About Arc Institute
Arc Institute is an independent nonprofit research organization at the interface of artificial intelligence and biology, working to accelerate scientific progress and understand the root causes of complex diseases. Founded in 2021 and based in Palo Alto, Arc partners with Stanford University, UC Berkeley, and UC San Francisco.
Unlike academia, our scientists have long-term funding and industry-like resources. Unlike industry, they're free to pursue high-risk, long-term research without commercial pressures. Arc's Technology Centers and Core Investigator labs work side by side, integrating experimental and computational biology under one roof to tackle problems neither could solve alone.
Our two Institute Initiatives reflect this model in action:
- Virtual Cell Initiative: Building a full-stack virtual cell model to identify disease mechanisms and nominate drug targets, accelerating the path from biological insight to clinical trials.
- Alzheimer's Disease Initiative: Mapping the genes, pathways, and environmental factors behind Alzheimer's disease to develop drug candidates that address root causes.
More than 300 Arconauts work together at our Palo Alto headquarters, backed by substantial long-term philanthropic funding.
About the position
We are seeking an independent and analytical FP&A Manager to join our Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A) team. This critical role will partner closely with key budget owners in our Technology Centers and Core Labs, driving the annual budgeting process, project-specific forecasting, and strategic decision-making. The ideal candidate will possess a strong foundation in financial modeling, experience at a science organization, and a proven ability to translate data into actionable insights for leadership.
About You
- You are deeply analytical with a knack for effectively communicating that information visually and verbally
- You are a team player; you like to work as a team to help people get their jobs done
- You are detail-oriented and have a passion for organized processes and structured systems
- You are familiar with our science and motivated about Arc’s mission
- You are a life long learner
In this position, you will
- Partner directly with budget owners (specifically CSO, CTO, and COO organizations) to ensure financial plans align with strategic goals and provide detailed variance analysis against prior forecasts and budget.
- Develop scenario-driven financial models for key Institute Initiatives, new scientific programs, and capital expenditures.
- Drive continuous improvement in FP&A processes, reporting automation, and financial system utilization (e.g., Netsuite, Prendio).
- Help develop and present Arc’s annual operating budget, long-range strategic plans, and forecasts for our Institute Initiatives, research labs, and operational units.
- Support strategic vendor negotiations to reduce our operational costs.
Requirements
- Bachelor's degree in Finance, Economics, or a related quantitative field and 3-7 years of experience in a demanding finance or analytical role.
- Demonstrated experience leading and executing the core functions of corporate FP&A, including budgeting, forecasting, and reporting, ideally within a fast-paced Technology or Biotechnology company.
- Prior experience as an Investment Banking Analyst (2-3 years) OR experience as a Consultant at a major/large consulting firm program (2-3 years). This experience must have provided deep exposure to financial analysis, rigorous modeling techniques, and effective communication of data.
- Exceptional proficiency with spreadsheets (advanced modeling, pivot tables, lookups, chart visualizations).
Preferred Qualifications
- Educational background (e.g., degree or advanced coursework) or professional experience in the Biosciences, Biotech, and/or related fields is highly desirable.
- Experience with financial planning systems (e.g., Netsuite Planning, Adaptive Planning) is a plus.
The base salary range for this position is $116,750 to $144,000. These amounts reflect the range of base salary that the Institute reasonably would expect to pay a new hire or internal candidate for this position. The actual base compensation paid to any individual for this position may vary depending on factors such as experience, market conditions, education/training, skill level, and whether the compensation is internally equitable, and does not include bonuses, commissions, differential pay, other forms of compensation, or benefits. This position is also eligible to receive an annual discretionary bonus, with the amount dependent on individual and institute performance factors.
