Executive Assistant

Y-Trap; South San Francisco (CA); Hybrid; USD 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Y-Trap in South San Francisco seeks an Executive Assistant to help our founder manage communications, unblock critical issues, and ensure important work gets done in a high-trust environment.

The role offers hybrid or remote arrangements, with occasional in-person time to build a strong working relationship. You will own scheduling, draft responses, track deadlines, coordinate logistics, and learn the context behind the work to take initiative with increasing independence.

Qualifications

• Relentlessly resourceful and able to chase down blockers until a resolution is found.
• Excellent judgment and discretion with sensitive information.
• Detail-oriented, reliable, and able to keep clear records and deadlines.
• Clear, confident written and verbal communication.
• Curious and unafraid to dive into unfamiliar details to get things done.

Responsibilities

• Manage email and correspondence, identify what needs attention, draft responses, and follow up.
• Own scheduling and calendar coordination, anticipate conflicts, and protect time for priorities.
• Track commitments, deadlines, and outstanding tasks, following up to avoid slips.
• Coordinate people and logistics, and resolve problems with persistence and creative thinking.
• Learn the context behind the work to anticipate needs and take initiative with growing independence.

Job description

Y-Trap is seeking a highly resourceful, proactive Executive Assistant to help our founder manage communications, unblock critical issues, and ensure important work gets done. This is a high-trust role for someone who takes ownership, exercises good judgment, and follows through until there is a real resolution.

About us:

Y-Trap is a biotech startup in South San Francisco developing novel multi-specific therapeutics for cancer immunotherapy. We are currently advancing our lead programs into the clinic.

Work arrangement:

We're open to hybrid or remote arrangements. Occasional in-person time together is preferred to get to know each other and build a strong working relationship.

In this role, you will:

• Manage email and correspondence: identify what needs attention, draft responses, and follow up to keep important conversations moving.
• Own scheduling and calendar coordination, anticipate conflicts, and protect time for the founder’s highest priorities.
• Track commitments, deadlines, and outstanding tasks. Proactively follow up to ensure nothing important slips through the cracks.
• Chase down information, coordinate people and logistics, and resolve problems that require persistence, research, and creative thinking.
• Learn the context behind the work so you can anticipate needs, make informed decisions, and take initiative with increasing independence.

We are seeking an exceptional candidate with the following qualities:

• Relentlessly resourceful. When something important is stuck, you chase it down. You research, pick up the phone, find the person who can actually help, and escape with good judgment. You’re willing to try several routes and keep going until the problem is resolved.
• Excellent judgment and discretion. You can be trusted with sensitive information and communications. You know when to act independently, when to ask a question, and when something needs the founder’s attention.
• Detail-oriented and reliable. You keep clear records, maintain a current view of priorities and deadlines, and follow through on commitments. People can count on you to remember the details and close the loop.
• A clear, confident communicator. You write well, communicate directly, and can be persistent while building good relationships.
• Curious and unafraid to dive into the weeds. Biotech experience is not required. You should be eager to learn, comfortable asking questions, and willing to work through unfamiliar scientific, business, or logistical details to get something done.

Ideally, you may also have one or more of the following:

• Experience coordinating legal or intellectual property matters, including working with outside counsel.
• Experience in biotech or life sciences, or supporting teams working on technically complex problems.
• Experience supporting a founder or senior executive in a fast-moving startup.
• Excitement to figure out how to best leverage AI tools to make your job more efficient.