Associate/Sr. Associate, Academic Partnering, Asset Acquisition

GondolaBio, LLC; Palo Alto, Boston (CA, MA); Hybrid; USD 130,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible PTO

Health, welfare & retirement programs

Job summary

GondolaBio, LLC is seeking an Associate/Sr. Associate for Academic Partnering and Asset Acquisition, located in Palo Alto, CA with Boston, MA and remote options in the USA.

The role bridges science and business to source, evaluate, and advance genetically driven programs through close work with GondolaBio’s Investment Committee and external partners. The candidate should hold a PhD/MD or MD+PhD in life sciences, have strong scientific achievements, and be willing to travel up to 25%.

Qualifications

• You hold an advanced technical degree (PhD, MD, or MD+PhD) in the life sciences and/or medicine, from a top-tier academic institution.
• Postdoctoral or residency training is a strong plus.
• Experience in management consulting or venture capital with diligence is valued.
• Business development or strategic operational roles in biotech startups are relevant.
• Willingness to travel up to 25% of time.

Responsibilities

• Broadly source to identify promising preclinical or early clinical programs through literature, academic and industry networks, and internal development teams.
• Build and manage relationships with leading academics, patient groups, biotechs, and entrepreneurs.
• Evaluate genetic rationale, preclinical data, development plans, and trial design for potential programs.
• Advocate for projects with strong scientific and business cases aligned to genetic disease targets.
• Identify and pursue focused investment opportunities through collaboration with internal experts.

Skills

Science passion and curiosity

Excellent communication & teamwork

Travel up to 25%

Diligence in due diligence/business-BD

Ability to operate with ambiguity

Education

PhD/MD or MD+PhD in life sciences

Job description

All Jobs > Associate/Sr. Associate, Academic Partnering, Asset Acquisition

Associate/Sr. Associate, Academic Partnering, Asset Acquisition
Palo Alto, CA | Boston, MA | Remote, USA

Description

About GondolaBio

GondolaBio is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing next-generation therapeutics for genetic diseases. Originally launched as BridgeBioX, a subsidiary of BridgeBio, GondolaBio secured $300M in private financing from external investors in 2024 and became an independent company within the BridgeBio ecosystem. The company aims to leverage cutting-edge biological research to create breakthrough medicines addressing high unmet needs across multiple therapeutic areas, including neurology, pulmonology, cardiology, nephrology, and endocrinology. Located on the Stanford Life Sciences campus, GondolaBio fosters a unique hybrid environment where top scientists from around the world collaborate with senior leadership and advisors, blending industry expertise with academic innovation.

Who You Are

GondolaBio’s Asset Acquisition team is seeking an Associate to help us source and create our new programs. We are looking for ambitious scientists who’d like to contribute at the intersection of science and business. Our team is responsible for finding, evaluating, and determining which therapeutic ideas GondolaBio will pursue, with an emphasis on evaluation of the scientific rationale behind therapeutic strategies. The team works closely with GondolaBio’s Investment Committee, which is composed of veteran drug developers and renowned academic scientists. Across the BridgeBio ecosystem, we have spearheaded partnerships with academic and industry groups to create, fund, and operate >30 new drug development programs. As a key member of the team, this position will help set the culture and business development of the company and will be the face of the organization.

Requirements

Responsibilities

• Broadly source to identify promising new preclinical or early clinical stage programs to treat genetically driven diseases through deep engagement with the literature, academic and industry experts, and internal development efforts
• Build and manage relationships with leading academics, patient advocacy groups, biotechs, and entrepreneurs
• Work cross-functionally with internal stakeholders to evaluate all aspects of a potential therapeutic program—from genetic rationale and pre-clinical evidence all the way to the development plan and clinical trial design
• Advocate for those that fit our goal of targeting the genetic source of a disease by building a scientific and business case for each potential investment
• Establish a focused investment strategy and follow through to identify new investment opportunities
• Coordinate and work with a talented team of internal subject-matter experts—including clinical, commercial, and disease experts—to dive as deeply as needed for each project

Education and Experience & Skills Requirements

• You are patient driven - Everything we do impacts the life of a Patient
• You have a strong aptitude and detailed curiosity for science
• You enjoy talking about science with people
• You hold an advanced technical degree (PhD, MD, or MD+PhD) in the life sciences and/or medicine, from a top-tier academic institution.
• Postdoctoral or residency training is a strong plus.
• You have a demonstrated record of scientific achievement as evidenced by lead-author preprints / publications, grants, patents, scholarships, or awards
• You have previous experience at one of the following:
• Management consulting or Venture Capital experience, with significant experience in diligence. Business development or strategic operational role in a biotech or life science startup
• Postdoctoral fellows and/or medical residents, with demonstrated experience or strong interest in the business of biotechnology
• You can and are interested in traveling up to 25% of the time
• You have demonstrated the ability to thrive in an intense environment - whatever your background, you are pressure tested
• You are a master "improviser" - so much of the drug development world is unpredictable, you must be comfortable with a significant degree of ambiguity
• ?You have the confidence to chart your course - you can identify problems, locate the resources, and find data-driven solutions independent of supervision
• You have an unrivaled sense of urgency - like our unique drug development processes, you will need to optimize for speed

No matter your role, successful team members are:

• Patient Champions, who put patients first and uphold strict ethical standards
• Entrepreneurial Operators, who drive toward practical solutions and have an ownership mindset
• Truth Seekers, who are detailed, rational, and humble problem solvers
• Individuals Who Inspire Excellence in themselves and those around them
• High-quality executors, who execute against goals and milestones with quality, precision, and speed

What We Offer

• Patient Days, where we are fortunate to hear directly from individuals living with the conditions we are seeking to impact throughout the year and learn how we can improve our efforts
• A culture inspired by our values: put patients first, think independently, be radically transparent, every minute counts, and let the science speak
• An unyielding commitment to always putting patients first. Learn more about how we do this here
• A de-centralized model that enables our program teams to focus on advancing science and helping patients. Our affiliate structure is designed to eliminate bureaucracy and put decision-making power in the hands of those closest to the science
• A place where you own the vision – both for your program and your own career path
• A collaborative, fast-paced, data-driven environment where we inspire ourselves and each other to always perform at the top of our game
• Access to learning and development resources to help you get in the best professional shape of your life
• Robust and market-competitive compensation & benefits package (health, welfare & retirement programs)
• Flexible PTO
• Rapid career advancement for strong performers
• Potential ability to work on multiple GondolaBio Pharma programs across multiple therapeutic areas over time
• Partnerships with leading institutions
• Commitment to Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

The base pay range for this position is $130,000 to $150,000 per year. The actual compensation offered will be determined based on a number of job-related factors, including experience, skills, qualifications, and location.

GondolaBio ServiceCo is an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran or disability status. Employees of GondolaBio and all affiliated companies should work through their managers to inquire about and learn more about this role.