Private Equity Associate

Private Equity Associate (Entry-Level) – Career Launch AI Talent Network

Location: San Francisco/ Chicago/ New York City (Hybrid)
Type: Full-Time
Compensation: Typically $140,000 – $185,000+ total compensation (varies by employer)

About the Opportunity

A lower middle-market private equity firm (representative of the firms in our network) is seeking a highly motivated, analytically strong Entry-Level Private Equity Associate. This role is ideal for someone who wants to work directly on live deals, portfolio companies, and investment decisions early in their career.

You’ll work in a lean deal team environment where your work actually matters: modeling, due diligence, and investment committee materials – not just slide formatting.

Day-to-Day Responsibilities

Build detailed operating and transaction models (3-statement models, DCF, LBOs, sensitivity analysis).

Analyze returns, capital structures, and downside scenarios for potential acquisitions.

Conduct valuation analyses using comparable companies, precedent transactions, and other relevant methods.

Support the due diligence process across financial, commercial, operational, and legal workstreams.

Analyze target company financials, KPIs, customer cohorts, and unit economics.

Conduct industry and competitive research to understand market dynamics, trends, and risks.

Investment Committee Support

Draft and refine investment memos and presentations for the Investment Committee.

Summarize key findings from diligence and articulate the investment thesis clearly.

Present data-backed opinions on risks, opportunities, and value-creation levers.

Support portfolio management teams with dashboards, KPIs, and performance tracking.

Help identify operational improvements, growth initiatives, and strategic priorities.

Assist in bolt-on acquisition analysis, refinancing considerations, and exit scenarios.

What Makes This Work Exciting

Direct exposure to founders, CEOs, and management teams.

Real impact: the work you do influences whether millions of dollars are invested.

Rapid learning curve in M&A, operations, and strategic finance.

Ideal Candidate Profile

This is a representative profile firms in our network look for:

Education & Technical Skills

Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Economics, Accounting, Engineering, Math, or similar field.

Very strong Excel skills; able to build & audit complex models.

Solid foundation in corporate finance, accounting, and valuation.

Experience (Formal or Informal)

Prior internships or full-time experience in investment banking, PE/VC, consulting, or corporate finance is a plus (but not always required if you’re exceptional).

Demonstrated interest in investing, deals, and business analysis (clubs, projects, side hustles, or self-directed learning count).

Soft Skills & Mindset

High ownership mentality — you don’t wait to be told what to do; you hunt for answers.

Strong written and verbal communication — you can tell the story behind the numbers.

Comfortable with long hours when deals are live and stakes are high.

Curious, humble, and coachable — willing to learn fast and iterate.