Associate

Locust Walk•Boston, MA

13d•Hybrid

About The Position

Locust Walk is a global investment bank that partners with founders, executives, and board members to drive strategic transactions and create newcos to finance innovation. Our 17-year history of success was forged through our Co-founder MentalityTM focused on innovators, our local on the ground presence in Boston, San Francisco, Tokyo, and Beijing, and our deep understanding of how science and data translate into actionable transactions and business strategy. We are proud to announce the launch of Banyan BioInnovations, an investment firm powered by Locust Walk that leverages global sourcing and on-the-ground presence in the U.S., China, and Japan to create clinical-stage companies around best or first-in-class drug candidates. Banyan Bio deploys a veteran centralized development team and turnkey infrastructure to optimize clinical and regulatory execution, guiding each asset through key value inflection points. Banyan Bio’s differentiated and collaborative approach ensures that the drug’s originator, investors, our NewCos, and patients all win together. The launch of Banyan Bio means that joining Locust Walk today puts you at the center of both a leading life sciences investment bank and a differentiated investment firm building the next generation of biotech companies – a combination unlike anything else in the industry. If you are looking to build your career with a fast-growing investment bank and newco creation shop with significant upside potential in position, responsibility, and compensation, we’re looking for you. Our Associates have a strong passion for life sciences and all know this is the career they want long term; in fact, this role is ‘Partner Track’ as we look to find the future leaders of the firm from within. You will have the opportunity to work with multiple clients simultaneously on sell-side transactions to global biopharma and on Banyan Bio’s NewCo opportunities – co-founding asset-centric companies around clinically validated programs sourced globally and advancing them through defined value inflection points. This dual mandate creates optionality for clients and unparalleled breadth of experience for you, diversifying your skill set across advisory, company creation, and clinical-stage investing. The hours are more manageable than a typical Wall Street investment bank, the work more execution oriented than a consulting firm, and the atmosphere and work environment more fast paced than working inside a company with a collaborative approach.

Requirements

Must currently reside in the Boston area or be willing to relocate there before starting.
Must have U.S. Citizenship or Green card.
Experience in life science consulting, investment banking, venture capital industry or internal biotech business/corporate development is a requirement.
Currently working in a life science strategy consulting firm (new opportunity prioritization; partnering and M&A strategy; commercial due diligence) or healthcare group of an investment bank.
Strong scientific academic track record: at least an undergraduate science major.
3-6 years of relevant full-time experience is required; 2+ years of relevant experience in a role managing team members plus a terminal science degree or MBA also works.
Solid understanding of financial modelling, including at least revenue modeling.
Strong communication skills and comfort presenting in front of clients’ senior management, Board of Directors, and speaking directly with physicians and other key opinion leaders.
A proven track record of managing one or more team members supporting you on a project, managing up, and prioritizing complex tasks across various workstreams.
Excellent written and presentation development skills.
Strong competitive spirit balanced by a proven ability to work as part of a team.
Comfortable working in a small entrepreneurial environment with significant interactions with the US team.
Must be willing to overlap with part of US Eastern Time Zone hours.
Existing AI fluency (including Claude CoWork) and curiosity to continue to learn as the technology evolves.
Passion for life science transactions.
A strong interest and desire to ‘do deals’ is important for this role where everything we do revolves around transactions.

Nice To Haves

Full P&L and discounted cash flow modeling a plus but can be learned on the job.
Ability to offer training in PowerPoint a plus.

Responsibilities

Leading execution and overseeing deliverables and analysis generated by Analysts for banking deals.
Identifying and managing discussions with target partners.
Reviewing and driving financial analysis.
Supporting deal negotiations and closing.
Conducting outreach to potential partners and coordinating partner conversations.
Managing all aspects of the day-to-day execution of the deal, including leading update calls with the client.
Overseeing all aspects of the Analyst’s work.
Screening and diligencing globally sourced clinical-stage assets for Banyan Bio.
Building management presentations and development plans for Banyan Bio NewCos.
Creating term sheets and valuation analysis for asset originators.
Drafting investment memos for Banyan Bio.
Supporting the capital formation and syndication process to launch each Banyan Bio company.
Conducting thorough due diligence on all potential sell-side and NewCo opportunities as a member of the due diligence committee.
Playing a role in decision-making around which clients and NewCos to take on.
Participating in networking events and building relationships with industry peers and prospective clients.
Overseeing the creation of quarterly market conditions reports.
Preparing thought leadership.
Presenting to both the firm and clients.