consultants; Berlin-based modern travel management company, Comtravo; leading Scandinavian travel agency Resia AB; and London-based high-touch TMC, Reed & Mackay — the latter of which remains a standalone brand.

At Navan, we’re never satisfied with the status quo, and we know breakthrough ideas come from diverse perspectives. We are committed to cultivating a workplace that reflects the diversity of the customers we serve while fostering leadership and innovation. All voices are valued here and you’ll have the resources, tools, and training you’ll need to do the best work of your life.

Our Benefits

Navan provides a comprehensive benefits package tailored to support your well-being and financial security. Our offerings include generous medical plans, dental, and vision benefits with premiums covered by Navan, as well as various insurance options designed to cover each family's needs. We also prioritize your holistic wellness with perks like paid parental and bereavement leave, subsidized commuter benefits, mental health support, connectivity stipends, and even pet insurance.

Workplace Policy

Navan believes in the value of in-person connections, whether that is sitting down to have lunch with one another, taking a walking 1:1, or collaborating in a room together. The connections forged through face-to-face interactions improve company culture and drive business results. Navan invests in global office spaces — in the U.S., Europe, and Asia, among others — that feel welcoming. Perks such as lunches and happy hours create a strong team environment to help you do your best work. We prioritize in-person connections and operate on a four-day-in-office work model. Please expect this policy for all roles that are tied to an office.

Equal Opportunity

Navan is an equal opportunity employer. We make all employment decisions based solely on merit. We provide equal employment opportunity to all applicants and employees without discrimination on the bases of race, religion, color, national origin, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, or other applicable legally protected characteristics. We prohibit any such discrimination or harassment. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including hiring.

Accommodations

Navan complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), as amended by the ADA Amendments Act, and all applicable state or local law. Navan will reasonably accommodate qualified individuals with a disability in connection with applications for employment as required by law.

If you need any assistance or accommodations due to a disability, you are welcome to email us at talent-accommodations@navan.com.

Candidate Privacy Notice

Please review Navan's Candidate Privacy Notice here.

Job Search Best Practices

We have been made aware of recruitment scams involving fraudulent attempts to lure job seekers into sending money or personal information in return for fake job offers or coerce them into purchasing equipment by electronic funds transfer (Zelle, Venmo, etc.) Legitimate Navan recruiters will never ask for money in any recruitment or onboarding activities. All available job openings at Navan will be posted on Navan’s website and all Navan recruiters will be reachable through an email address ending in “@navan.com” or “@navan.tech” or "@talent.navan.com".