Operations Intern for AVD (Altersvorsorgedepot)

Germany's private pension system is being rebuilt from the ground up. From 1 January 2027, the Altersvorsorgedepot (AVD) replaces the Riester-Rente as the country's state-subsidised private pension and Upvest is building the operational infrastructure that lets fintechs and banks offer it to millions of savers. Join us as an AVD Operations Intern and you'll be there before Day 1: helping design the processes, then running them once they go live.

What you'll do

• Support day-to-day AVD operations: Help run the core processes that keep the product working, e.g. contract registration with the ZfA (Zentrale Zulagenstelle für Altersvermögen), contribution management, the annual bonus application (AZ01), and payment reconciliation.
• Help build the playbooks: As we prepare for launch, we're writing the processes from scratch. You'll help document workflows, build step-by-step guides and error catalogues, and keep them current as the rules and our systems evolve.
• Support error handling and reconciliation: Work through recurring error cases from the ZfA, check that payments and records match, and help spot the patterns behind repeat issues so they can be fixed at the root.
• Support our client teams: Our partners' support teams field questions from their end-users about subsidies, transfers and payouts. You'll help prepare clear, accurate answers and learn to translate dense regulation into language a customer can act on.
• Spot what should be better: You'll see every manual workaround first-hand. We want your view on what's slow, error-prone, or worth automating.

What you'll need

• You are fluent in German (C1 or above) and comfortable working in English.
• You're a student in Business, Economics, Finance, Law, or a related field — or on a gap year between degrees.
• You're structured and genuinely precise. Small details carry real consequences for someone's pension, and you're the kind of person who notices when a number doesn't add up.
• You're curious about rules rather than put off by them. You're willing to read the actual regulation to understand why a process works the way it does.
• You're comfortable with ambiguity. The product is brand new, so some answers don't exist yet; you'll ask good questions instead of waiting for perfect instructions.
• You're confident with spreadsheets.
• You're available for a minimum of 4 months (6 preferred) and based in Berlin.

Nice to have

• Any prior exposure to financial services, operations or a regulated environment.

What they offer

• Impact-driven work building the infrastructure that will power the future of investing in Europe.
• Team celebrations including company-wide events such as UpFest, dinners, offsites and Holiday party.
• Inclusion through Employee Resources Groups that foster connection and support.