Investment Associate / Fellow (Hard Tech) at Clera | JoBuzzer

Summary

A product-first, early-stage venture capital firm is seeking an Investment Associate/Fellow for a two-year term in Los Angeles, focusing on hard tech investments such as drones, defense, and robotics. This role offers a unique opportunity to gain deep expertise, build a strong network, and acquire practical deal experience in the seed-stage investment landscape. Responsibilities include leading technical due diligence, sourcing new opportunities, and contributing to investment memos and portfolio support.

Required Skills

DronesManufacturingRoboticsDefenseAerospace

Details

Education Required: Bachelor's
Work Authorization: No Sponsorship
Posted: Jul 18, 2026

Description

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