MEST AI Startup Program – Technical Fellow In-Residence-Johannesburg at Meltwater

• The MEST AI Startup Program is an up to 12-month immersive experience designed to equip Africa’s most promising AI entrepreneurs with the technical, business, and leadership skills needed to build and scale globally competitive AI startups.

The seven-month startup program is a hands-on, activity-based experience where participants:

• Explore and refine AI business ideas
• Develop and deploy an AI MVP
• Gain deep expertise in AI software development and business fundamentals
• Engage with world-class AI practitioners from institutions like Google, Meta, and OpenAI
• The five-month incubation program supports selected ventures to scale AI products, secure customers, and prepare for investment, culminating in deployable AI products, an established user base, and a roadmap for funding and growth.

Technical Fellow In-Residence Role Overview

• The AI Technical Fellow In-Residence is the technical backbone of the MEST AI Startup Program each year. During this one-year contract, you will work directly with entrepreneurs-in-training (EITs) to ensure they can apply the technical concepts taught in the curriculum — from AI model development to deployment. This is a highly hands-on, highly interactive role that includes regular meetings with EITs, experts, partners, facilitators, and program staff to collaborate, troubleshoot, and accelerate learning.
• You should have deep technical expertise, a passion for AI, and an excitement for learning alongside entrepreneurs. This is a role for a doer — someone who thrives in a fast-paced, high-energy environment and is ready to dig in.

Key Responsibilities
Technical Training & Support

• Deliver interactive tutorials and workshops on AI/ML, software engineering, and MLOps topics from the curriculum (e.g., Python, APIs, LLMs, RAG, LangChain, vector databases, multi-agent systems, Docker, CI/CD)
• Provide 1:1 and group technical coaching, ensuring entrepreneurs can implement concepts in their MVPs
• Conduct code reviews and guide participants in adopting best practices

Curriculum Integration

• Work with expert facilitators to align technical sessions with business and product milestones
• Adapt and create technical content based on evolving AI tools and participant needs

Problem-Solving & Mentorship

• Support entrepreneurs in debugging and overcoming technical challenges
• Learn and experiment with new AI tools alongside participants, sharing insights rapidly
• Promote responsible AI use, including bias mitigation, privacy by design, and ethical considerations

Collaboration & Program Support

• Partner with program staff to ensure participants have the technical resources they need
• Contribute to creating a dynamic, inclusive, and innovative learning environment
• Actively engage in scheduled check-ins, collaborative planning meetings, and review sessions with EITs and program stakeholders

Required Qualifications & Skills
Technical Expertise

• Advanced proficiency in Python, Git/GitHub, and API development
• Hands-on experience with:
• LLMs, prompt engineering, and fine-tuning
• RAG pipelines, embeddings, vector databases, LangChain
• Multi-agent systems (e.g., CrewAI) and memory management
• MLOps, CI/CD, Docker, cloud deployment, and API security
• Strong grasp of software engineering fundamentals: testing, EDA, model evaluation

Experience

• 2 - 4+ years in software engineering and AI/ML product development
• Track record of taking AI products from concept to deployment
• Experience in startup or fast-paced, project-based environments

Soft Skills & Mindset

• Excellent communicator and collaborator, with cross-cultural sensitivity
• Proactive problem solver with a hands-on “doer” mentality
• Adaptable, curious, and eager to learn alongside entrepreneurs
• Passionate about excellence, creativity, and innovation