Associate – Venture Capital / Growth Equity

Location: San Francisco, CA

Type: Full-Time

Reports To: Managing Director

About Us

NightDragon is rethinking venture capital and growth equity by building an impactful investment and advisory platform. We take a forward-thinking approach, investing in high-potential businesses and supporting them with strategic capital, deep operational expertise, and cutting-edge insights.

Our focus is on mission-driven solutions that address the growing wave of global threats and risks. We concentrate on the SecureTech ecosystem, including defense technologies, quantum computing, autonomous and dual-use systems, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and innovations in safety, security, and privacy.

Role Summary

We are seeking a highly motivated Associate to join our investment team, with a strong emphasis on analytical and technical execution. This role is ideal for candidates with excellent quantitative, financial, and research skills who are ready to take ownership of key analytical workstreams across sourcing and diligence efforts. The Associate will be responsible for building initial analyses and investment materials, and will work closely with senior investors to review, refine, and translate this work into informed investment decisions. This position will report to the Managing Director and will take day-to-day direction and guidance from our Investment Partner.

Key Responsibilities

• Investment Sourcing & Market Research
  • Proactively source investment opportunities through outbound research, thematic development, founder outreach, and network relationships.
  • Build and maintain market maps and theses across NightDragon’s focus areas.
  • Develop informed points of view on emerging subsectors, technologies, and competitive dynamics
• Due Diligence & Deal Execution
  • Support and manage diligence workstreams across financial, operational, and market analysis
  • Build and maintain financial models, benchmarking, customer cohort analyses, and KPIs
  • Prepare diligence materials, investment memos, and IC presentations in collaboration senior investors
  • Participate in management meetings and diligence discussions
• Firmwide & Portfolio Support
  • Develop analytical and presentation materials to support strategic initiatives for portfolio companies
  • Assist with portfolio performance tracking and value creation analyses
  • Conduct targeted research to support growth, partnerships, and positioning efforts
• Firmwide Collaboration
  • Work closely with platform and operations teams across active opportunities
  • Contribute to internal materials for portfolio reviews, team meetings, and firm initiatives
  • Leverage analytical, data, and AI tools to improve research quality and execution efficiency

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in finance, Economics, Engineering, Computer Science, or related field
• 1–4 years of experience in investment banking, private equity, or consulting
• Strong quantitative background with exceptional financial modeling and analytics skills
• Highly proficient in PowerPoint with a strong sense of visual communication and storyboarding
• Experience using AI tools for analysis, writing, or productivity