AI Engineering Intern

AI Engineering Intern

Location: Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (hybrid)

Employment type: Internship, 3–6 months

Eligibility: Current students and recent graduates

About Qawafel

Qawafel is a Saudi-based B2B trade finance fintech helping Saudi SMEs access Sharia-compliant financing. We turn SME trade data into structured, bank-ready packages and route them to our banking partners, making financing faster and more accessible for the businesses that drive the Kingdom’s economy. We’re a small, fast-moving team where every hire has real ownership from day one.

About the Role

We’re looking for an AI intern to help us evaluate the AI models and services behind Nexus, our project for turning trade documents like invoices and e-invoices into structured data our banking partners can use. You’ll test different models and tools against real tasks from our product, compare what works, and help us decide what to build on.

This is a hands-on role. You’ll write Python, call model APIs, measure results, and turn what you learn into clear recommendations and working prototypes.

What You’ll Do

• Research and shortlist AI models and services (LLMs, document AI, OCR, and similar tools) for the Nexus project
• Build test sets and run structured evaluations comparing accuracy, speed, cost, and performance in Arabic and English
• Write and refine prompts, and track how changes affect output quality
• Work with model APIs such as OpenAI and Claude, and write Python scripts to automate testing
• Use SQL and basic data analysis to organize test data and results
• Document your findings and recommend which models and services we should use
• Build quick prototypes and proofs of concept to validate ideas
• Present your results to the product and engineering team

What We’re Looking For

Must-have

• Based in Saudi Arabia
• Currently enrolled in, or a recent graduate of, a Bachelor’s or Master’s program in Computer Science, Data Science, AI, Software Engineering, or a related field
• Good knowledge of Python
• Familiarity with AI/ML concepts, LLMs, and prompt engineering
• Experience with tools such as the OpenAI or Claude APIs
• Basic understanding of data analysis, SQL, and working with APIs
• Fluent in both Arabic and English
• Available for a 3–6 month internship
• Curious, a fast learner, proactive, and able to turn ideas into working prototypes

Nice-to-have

• A GitHub profile or portfolio with AI projects you’ve built
• Experience working with Arabic text in AI or NLP projects
• Interest in fintech, trade, or the SME ecosystem

What We Offer

• Real work on a live AI project, not a side exercise
• Mentorship from our product and engineering team
• Hands-on experience evaluating and building with the latest AI models
• A front-row seat in a growing Saudi fintech

How to Apply

Apply through our careers page and include your GitHub profile or a link to projects you’ve built. If you’ve built anything with an LLM API, we’d especially like to see it.