Patent / IP Research Intern (Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill Area)

Swik AI is an early-stage AI company building intelligence infrastructure for commercial finance.

We’re looking for a Patent / IP Research Intern to work closely with the founding team on intellectual property research and invention development.

This is a research-heavy role for someone who enjoys going deep into technical ideas, understanding existing approaches, and identifying potential white spaces.

What you'll work on

• Conduct patent landscape and prior-art research
• Research patents, technical publications, products, and related technologies
• Break down technical concepts and compare them with existing approaches
• Help document and articulate potential inventions
• Support the process from initial research through discussions with patent counsel and, where appropriate, a patent filing

You do not need prior patent experience. We care more about your ability to learn quickly, research deeply, think analytically, and communicate technical ideas clearly.

Who we're looking for

This could be a strong fit for a student or recent graduate from UNC, Duke, NC State, or another university in the Triangle , particularly with a background or strong interest in engineering, computer science, applied sciences, technology, or intellectual property.

We’re looking for someone who is:

• Highly analytical and intellectually curious
• Comfortable learning unfamiliar technical topics
• Strong at research, synthesis, and structured writing
• Able to understand technical systems without necessarily being a software engineer
• Interested in technology, startups, invention, and intellectual property

Why Join Swik

You’ll work directly with the founders on real technology being developed inside an early-stage startup and see how an idea moves from technical exploration to research, invention documentation, and potentially a patent filing.

This is an in-person opportunity in the Research Triangle area .

If interested, reach out with a short note about your background, what interests you about patents/IP or technical research, and any relevant work or projects you can share.