Director, Financial Reporting & Technical Accounting
Insitro · San Francisco, United States · 6h ago
THE OPPORTUNITY
insitro is a physical AI company dedicated to unlocking causal human biology and accelerating the delivery of better medicines to patients. Our unique Virtual Human™ platform identifies novel, high-impact genetic intervention points, which our TherML™ platform translates into therapeutics, whether small molecules, biologics, or oligos. With multiple programs in metabolic disease and neuroscience advancing toward the clinic, we are at a pivotal inflection point.
insitro is looking for an Director, Financial Reporting & Technical Accounting, with level set by experience, to be the company’s technical accounting expert and the owner of its financial reporting. In this senior individual contributor role, you will lead the year-end audit and financial statements, account for insitro’s most complex transactions, including pharma collaboration revenue, equity financings, and stock-based compensation modifications, and own the 409A valuation, international compliance, and accounting policy. This is also a chance to help build the function: as insitro grows, you will take on ownership of SOX and SEC reporting and help expand the team, playing a central role in building a public-company-ready finance organization, with a clear path to grow in level and scope as the function expands.
You will be joining a department that brings together Accounting Operations, FP&A, and Procurement. That structure gives this role visibility into each transaction from the contract and purchase order through to the financial statements. You will partner closely with Strategic Finance on forecasts and on Executive Leadership Team and Board materials. Corporate Development and Legal will also bring you in early on partnerships, financings, and equity matters, so the accounting implications are understood before terms are finalized. Our team is lean, collaborative, and hands-on, with a builder’s mindset. We are high-performing and considered a trusted partner across the company. We are also rebuilding our workflows with Claude and other AI tools, and you will help shape how reporting and technical accounting get done.
This position is based at our South San Francisco headquarters, reports to the SVP, Accounting & Financial Operations, and works onsite three days per week as part of our in-person hybrid model.
RESPONSIBILITIES
Financial Reporting
Own the Financial Statements: Direct the annual audit and financial statement process, preparing US GAAP financial statements and footnote disclosures that are accurate, timely, and fully supported
Run the Audit: Serve as the primary point of contact for our external auditors, leading audit planning, the PBC list, tie-outs, disclosure checklists, and resolution of audit comments
Lead the Disclosure Committee: Own and lead the Disclosure Committee, including setting the agenda, running the meetings, gathering and assessing potential disclosure items from across the company, and documenting conclusions
Prepare Executive and Board Materials: Prepare and update financial reporting and accounting content for Executive Leadership Team and Board of Directors materials and support the monthly reporting package and ad hoc investor requests
Technical Accounting & Policy
Lead Technical Accounting: Lead research and author memos on complex and non-routine transactions, including ASC 606 / ASC 808 collaboration and partnership revenue, ASC 842 leases, and equity and financing instruments
Account for the Pipeline: Evaluate the accounting and disclosures for preclinical and clinical activities as our programs advance toward the clinic, including R&D and clinical trial accrual methodologies for CRO and CDMO arrangements
Shape Deals Early: Partner with Corporate Development, Legal, and Strategic Finance on partnership agreements, financings, and other transactions so accounting implications are assessed before terms are finalized
Leverage Advisors: Serve as the primary liaison to our third-party tax advisor, communicating the tax implications of deals, financial results, and other transactions, and overseeing the tax provision, tax returns, R&D credit study, Section 382 analysis, and equity tax considerations for grants outside the US
Set the Policy: Develop, document, and maintain US GAAP accounting policies; monitor FASB developments and lead the adoption of new standards
Equity, Valuation, Insurance & International Compliance
Own Stock-Based Compensation Accounting: Own ASC 718 accounting and reporting, including expense recognition, award modifications, forfeitures, roll-forwards, and related disclosures, partnering with Legal, which administers grants and the equity plans
Support the 409A Valuation: Partner with our third-party valuation advisor on the 409A valuation process, including providing inputs, reviewing key assumptions and conclusions, and supporting audit review
Ensure International Compliance: Oversee statutory reporting, audits, and local compliance for our international subsidiary, partnering with local advisors so filing, tax, and regulatory requirements are met on time, and coordinate intercompany agreements and transfer pricing with our tax advisor
