Research Intern, Frontier

A16z; New York (NY); On-site; USD 46,000 - 91,000; Full time

Job summary

a16z Frontier is seeking students with a strong technical background for a summer internship in New York City. The role blends academic theory with industry practice, offering exposure to AI, cryptography, hardware, and economics.

Interns will work with our full-time researchers and portfolio teams to tackle challenging technical questions and publish findings. Ideal candidates are pursuing undergraduate or graduate degrees in CS, economics, mathematics, or related fields, with residency in NYC

Qualifications

• Pursuing an undergraduate or graduate degree in a relevant field such as computer science, economics, mathematics, operations research, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, materials science, physics, chemistry, biology, etc.
• Passionate, knowledgeable, and optimistic about science and technology.
• Experience with absorbing and producing fundamental research.
• In-person residency required in New York, NY.
• Interns will have access to and will typically make heavy use of the latest AI tools.
• Internship runs June 1, 2027 - August 20, 2027 (minimum residency 10 weeks, maximum 12 weeks).

Responsibilities

• Pursue fundamental research on topics relevant to the firm.
• Collaborate with a16z Frontier’s full-time researchers and other student interns.
• Collaborate with portfolio companies on technical research problems.
• Quickly develop expertise in emerging areas of science and technology.
• Take full advantage of the latest generation of AI tools.
• Contribute to blog posts, white papers, and other public expository content.
• Meet with visitors from academia and industry and attend research seminars.

Skills

Strong technical background

Emerging technologies interest

Collaboration and teamwork

Self-motivated research

Education

Pursuing undergraduate or graduate degree in CS or related fields

Tools

AI tools experience

Job description

We've established a team that is defined by respect for the entrepreneur and the company-building process; we know what it’s like to be in the founder’s shoes. Our team is at the forefront of new technology, helping founders and their companies impact and change the world.

The Role

a16z Frontier research is a multidisciplinary lab that bridges the worlds of academic theory and industry practice. The lab has recently expanded its focus from crypto-focused research to include other emerging areas of technology, ranging from AI-enabled applications to new scientific developments in materials, energy, and hardware. In addition to fundamental research, we collaborate with portfolio companies to solve hard technical and conceptual problems. Research interns will have the opportunity to learn from and collaborate with the firm’s investment and engineering teams.

We are seeking students with a strong technical background and an interest in emerging technologies to join the group for the summer. Example research areas of interest include AI and machine learning, agentic commerce, cryptography, security, distributed computing, hardware design, economics (micro, macro, and empirical), energy, material science, biology, incentives, quantitative finance, market and mechanism design, foundations of computing, and pure mathematics. This list is not exhaustive and we encourage applicants with different backgrounds, who may have unique perspectives on the emerging technologies, to apply.

We anticipate selecting a wide range of applicants, including ambitious undergraduate students with a unique grasp of emerging technologies, graduate students looking to transition from academic work to building and entrepreneurship, and PhD students pursuing a more traditional academic career.

This role will be based in New York City, NY and requires in-office presence in our New York City, NY office.

To join our team, you should be excited to:

• Pursue fundamental research on topics relevant to the firm.
• Collaborate with a16z Frontier’s full-time researchers and other student interns.
• Collaborate with portfolio companies on technical research problems.
• Quickly develop expertise in emerging areas of science and technology.
• Take full advantage of the latest generation of AI tools.
• Contribute to blog posts, white papers, and other public expository content.
• Meet with visitors from academia and industry and attend research seminars.

Preferred Qualifications

• Pursuing an undergraduate or graduate degree in a relevant field such as computer science, economics, mathematics, operations research, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, materials science, physics, chemistry, biology, etc.
• Passionate, knowledgeable, and optimistic about science and technology.
• Experience with absorbing and producing fundamental research.
• A typical schedule will have an intern spending ⅔ of the time pursuing their own research (typically in collaboration with other lab members and visitors) and ⅓ of the time collaborating on portfolio-related problems.
• In-person residency required in New York, NY.
• Interns will have access to and will typically make heavy use of the latest AI tools.
• Duration of internship June 1, 2027 - August 20, 2027(minimum residency 10 weeks, maximum 12 weeks).
• The anticipated weekly rate is dependent on the current degree program. Actual starting pay may vary based on a range of factors which can include experience, skills, and scope:

Materials to Upload:

• Resume/CV
• List of publications/blog posts/any other public content (optional but recommended)
• Twitter/X, github, personal website, public crypto wallet (optional)
• Research statement (1-page max PDF, optional but recommended)
• Letters of recommendation (one letter is required, a second letter is optional but recommended): recommenders should email their letters of support to [e-mail] , with the name of the applicant in the subject line
• Please provide the name(s) of your recommendation letter writer(s) as part of your application
• For full consideration, please submit applications by 12 p.m. PT on November 20, 2026

Notice

Export Control: This position requires access to information and technology that is subject to U.S. export controls. Your responses to the questions below will be used solely to determine your eligibility under U.S. law to receive information and materials subject to U.S. export controls.We welcome applications from all qualified candidates, including international applicants. Employment is subject to applicable work authorization requirements in the country where the position is based.

At a16z we are always looking to hire the absolute best talent and recognize that diversity in our experiences and backgrounds is what makes us stronger. We hire candidates of any race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, marital or family status, disability, Veteran status, and any other status. These differences are what enables us to work towards the future we envision for ourselves, our portfolio companies, and the World.

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