Assistant Controller

iota Biosciences, Inc.•Alameda, CA

About The Position

iota Biosciences, a wholly owned subsidiary of Astellas Pharma US, is advancing a new class of bioelectronic medicines through the development of fully implantable Class III medical devices. Our proprietary technologies open therapeutic and diagnostic possibilities not previously accessible to clinicians. Together with Astellas, we are committed to patient-centric design, scientific and engineering excellence, and cross-functional teamwork. These principles guide us in bringing transformative, first-of-its-kind technologies into the clinic and closer to patients. iota is looking for a hands-on finance leader who thrives in early-stage environments and wants to build. This role is ideal for a senior staff accountant or early FP&A professional who has a strong foundation in accounting but also wants to step into broader ownership of budgeting, burn-rate tracking, process creation, and day-to-day financial operations. You will be responsible for the day-to-day finance function, working closely with our fractional CFO and leadership team to establish the systems, processes, and financial discipline needed to scale a new venture. This is a highly visible, cross-functional role with a real opportunity to shape how the company grows.

Requirements

5–8 years of accounting experience (startup or high-growth environment strongly preferred).
Strong understanding of US GAAP with hands-on accounting capability—but also excited to expand into FP&A.
Scrappy, detail-oriented, and comfortable wearing many hats—this role spans accounting, operations, and finance strategy.
Someone who wants to own the finance function day-to-day, not just support it.
Comfortable with ambiguity, building processes from scratch, and creating structure where none exists.
Experience with finance systems; QuickBooks and Ramp a plus.

Responsibilities

Oversee day-to-day accounting operations, including AP, month-end close, reconciliations, and journal entries.
Partner with external accounting and PEO teams to ensure accurate payroll, benefits, payroll tax processes and day-to-day accounting.
Maintain the general ledger and ensure compliance with US GAAP.
Support monthly, quarterly, and annual financial statements; prepare flux analysis; prepare schedules for audits and reviews.
Manage the company’s use tax compliance, including preparing, documenting, and filing periodic returns. Work with the tax firm to support additional filings such as business property tax and franchise tax.
Build and manage budgets in partnership with department leads and the fractional CFO; provide real-time visibility into actuals vs. budget.
Track and forecast burn rate, headcount costs, vendor spend, and runway—proactively flagging risks and insights.
Develop dashboards and reporting that help leadership make informed decisions.
Implement early financial systems, tools, and scalable processes (e.g., expense management, purchasing flows, cost tracking).
Create simple but effective internal controls appropriate for an early-stage company.
Lead vendor onboarding and contract tracking; partner with legal and operations teams as needed.
Creating and updating expense and travel policies and maintaining internal compliance.
Work closely with R&D, Clinical, Operations, and HR to align finance with business needs.
Help model scenarios for hiring, lab expansion, grants, capital planning, and investment decisions.
Support board reporting, investor updates, and fundraising preparation.