The Position
Autonomous Therapeutics is seeking a hands-on and exceptional Controller to help lead the accounting and finance functions of our growing 30-person R&D biotech company.
The Controller will own full-cycle corporate accounting, U.S. GAAP financial reporting, U.S. Government-award and cost accounting, payroll oversight, tax compliance, budgeting, forecasting, and audit support.
The successful candidate must combine Controller-level rigor and strategic insight with the desire to work directly in the details. This is a hands-on leadership role.
You will join an established three-person accounting and finance function. You will work closely with our Vice President of Finance, manage a highly experienced CPA Senior Accountant, and work with our longstanding external CPA firm.
This structure offers substantial ownership without requiring the incoming Controller to build the accounting function from scratch.
We are looking for someone who can preserve what works, actively identify areas for optimization, and help build a finance function capable of continued growth, institutional financing, and potential public-company (e.g. IPO) readiness.
About Autonomous
Autonomous Therapeutics is a venture- and U.S. Government-funded biotechnology company founded in 2017 by a team from Harvard Medical School and UCSF. We develop precision medicines for currently incurable viral infections and metastatic cancers.
Our team of chemists, synthetic biologists, immunologists, and in vivo biologists work in a 20,000-square-foot R&D facility outside Washington, D.C. Our R&D has been supported by U.S. Government grants, contracts, and other agreements, as well as venture investment, commercial collaborations, and other private financing.
We operate an active R&D laboratory seven days a week--with nonstop purchasing, payroll, equipment, consultant, vendor, and project-accounting activity.
About You
You are a highly experienced accounting professional who combines deep corporate-accounting knowledge with strong Government-award and cost-accounting expertise.
You have:
- A CPA license and at least 7 years of progressively responsible accounting experience.
- Deep knowledge of U.S. GAAP and full-cycle corporate accounting.
- Ability to independently prepare and analyze complete financial statements and supporting schedules.
- Deep experience with Government grants, contracts, or agreements.
- Understanding of Government direct and indirect cost allocations, indirect-cost pools, timekeeping, and Federal cost allowability (e.g. DCAA ).
- Experience with budgeting, forecasting, cash management, and reporting.
- Experience with a sophisticated project-accounting or enterprise accounting system.
- Strong attention to detail, analytical ability, organization, and communication skills.
- Willingness to personally perform detailed accounting and compliance work in a small and growing company.
Also highly valued is experience: with R&D-intensive organizations, corporate tax compliance, NIH or Department of Defense funding, indirect-rate proposals, Single Audits, DCAA submissions, venture financings, investor diligence, or public-company readiness.
What You Will Do
Corporate Accounting & Financial Reporting
- Lead monthly and annual closes and prepare and review journal entries, reconciliations, supporting schedules, and U.S. GAAP financial statements.
- Manage day-to-day accounting, including the general ledger, accounts payable, accounts receivable, payroll accounting, cash management, and fixed assets.
- Further establish and maintain practical accounting policies, internal controls, and approval processes.
- Prepare audit and tax schedules and coordinate with external auditors, tax advisers, payroll providers and other financial partners.
Government Awards & Cost Accounting
- Manage the financial administration of Federal grants, contracts, agreements, and subawards.
- Prepare and review Government invoices, drawdowns, financial reports, indirect-cost calculations, and related supporting documentation.
- Maintain compliant project and cost-accounting records, including direct and indirect cost allocations, labor distributions, and project reconciliations.
- Monitor project spending, funding limits, and compliance with award terms and requirements.
- Support proposals, audits, agency reviews, award modifications, and closeouts.
Planning & Corporate Finance
- Prepare operating budgets, project forecasts, cash-flow forecasts, runway analyses, and management reports.
- Provide leadership with clear analyses of spending, commitments, funding constraints, indirect-rate performance, and future cash needs.
- Own and improve the company’s accounting, payroll, and project-cost systems.
- Support financings, investor diligence, board reporting, valuations, and related corporate-finance activities.
- Manage the Senior Accountant while remaining directly involved in the company’s accounting and reporting work.
Experience with Deltek, Oracle, Unanet, JAMIS, or another sophisticated Government-award or project-accounting system is highly relevant. Prior PROCAS experience is very beneficial.
Why Join Autonomous
Established Finance Team. Join multiple experienced full-time finance professionals, including a highly experienced Vice President of Finance and an in-house CPA Senior Accountant.
Real Ownership & Growth Potential. Assume substantial responsibility for the accounting and financial infrastructure of a growing biotechnology company from day one.
Life-Saving Work. Support the development of potentially life-saving medicines for infectious diseases and metastatic cancers.
Breadth of Work. Work across GAAP accounting, R&D operations, Federal awards, venture financing, commercial activity, and private-company finance.
Compensation and Benefits. Competitive salary and equity packages; health, dental, and vision coverage; a 401(k) plan with employer matching; and paid time off.
Hiring Information
Candidates must be authorized to work in the United States.
Autonomous Therapeutics is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Hiring decisions are based on merit, qualifications, and business needs.
Pay: $150,000.00 - $220,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- 401(k)
- 401(k) 4% Match
- 401(k) matching
- Dental insurance
- Disability insurance
- Employee stock purchase plan
- Flexible schedule
- Health insurance
- Paid sick time
- Paid time off
- Relocation assistance
- Vision insurance
Work Location: In person
