Are you a PhD candidate or Postdoc passionate about science, startups, and shaping the future of innovation? Ajinomoto Group Ventures is now accepting applications for a new Technical Venture Fellow to join our team in the Palo Alto office.
Purpose of the role:
The Technical Venture Fellowship is a nine-month program that offers a unique entry into the venture capital industry through deal sourcing, due diligence, market research, and participating in comprehensive portfolio reviews.
Education, certification, experience:
- Highly motivated PhD or Postdoc candidates who are passionate about venture capital and empathetic toward the entrepreneurial experience
- Successful candidates should demonstrate strong analytical skills and a keen interest in deep tech including chemistry and materials; advanced computing and AI infrastructure; and human-technology interfaces
Knowledge, skills, capabilities:
- Intellectual curiosity with strong research abilities
- Superior communications and reporting skills
- Self-driven, adaptive and collaborative team player
- PHD student or graduate with a technical focus (Chemistry and engineering a plus)
- Previous work experience with a deep tech startup or corporation a plus
Occupational demands:
- Regular weekly presence at our Palo Alto office (minimum once per week) is required.
- A minimum commitment of 16 working hours per week is expected.
Primary responsibilities:
- Performing scientific and market research to help identify new investment trends and research and innovation opportunities within a focus area
- Deal screening, analysis, and documentation, including identifying and interviewing potential portfolio targets, analyzing comparative technology and science, documenting call notes and evaluation into CRM
- Generating intelligence reports for innovation and executive teams
- Participating in venture ecosystem events and expanding Ajinomoto network
- 9-month fellowship. Exact weekly hours to be determined based on individual circumstances
Compensation:
- Compensation will be determined based on market rates and the candidate’s experience and qualifications
To apply, send your CV to venturing@ajiusa.com. Please include a short message on why you want to join our team and use "2026Technical Venture Fellow" in your email subject.
