Intern (Artificial Intelligence & Credit Risk Analysis)

DescriptionBlue Ridge Bank (the “Bank”) is partnering with the Virginia Bankers Association (“VBA”) to offer high-impact summer internships designed for students who want real experience, real responsibility, and a real path into the banking industry. Through hands-on projects, in-person training, and exclusive networking events, interns will gain exposure to the world of community banking.This program is a strong fit for students who like working with numbers, solving problems, and using data to understand how businesses make decisions. Whether you're interested in credit analysis, financial reporting, data management, or commercial banking, strong quantitative skills will help you stand out and make an impact from day one. Eligibility: Must be 18 years of age. Work onsite for 40 hours a week, May 26– August 7. Location: Richmond, VA Bayberry Office Reporting to the Chief Credit OfficerRequirementsWe are looking for a curious, self directed, and analytically minded intern to join our Credit Risk & Innovation team. In this role, you will explore how artificial intelligence can benefit banking operations, develop ways to leverage Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) to enhance our credit risk analysis processes, drive efficiency across the credit lifecycle, identify a project opportunity that creates real value for the organization, and execute that project over the course of the summer – culminating in a capstone presentation to bank leadership.The right candidate brings both an understanding of AI tools and enough business curiosity to recognize where they can make a difference. You need to be someone who can identify a problem, think critically about a solution, and communicate it clearly. This is a hands-on, high-impact internship where your work will directly contribute to real business outcomes. In addition to the Intern Responsibilities outlined below, this internship will focus on following line of business responsibilities.Key ResponsibilitiesResearch & DiscoveryResearch state-of-the-art AI/ML techniques applicable to industry and company research on operating performance and outlookIdentify pain points in current credit analysis workflows that AI could address and make simpler, faster, and smarterEvaluate tools currently available to the organization and assess practical applicability to specific use cases. Experiment with techniques such as: Natural Language Processing (NLP) for analyzing borrower documents, financial statements, or news signals Generative AI for report automation and data augmentationData AnalysisAnalyze financial, behavioral, and alternative data sources to identify predictive signalsPerform feature engineering to extract meaningful variables from raw dataEnsure data quality, integrity, and bias awareness throughout analysisInnovation & StrategyPropose AI use cases that can improve: Credit decisioning speed and accuracy Early warning systems for portfolio deterioration Explainability of risk decisions (XAI) Regulatory and Credit Policy compliance automation (e.g., model documentation)Prepare presentations and reports summarizing findings for senior stakeholdersCollaborationWork closely with credit. compliance teams and technology teams as relevant to the projectParticipate in team meetings, sprint reviews, and knowledge-sharing sessionsQualificationsSkillsFamiliarity with AI tools such as Microsoft, ChatGPT or similar with a practical understanding of their capabilities and limitation. Ability to map and evaluate business processes. Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to present findings clearly to a non-technical audience. Strong analytical and critical thinking skills. Self directed and able to define and manage a project through to a deliverable. Interest in financial servicing's, banking or business operations. Knowledge of with cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP)Exposure to generative AI concepts or tools is a plus; the ability to apply them in a business context matters more than technical depth. Years of ExperienceCurrently pursuing an undergraduate degree in business, finance, economics, information systems or a related field. Prior Internship, coursework or work experience in financial services, banking or a business environment is valued. Demonstrated interest or coursework in AI, technology, or data driven decision making. Any training related to AI tools and their business applications will be considered. Internship ResponsibilitiesCommitment to understanding the overall concept of the company, including the brand, customer, product goals, and all other aspects of service.Propose a defined project during the early weeks of the internship and obtain supervisor approval before proceeding. Accept designated, business-focus projects to research, propose ideas and solutions, and present final projects during the internship.Complete a capstone project and present it to bank leaders and external participants.Engages with customers or clients and provides service and/or sales under direct supervision.Provide suggestions to management for improving customer service and internal processes.Learn and become proficient in internal software systems.Attends all required in-person VBA hosted training and events including but not limited to, Intern Orientation: May 28 and the Mid-Summer meet up on July 7, 2026.Other tasks as assigned.Create value for the bank and its employees