Positive Sum Research Analyst

At Positive Sum, we invest in entrepreneurs doing their life’s work. We’re now investing out of our third fund and have a portfolio spanning fintech, AI, semiconductors, aviation, and beyond. We like to lead rounds and work closely with founders and companies after investment. 

Our research team is small, collaborative, and endlessly curious about markets, products, and businesses. We don’t come from traditional venture backgrounds. We don’t approach research the way most VCs do. We build our own tools when we can’t find one that’s good enough. We publish our work to an audience of millions of professional investors and founders. 

Our north star is that every founder we meet should say our work was the most thoughtful, complete, and accurate view into their current business, and perhaps more importantly, vision for the future, of any firm.

We’re hiring a researcher with direct experience quantitatively modeling businesses and markets. You will complement our existing research, product, and engineering skills, and level up our investment diligence and portfolio reporting. 

We’re highly opinionated about what good research looks like. If this role is right for you, these should resonate:

  • You love researching startups, and think most VCs don’t know how. 
  • You can build the perfect model, and know when it makes no difference.
  • You take deep satisfaction in being right, and love to be proven wrong. 
  • You appreciate good answers, and believe good questions matter more.

Requirements

If the above describes a role you’ve been searching for your entire career, we’d love to hear from you. We’ll be looking for these foundational skills:

  • 2+ years experience in consulting, venture, investment banking, private equity, or other roles with a heavy emphasis on financial analysis. We’re looking for demonstrated familiarity with financial modeling, capital markets, and a learned intuition around business metrics and performance. 
  • Fluent in spreadsheet modeling and data visualization. Experience working in Python and/or SQL is a strong plus. 
  • Exceptional oral and written communication skills.
  • Able to scope and deliver work on time.
  • Comfortable shifting focus quickly as our investment pipeline updates.
  • Ability to self-start as well as work closely with the rest of the research and investment team.
  • Familiarity with the startup environment is a strong plus - from experience as an employee, founder, or at another venture firm. 

You don’t need to match every line item. We care more about how you think than what you know. We can’t teach the basics, but would be excited to shape the role around your level of experience and skill set. 

Location & Details

This is an in-person position based out of New York City, where the rest of the Positive Sum research team is based. You will occasionally be required to travel to our office in Connecticut (several blocks from the Greenwich Metro North station). Some additional travel will also be required. 

The annual base salary for this role is $123,000 to $219,000, not including variable compensation and our benefits package. Actual compensation offers may vary from posted hiring range based upon work experience, education, and skill level, among other things.

How to Apply

Please use the form below to apply. We’d welcome a note that addresses why this job interests you and why you are a perfect candidate for it. Please also share a normal resume or your LinkedIn for us to quickly understand your background.