Associate Director of R&D Finance

Ionis-Pharmaceuticals; Carlsbad (CA); Hybrid; USD 137,000 - 191,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Ionis Benefits

Job summary

Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. seeks an Associate Director of R&D Finance to lead financial planning for Late-Stage development. The role requires advanced modeling, systems orientation and collaboration with senior leadership across R&D.

Onsite/hybrid work in Carlsbad, CA is available, with a focus on data-driven decision making in a fast-paced environment. The candidate will manage budgeting, forecasting and variance analysis while partnering with project managers and finance teams to optimize

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in Finance, Accounting or Business; MBA or CPA designation preferred.
• Self-starter with ability to work in an intense, entrepreneurial environment.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Advanced Excel and PowerPoint skills are essential.

Responsibilities

• Leads financial reporting, budgeting, forecasting and analysis for Late-Stage development.
• Liaises with project managers to manage financial issues and support decision making.
• Supports month-end, quarter-end and year-end close processes, including journal entries.

Skills

Analytical thinking

Communication skills

Self-starter

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Finance/Accounting/Business

MBA or CPA preferred

Tools

Excel

PowerPoint

Job description

Job Category: General & Administrative - Ionis

Requisition Number: IONIS004144

• Posted : October 6, 2026
• Full-Time

Locations

Showing 1 location

Carlsbad, CA 92010, USA

Description

Headquartered in Carlsbad, California, and with offices in Boston, Massachusetts, and Dublin, Ireland, Ionis has been at work for more than three decades discovering medical breakthroughs that have redefined life for people with serious diseases. We’re pioneers in RNA-targeted medicines, and our platform continues to revolutionize drug discovery and transform lives for patients with unmet needs. With multiple marketed medicines and a leading pipeline in neurology, cardiology and select areas of high patient needs, we continue to drive innovation in RNA therapies in addition to advancing new approaches in gene editing to provide greater value to patients and are well positioned financially to deliver on our strategic goals.

At Ionis, we pride ourselves on cultivating a challenging, motivating and rewarding environment that fosters innovation and scientific excellence. We know that our success is a direct result of the exceptional talents and dedication of our employees.

With an unprecedented opportunity to change the course of human health, we look to add diverse individuals, skill sets and perspectives to our exceptional team. We continue to invest time, money and energy into making our onsite, hybrid and remote work environments a place where solid and lasting relationships are built and where our culture and employees can thrive.

We’re building on our rich history, and we believe our greatest achievements are ahead of us. If you’re passionate about the opportunity to have meaningful impact on patients in need, we invite you to apply and join us. Experience and contribute to our unique culture while you develop and expand your career!

ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF R&D FINANCE

SUMMARY:

We are seeking an Associate Director of R&D Finance to contribute to the success of Ionis by providing financial expertise to the R&D organization. Thisposition offers the opportunity to be a senior member within the R&D Finance team and function as the Finance lead for Late-Stage Development. The ideal candidatewill have strong financial modeling capabilities, a strong systems orientation, the ability to perform responsibilities within tight schedules, and an excellent working knowledge of finance and accounting practices in a corporate environment. This person must feel comfortable working closely with all levels in the organization and be able to exercise sound judgment with appropriate weight given to the needs of the company and individual functions within the company.

WORK LOCATION: onsite/hybrid – Carlsbad, CA.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Leads financial reporting, budgeting, forecasting and analysis for Late-Stage development
• Participate in project team meetings and liaise closely with individual project managers to manage and resolve financial-related issues and support decision making
• Provides support in relation to month-end, quarter-end, and year-end close processes, including reviewing journal entries and reconciliations
• Develops and maintains various financial templates / models
• Support strategic initiatives within Finance and R&D
• Leads variance analysis versus expectations while conveying financial insights
• Track and monitor development project spend
• Identify opportunities to drive improvement in the areas of accruals, analysis and reporting by leveraging systems and other resources
• Interprets and applies corporate financial policies and accounting theory
• Performs special projects as required
• Partner with business on decision making through sound, data-driven analysis

REQUIREMENTS:

• Minimum 12 years relevant experience showing continued role development and increased responsibility
• Bachelor’s Degree in Finance, Accounting or Business; MBA or CPA designation preferred
• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• Self-starter with a proven ability to be successful in an intense, entrepreneurial environment
• Life Sciences industry experience is strongly preferred
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills; willingness to accept responsibility for projects/processes and ability to work with limited direct supervision
• Excellent computer skills are essential, including advanced Excel and PowerPoint skills
• Excellent time management skills and ability to multi-task are essential
• Detail oriented, organized, analytical, dependable & flexible

Ionis offers an excellent benefits package! Follow this link for more details: Ionis Benefits

The pay scale for this position is $137,000 to $191,100

NO PHONE CALLS PLEASE. PRINCIPALS ONLY.

Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and all its subsidiaries are proud to be EEO employers.

Equal Opportunity Employer
This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws.For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.