Investor, Energy & Climate Deep Tech (Santa Clara)

About MFV

MFV Partners is an early-stage deep tech venture capital firm backing the science and engineering that will define the next industrial cycle. We invest across Physical AI & Robotics, Quantum Computing, Semiconductors, and Climate & Energy.

Our portfolio includes category-defining companies like PsiQuantum (optical quantum computing), Agility Robotics (humanoid robots), and Rescale (high-performance computing). Our energy and climate investments include Sun Mobility (battery swap for EVs), Conifer (next-generation EV powertrains), and several startups still in stealth — with an expanding book across batteries, grid, data center energy, and industrial decarbonization.

We also run Harper Court Ventures, a pre-seed fund we raised and manage in collaboration with the University of Chicago to back deep tech companies emerging from its labs — giving us direct line of sight into frontier research from one of the world's strongest science pipelines.

The Role

We're hiring a senior leader to help expand MFV's energy and climate deep tech practice — someone with the technical depth to evaluate electrochemistry, power electronics, and industrial processes; the commercial and investment instincts to separate real businesses from interesting science.

This is a check-writing role. You'll source, lead diligence on, and recommend new investments in energy and climate deep tech startups, and work directly with founders post-investment to help them scale.

Title and compensation will be set commensurate with experience, with a clear track to partnership at the firm.

What You'll Do

Thesis and sourcing

• Develop and own investment theses across batteries and electrochemistry, grid modernization, data center energy, hydrogen, industrial decarbonization, and adjacent categories.
• Build relationships with researchers, founders, national labs, hyperscalers, and operators — and source opportunities ahead of the market.

Diligence and investment decisions

• Lead technical diligence on scientific risk, IP defensibility, and scale-up feasibility.
• Own commercial diligence — market sizing, competitive positioning, unit economics, customer validation.
• Bring deals to the investment committee with a clear recommendation and lead them through to close.

Portfolio

• Work directly with founders on technical milestones, hiring, partnerships, and follow-on capital.
• Contribute to portfolio reporting and LP communications.

Firm

• Shape MFV's fund strategy alongside the investment team.
• Represent MFV in the climate and energy community.
  

What We're Looking For

• Advanced degree in Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, Materials Science, or a related technical discipline. Master's or PhD preferred.
• Operating or commercialization experience at an energy or deep tech company.
• 3+ years of direct investing experience in energy, climate, or deep tech — typically layered on top of the above, for roughly a decade of total experience.
• Demonstrated judgment on technical, commercial, and execution risk — with specific deals you can point to.
• Clear, direct communication. Strong financial modeling.
• Real conviction in the energy transition as an investment category, not a PR category.

Nice to Have

• Founder experience at a hard tech or energy startup.
• Familiarity with university tech transfer, national lab programs, or DOE funding mechanics.
• Exposure to project finance, infrastructure deployment, or industrial offtake structures.
  

Why MFV

• A portfolio you can be proud of. PsiQuantum, Agility, Sun Mobility, Conifer, and a growing climate book with room to build.
• A thesis, not a trend. We invest on fundamentals, not momentum — that discipline shapes how we pick, price, and support companies.
• Real path to partnership. Generous carried interest and a defined track to Partner.
  

To Apply

Send the following:

• Resume
• Short cover note on why this role and why MFV
• Your investment track record — deals, outcomes, and what you learned
  

MFV Partners is an Equal Opportunity Employer. US citizens and permanent residents only; no visa sponsorship available.