Investment Associate / Fellow (Hard Tech)

About the Role

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