A product-first, early-stage venture capital firm is hiring a full-time Investment Associate / Fellow based in Los Angeles for a two-year term. This is a specialized seat with a sharp focus on hard tech — spanning drones, defense, robotics, and the companies rebuilding American industrial infrastructure. It’s a rare opportunity to build deep expertise, a broad network, and real deal experience at an influential seed-stage fund.
What You’ll Do
•
Lead technical due diligence on hard tech investment opportunities
•
Run proactive outbound sourcing to identify and engage emerging founders
•
Meet founders daily and develop a genuine understanding of the hard tech ecosystem
•
Build a professional network in defense, robotics, aerospace, and industrial tech that would otherwise take a decade to develop
•
Contribute to investment memos, portfolio support, and firm-wide initiatives
What We’re Looking For
Required:
•
Strong technical background — engineering, science, or a related discipline
•
Genuine passion for hard tech: drones, defense, robotics, aerospace, advanced manufacturing, or adjacent sectors
•
Intellectual curiosity, sharp analytical thinking, and the ability to evaluate complex technical claims
•
Excellent communication skills — written and verbal — to engage founders and synthesize diligence findings
Nice to Have:
•
Hands-on experience at a hard tech company in sectors such as aerospace, defense technology, robotics, advanced manufacturing, autonomous systems, energy, or space — whether at an established player or an early-stage startup
•
Prior exposure to venture capital, investing, or startup operations
•
An existing network within the hard tech founder or operator community
Compensation & Benefits
•
Salary: $120,000 – $180,000 USD annually
•
Two-year structured fellowship/associate program with meaningful ownership of work from day one
•
Visa sponsorship: Not available
Location
•
On-site in Los Angeles, CA
•
This is a full-time, in-person role — remote work is not offered