Operations Associate

Gordian science has leveled up; are you ready to do the same?

We are looking for someone motivated and ambitious, who is early in their career and looking to learn and grow as fast as we are. The Operations Associate at Gordian will wear many hats, and will need to wear all of them well. If you want to learn, up close and personal, what it takes operationally to build and run a company, this is your opportunity!

The Destination:

Gordian Biotechnology is a therapeutics company whose mission is to cure age-related diseases and ultimately allow people to lead longer, healthier lives. Traditional ex vivo screening methods have failed to produce effective treatments, as age-related diseases have complex causes that include interactions with the aged environment.

To address this problem, Gordian’s platform is the first and only to enable pooled in vivo tests at scale in our proprietary “patient avatars”. We are able to deliver and test hundreds of therapeutics in individual animals, and scale efficacy testing to cover every therapeutic target at the beginning of the drug discovery process (more info on our website). We can choose targets that really impact disease biology, to develop and commercialize therapies for the world’s deadliest diseases, and eventually for the processes of aging itself. 

The Journey:

Our mission is audacious, and the path will be full of both challenges and excitement. Two things characterize the Gordian experience: 1) We work as a team, with ownership in our own roles and trust in each other. 2) We strive for extraordinary outcomes, and in doing so grow our skills and capability

Team – Relying on each other begins with transparency. We set clear goals, visibly connecting individuals and teams to our company objectives. This empowers each of us to make autonomous decisions about our work, knowing how they will affect the bigger picture. Our communication happens out in the open. We give and receive feedback from a perspective of helping each other grow, share mistakes, and ask for help.

Extraordinary – Every day, we ask ourselves “Could this process/outcome be even better?”. Knowing our overall mission, we do what we think helps us make the most progress, without asking for permission. We don’t shy away from big challenges or unknown territory, but find a way to excel. Our colleagues are amazing, both at what they do and as people. They inspire us to keep up, to not let them down, and be inspiring in return. 

Like any cutting-edge research environment, Gordian doesn't believe in a standard 9 to 5 day. We set ambitious project goals and support each other to meet them, while maintaining the balance individuals need to thrive and achieve excellence. Our team is geared towards helping each other out, an orientation best exemplified through the support we provide for each others’ projects, both experimentally as well as through “pre-mortem” meetings to discuss possible failure modes and experimental design. We like getting things done and keep standing meetings to a minimum. 

We like to have social as well as intellectual fun, including through weekly team lunches, monthly company happy hours, and regular social events hosted by Gordian for the broader community. We also encourage our colleagues to unwind; this year, in accordance with our unlimited vacation policy, each member took an average of 4.5 weeks of (offline) vacation, not including major holidays.

If this environment sounds appealing, come experience it with us. We are at the beginning of a long journey, and want both your ability and your personality along for the ride. Our culture is a source of great pride; it represents both who we are, and who we wish to be. 

You can dive deeper here: https://www.gordian.bio/culture/

About the Role:

Your primary mission as the Operations Associate is to support Gordian’s growing Operations team in successfully executing the essential functions that keep Gordian running and science moving forward. You will report into the Operations function, and will work closely with various members of the Ops team, gaining first hand understanding and experience of what it takes to run and scale a biotech startup. Additionally, you will partner closely with colleagues throughout Gordian’s Research & Development functions, learning directly about the operational needs of biotech innovation. In all situations, you will work proactively with a combination of analytical thinking, attention to detail, and tenacity - pushing through obstacles and continuously seeking ways to improve our processes.

What You’ll Do:

2 weeks:

Support our Human Resources lead with recruiting coordination. Develop an understanding of Gordian’s hiring standards and refine your ability to spot quality candidates. Start building rapport with team members and stakeholders, practicing clear and concise communication. Engage in team discussions to understand priorities and develop a collaborative approach.

As you get involved in talent acquisition tasks, practice careful attention to details, especially when reviewing candidate profiles and screening for key qualifications.

Familiarize yourself with Gordian’s fast-paced environment. Be ready to adjust as you take on new tasks, and approach each with a willingness to learn and a proactive attitude.

6 weeks:

Continue to support our recruitment needs with greater autonomy and begin participating in screening candidates and managing recruitment processes end-to-end for specific roles.

Begin managing basic tasks across various functions, getting familiar with the Gordian approach to project management, primarily through the use of Asana, to help track tasks and prioritize. Start to develop organizational habits and effective time management to balance responsibilities as they grow.

Start triaging basic contracts, such as non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) and consulting agreements. Focus on initial review for accuracy and compliance before escalating to other team members as needed. Ensure precision in managing logistics for signatures and tracking completion status.

Use analytical skills to evaluate potential cost-saving opportunities with vendors. Begin applying problem-solving skills to handle unexpected challenges in daily tasks, such as troubleshooting process roadblocks or streamlining recurring tasks.

12 weeks:

Support the Operations function in managing multiple projects and responsibilities, balancing various tasks and priorities. Use project management tools to ensure deadlines are met, tasks are prioritized, and projects are executed efficiently.

Collaborate closely with the Operations team, leadership, and scientists to ensure proactive and efficient communication. Hone written and verbal communication to ensure clarity and alignment across departments, as you contribute to strategic initiatives.

Utilize HR and operations software (e.g., Lever, Lattice) and to streamline and automate contract management processes. Build familiarity with these tools to increase efficiency and support long-term operational scalability.

Continue to approach tasks proactively and identify process improvements. Use problem-solving skills to proactively address tactical challenges, handle unexpected and unique tasks, and bring ideas to the table for continuous improvement across operational functions.

Handle contract and non-disclosure agreement (NDA) management with minimal oversight, maintaining rigorous attention to detail to contribute to compliance and minimize risk. Own tasks across operations with confidence, displaying an ability to balance precision with efficiency in all projects and demonstrate willingness and enthusiasm for continuous improvement and learning.

As is typical of life in operations, your work will be varied and interesting, and you’ll need to react quickly and adjust to situations as they emerge. The exact nature of your role may change over time, depending upon team and company need, but no task, project or endeavor is too big or too small for the Gordian Operations Associate!

And You:

You want a chance to do your best work, immerse yourself and excel, alongside people who will inspire you and whom you’ll be excited to spend your days with. 

You want to play a key role in an early-stage startup: A fast-paced environment full of both uncertainty and new challenges, demanding relentless resourcefulness.

You may not be a scientist, but love to solve complex, difficult problems in unique and creative ways. You are passionate about biotechnology in general, longevity science in particular, and believe in the capacity of our work to improve the human condition.

You are a proud generalist - interested in everything and always seeking to learn more. You may have no specialization (yet), which makes you flexible and willing to take on whatever adds the most value to the company.

You excel at prioritization, accustomed to managing multiple competing tasks simultaneously, and have a clear strategy for tackling them efficiently. You can work with everyone, thanks to your humility and winning attitude, and you’re excited to be part of a dynamic, audacious, and aspirational team of doers.

The Details:

Gordian aims to provide everything you need to thrive. Beyond or community and science, you’ll have enough equity to be a true stakeholder in the company, competitive salary, full health/dental/vision/life insurance, 401k with match, onsite lunch paid for 3 days a week, an onsite gym, whatever vacation you need to be at your peak, remote work flexibility, and access to world-class mentors and advisors to support your professional growth. Our building is in the heart of the biotech capital of South San Francisco.