Summer Investment Banking Analyst

About Symbal Education

Symbal Education (Symbal) is a production grade reinforcement learning company backed by Peter Thiel’s Founders Fund. We are a research partner and research vendor to leading AI labs, helping them source the first party data required to train next generation models on real white collar workflows.

About the Role
We are hiring a Summer Investment Banking Analyst to join our Strategic Projects team. The role splits roughly 50/50 between financial modeling and operations.

On the modeling side, you will build real PE style models on live data rooms sourced from our partner funds. On the operations side, you will manage our expert network, run sourcing campaigns, and help orchestrate high leverage events and partnerships across the Founders Fund ecosystem.

You will work directly with Symbal's founders and leadership team. The work is ambiguous, fast moving, and high trust.

Responsibilities
Financial Modeling (roughly 50 percent)
 

• Build DCF, LBO, merger, and three statement models from scratch on real private data rooms provided by partner PE firms
• Reconcile messy, multi source inputs the way you would on a live deal, document the logic behind every assumption, and battle test management cases
• Narrate your decision making in a structured scratchpad format so your reasoning becomes training signal for reinforcement learning environments
• Partner with senior reviewers (VP and senior associate level operators at top PE firms) who validate every model that ships

Operations (roughly 50 percent)
 

• Own and scale our expert network of finance contributors, including recruiting, onboarding, and training new experts on Symbal's modeling and rubric standards
• Run creative sourcing campaigns to unlock new partnerships with PE firms, investment banks, and independent sponsors
• Help plan and host investor and operator dinners featuring senior executives from Founders Fund portfolio companies and partner PE funds
• Serve as the liaison between Symbal and our AI lab partners, translating financial concepts so that PhD researchers (who are brilliant but not finance native) understand why our data is rare, accurate, and defensible
• Own ad hoc strategic projects directly for the founders, ranging from fundraising support to investor research to partnership development

Must Haves
 

• Rising sophomore, junior, or senior at an undergraduate, masters, MBA, or Ph.D program
• Prior summer or off cycle experience at an investment bank or private equity firm (bulge bracket, elite boutique, middle market, or PE fund)
• Hands on experience building DCFs and LBOs from scratch, not just editing templates
• Fluency in Excel, PowerPoint, and three statement financial modeling
• Strong written and verbal communication, with the ability to translate technical finance concepts for non finance audiences (including AI researchers)
• High agency and comfort operating in an ambiguous startup environment

Preferred
 

• Experience in M&A, leveraged finance, or sponsor coverage groups
• Prior event, sourcing, or BD experience (running dinners, cold outreach campaigns, partnership development)
• Familiarity with Bloomberg, Capital IQ, FactSet, or PitchBook
• Involvement in finance clubs, investment competitions, or student run funds
• Comfort using AI tools to accelerate model building (we care about accuracy and process, not whether you typed every formula by hand)

What You Will Gain
 

• Real PE grade modeling reps on live transactions, not case studies
• Weekly interaction with VP and senior associate level reviewers at top PE firms
• Direct access to the Founders Fund and Peter Thiel network, including investor dinners, advisor intros, and co-branded events
• A network estimated at 2x to 3x the connections of a conventional summer analyst role at a traditional bank
• Mentorship from Symbal's founders and leadership team
• A return offer pathway at Symbal, or a warm referral into a top IB or PE program
• Competitive compensation (discussed further)

Interview Process
Our process is intentionally short. We have one technical evaluation (more info given on call). Strong performance leads to a short in person conversation at our Palo Alto office, after which we can extend an offer.

How to Apply
Submit your resume and a short description of your most relevant deal experience. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, with priority given to early applicants.

Symbal is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to building a small, sharp, diverse team.