Job Title: Research Expert – Artificial Intelligence

Department: Research

Work Location: San Francisco/New York/Chicago

Reports To: Partner at Valor Equity Partners

Who We Are:

Valor Equity Partners is an operational growth investment firm focused on non-control and control investments in high growth companies across various stages of development. For decades, we have served our companies with unique expertise to solve the challenges of growth and scale. We partner with leading companies and entrepreneurs who are committed to the highest standards of excellence and the courage to transform their industries. Our values are core to all we do. These values are excellence, humility, integrity, and responsibility. 

Valor means that we:

• strive for excellence in everything we do;
• maintain our humility and mutual respect no matter what circumstances we encounter;
• insist upon the highest level of integrity in our interactions and in the logic of our investment process; and
• demonstrate responsibility and dedication to all our constituents.

Job Summary:

Valor Equity Partners is seeking a Research Expert who thrives in a fast-paced, dynamic, and growing organization. This is an exceptional opportunity to become the subject matter expert within the Firm with respect to Artificial Intelligence (“AI”) knowledge, industry developments, and latest thinking, particularly focused on AI infrastructure and vertical-focused AI applications. This team member will apply keen analytical skills to generate investment ideas and proactively address questions from investment team professionals and partners. In a small team environment, this new member will prepare insightful, error-free analysis, end-products, and communications to the investment team and partners while building the Firm’s knowledge with respect to AI.

Responsibilities:

General job duties include, but are not limited to:

• Work closely with the Valor research team, as well as third-party research firms as required, to manage and complete AI-related research requests and projects, in addition to knowledge-building initiatives
• Support partners and other functional areas within the Firm with AI expertise
• Work with portfolio companies on AI-related inquiries and initiatives as necessary
• Build and manage Firm knowledge with respect to the AI space; create and maintain a dynamic map of the broader AI ecosystem, with emphasis on AI infrastructure and vertical-focused AI applications
• Support the investment team with expertise to complete due diligence process workstreams and requirements for AI-related investments
• Develop thought leadership content that can be shared with portfolio companies, founders, investors, etc.
• Proactively develop investment hypotheses and identify investment opportunities within the AI space working with the investment team and partners

Qualifications:

• Demonstrated passion for and foundational understanding of AI
• Proven thought leadership within AI
• Ability to work collaboratively in a team environment; ability to work effectively with a diverse group of team members
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
• Strong organization skills and disciplined approach to work effort
• Detailed project management skills and exceptional attention to detail
• Ability to travel as needed

Education and Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree with consistent outstanding academic record; advanced degree in Computer Science or MBA is preferred
• Five-plus years of relevant AI-related work experience, with strong technical competency, preferably at an investment or consulting firm or at a leading academic or industry research organization
• Excellent analytical, modeling, and problem-solving skills; ability to understand the analysis required to develop and prove a hypothesis and ability to gather information around it and make informed/logical assumptions

You’ll love working at Valor because:

• We work side by side to help grow the operations of great companies solving the world's biggest problems
• We are a small team within an elite organization committed to success
• Excellent healthcare and dental coverage, covered 100% by Valor