Controller

BioSapien; San Diego (CA); Hybrid; USD 130,000 - 170,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity

PTO: 3 weeks + 1 week personal

Job summary

BioSapien is seeking a hands-on Finance Controller to own accounting end-to-end in San Diego. You will run books, payroll, GAAP reporting, and board packs, reporting to the CEO with no direct reports initially.

You’ll manage equity accounting for SAFEs and financing rounds, vendor contracts, and 1099s, while building scalable systems for a venture-backed startup at a pivotal Series A stage.

Qualifications

• 6+ years of progressive accounting experience, incl. 2+ years as Controller or Assistant Controller.
• Based in San Diego; CPA preferred.
• Strong command of US GAAP and GAAP-compliant financial reporting.
• Experience in biotech or life sciences and venture-backed startups.

Responsibilities

• Own full-cycle accounting, payroll, reporting, and board packages.
• Manage GAAP-compliant monthly, quarterly, and annual statements.
• Oversee equity & financing accounting for SAFEs and rounds.
• Coordinate tax filings with outside CPA and tax credits.
• Prepare 13-week cash forecast and monthly runway model.
• Deliver board materials and management reporting.

Skills

US GAAP

Board-ready slides

Cash forecasting

Multitask under pressure

Education

BS in Accounting or Finance

CPA

Tools

QuickBooks Online

ADP Workforce Now/Run

Job description

Location: San Diego, CA (on-site/hybrid) · Full-time

Salary: $130,000 – $170,000 + equity + PTO (3 weeks + 1 week personal)

About BioSapien

BioSapien is a clinical-stage biotech company based in San Diego with operations in Abu Dhabi. We develop MediChip, our drug delivery platform, and we are running clinical programs in the UAE and the U.S. We are a lean team at an important point: we're moving from bridge financing toward a Series A. We need finance to be accurate, fast, and ready for investors.

The Role

You will own finance and accounting end to end: the books, payroll, reporting, and the board package. You report directly to the CEO. You are the single source of truth on cash, burn, and runway. This is a hands-on role, and there is no team underneath you yet. You will build the function.

What You'll Own

Accounting & Close

• Full-Cycle Accounting: QuickBooks Online, including AP, AR, bank and credit card reconciliations, and monthly close by the 10th business day
• Financial Statements: GAAP-compliant monthly, quarterly, and annual financial statements
• Clinical & R&D Accruals: CRO, site, CMC/manufacturing, and vendor obligations, tracked against contracts and SOWs
• Equity & Financing: Accounting for SAFEs, bridge financing, and future priced rounds
• Chart of Accounts: Structured to track spend by program and clinical milestone
• Intercompany & Foreign Entity Accounting: UAE operations and related intercompany activity

Operations

• Vendor Management: Maintain vendor contracts, track SOWs and change orders, monitor spend against budget, and flag overruns early
• Purchasing & Approvals: Manage purchase approval and AP workflows that are efficient while maintaining appropriate controls
• Contractors: Manage consultant payments, contract tracking outside ADP, and year-end 1099s
• Business Systems: Administer and maintain the company’s finance, HR, and operational tools
• Corporate Records & Insurance: Maintain corporate records and filings for U.S. and UAE entities, and manage insurance renewals and certificates

Payroll & Contractors

• Semi-monthly payroll through ADP, including benefits, deductions, and state and federal filings
• Contractor and consultant payments, 1099s, and contract tracking outside ADP
• Payroll tax compliance and year-end W-2 and 1099 processing

Cash, Budget & Reporting

• Cash Forecasting: 13-week cash forecast and monthly runway model
• Budgeting & Variance Reporting: Operating and clinical budgets, including budget-vs-actual (BvA) variance reporting
• Committed Costs & Vendor Payments: Track committed costs vs. estimates and the timing of major vendor payments
• Cross-Functional Budget Management: Work with Clinical, Regulatory, and CMC leads to keep the budget aligned with the development timeline
• Management Reporting: Monthly financial reporting for the CEO
• Board Reporting: Quarterly board materials for the CEO covering financials, burn, runway, BvA, and key financial risks

Board & Investor Reporting

• Quarterly board slides covering financials, burn, runway, budget vs. actuals, and key financial risks
• Monthly management reporting for the CEO
• Reconciliation of the cap table in Carta against bank activity and QuickBooks
• Data-room financials and diligence support for the Series A

Compliance & Controls

• Audit Readiness: Prepare for the first-year audit and coordinate with external auditors
• Tax Compliance: Coordinate with the outside CPA on federal and state tax filings, sales/use tax, and the R&D tax credit
• Internal Controls & Policies: Establish and maintain financial policies and internal controls appropriate for a venture-backed company

What You Bring

• Must be based in San Diego
• BS in Accounting or Finance. CPA strongly preferred.
• 6+ years of progressive accounting experience, with at least 2 years as a Controller or Assistant Controller
• Strong command of US GAAP
• Advanced QuickBooks Online and ADP Workforce Now/Run experience
• Experience in biotech, pharma, or life sciences, including clinical trial accruals and CRO contracts
• Venture-backed startup experience, ideally through a financing round and an audit
• Ability to build board-quality slides and explain the numbers clearly to non-finance leaders
• Comfort operating without a team: you both do the work and design the system

Nice to have

Big 4 or public accounting background, Carta experience, multi-entity or international accounting (UAE a plus), experience with R&D tax credits.

Why Join

• Direct partnership with the CEO and board exposure from day one
• Ownership of the finance function at a company approaching its Series A
• Meaningful equity
• A chance to help bring a new cancer therapy platform to patients

BioSapien is an equal opportunity employer.