About the Role
We are an early-stage venture capital firm investing in the next generation of hard tech and deep tech companies — spanning drones, defense, robotics, autonomous systems, and the broader rebuilding of American industry. We are hiring a full-time Investment Associate / Fellow based in Los Angeles for a two-year term. This is a specialized, high-ownership seat designed for someone with a genuine technical foundation and a passion for the companies pushing the frontier of physical technology.
You will be embedded in deal flow from day one — leading technical due diligence, sourcing founders proactively, and building a network in the hard tech ecosystem that would typically take a decade to develop.
What You'll Do
Lead technical diligence on hard tech investment opportunities across areas such as drones, defense, robotics, propulsion, manufacturing, and industrial automation
Run outbound sourcing — identify and engage promising founders before they're widely known
Meet founders daily, develop conviction on early-stage companies, and contribute to investment decisions
Build and maintain a deep network across the hard tech and defense-adjacent startup ecosystem
Synthesize technical and market insights into clear investment memos and recommendations
Represent the firm at events, conferences, and within technical communities
What We're Looking For
Required:
Strong technical background — engineering, physics, aerospace, robotics, or a related hard science/engineering discipline
Genuine curiosity about and passion for hard tech: defense, drones, robotics, space, advanced manufacturing, and industrial technology
Ability to evaluate complex technical claims and conduct rigorous engineering or scientific due diligence
Excellent written and verbal communication — you can turn technical depth into a clear investment narrative
High agency, self-directed work style; comfortable operating with minimal structure
Strongly preferred — experience at or deep familiarity with companies in sectors such as:
Commercial space launch, satellite, or orbital logistics
Defense technology, autonomous systems, or directed energy
Advanced manufacturing, precision machining, or industrial robotics
Electric vehicles, alternative propulsion, or energy systems
AI-driven field autonomy or mission-critical software
Candidates with 2–5 years of experience at hard tech startups or established aerospace/defense technology companies are particularly encouraged to apply.
Compensation & Benefits
Salary: $120,000 – $180,000 USD annually
Full-time, two-year term position
Visa sponsorship is not available
Location
This role is on-site in Los Angeles, California. Candidates must be based in or willing to relocate to the Los Angeles area.
Clera is building autonomous AI agents that handle end-to-end recruiting operations. The company's AI agents find candidates, write personalized outreach, handle conversations, qualify fit, and schedule interviews without human intervention. Clera has raised pre-seed funding from top investors and has grown to marketplace scale with 40,000+ talents and hundreds of top startup customers. The company is now scaling its AI-native recruiting platform by hiring operators who supervise the agents, handle high-judgment moments, and close candidates that require human touch.