Support Insurance Renewals: Support the annual insurance renewal process with our insurance brokers, assessing the company’s risk profile and making sure coverage remains adequate as insitro grows and its programs move into the clinic
Support the Close: Prepare or review stock-based compensation, contract revenue, and other higher-risk journal entries and reconciliations
Controls, Scale & AI
Build for Scale: Design and maintain process documentation and internal controls that will scale with the company; when applicable, lead the SOX program, including planning, risk assessment, ITGCs, entity-level controls, remediation, and third-party testing
Build and Deploy AI Tools: Put Claude and other AI tools to work across reporting and technical accounting, such as roll-forwards, tie-outs, disclosure drafting, research, and memo drafting, and document those workflows so others can use and extend them
Counsel and Advise: Provide clear, decision-ready accounting guidance that non-accountants can act on without a follow-up meeting
Grow with the Function: As insitro grows, take on ownership of SOX compliance and SEC reporting (Forms S-1, 10-Q, and 10-K) and help expand the team, growing with the function into a public-company-ready organization
Special Projects: Participate in special projects and perform other related duties as assigned
ABOUT YOU
Experience & Qualifications
Proven Tenure: Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field and 8–12+ years of relevant experience, preferably a mix of Big 4 public accounting and public company experience, ideally in biotech or life sciences
Certification: Active CPA license
Technical Depth: Deep, practical command of US GAAP and financial reporting, with a track record of authoring accounting positions that withstand auditor scrutiny
Preclinical & Clinical Accounting: Experience with the accounting and disclosures for preclinical and clinical-stage biotech activities, including R&D and clinical trial accruals
Reporting Ownership: Hands-on experience owning audited financial statements and footnote disclosures and working directly with external auditors
AI in Practice: Hands-on experience using Claude and other AI tools to build or improve accounting and reporting workflows, with sound judgment about their limits and appropriate use
Core Competencies
Hands-On Owner: You identify and scope high-impact work yourself, are equally comfortable preparing and reviewing, and own your areas end to end without a team beneath you
Decisive Prioritizer: You quickly weigh complexity against impact, make sound calls when information is limited, and meet audit, board, and reporting deadlines with minimal oversight
Sharp Business Judgment: You balance risk and reward in ambiguous situations and translate complex accounting topics into clear, persuasive guidance for a wide range of audiences
Trusted Partner: You bring discretion, professionalism, and attention to detail, plus a collaborative style that builds trust across the company and with auditors, advisors, and executive leadership
Elevates Others: You mentor colleagues across Accounting & Finance and the broader company, share expertise generously, and help attract top talent to insitro
Preferred Qualifications
Life Sciences Context: Experience accounting for collaboration and licensing agreements with pharma partners, including upfront payments, milestones, and variable consideration
Equity & Valuation: Experience with ASC 718 award modifications and with 409A valuations, including working with third-party valuation firms
Tax Fluency: Strong familiarity, or equivalent experience, with R&D tax credits, Section 382 analysis, and tax considerations for international equity grants, enough to partner effectively with our tax advisor
International Compliance: Experience with statutory reporting, local compliance, and transfer pricing for foreign subsidiaries
Private-to-Public Experience: Experience at a venture-backed or pre-IPO company, ideally including taking a company through an IPO, and with SEC reporting or designing and implementing a SOX program
Systems: Experience with Oracle Cloud ERP, Carta or similar equity systems, and Workiva or an equivalent reporting tool; advanced Excel and G-Suite skills
Compensation & Benefits at insitro
Our target starting salary for successful US-based applicants for this role is $217,000 - $231,000. To determine starting pay, we consider multiple job-related factors including a candidate's skills, education and experience, market demand, business needs, and internal parity. We may also adjust this range in the future based on market data.
This role is eligible for participation in our Annual Performance Bonus Plan (based on company targets by role level and annual company performance) and our Equity Incentive Plan, subject to the terms of those plans and associated policies.
In addition, insitro also provides our employees:
401(k) plan with employer matching for contributions
Excellent medical, dental, and vision coverage as well as mental health and well-being support
Open, flexible vacation policy
Paid parental leave of at least 16 weeks to support parents who give birth, and 10 weeks for a new parent (inclusive of birth, adoption, fostering, etc)
Quarterly budget for books and online courses for self-development
New hire stipend for home office setup
Monthly cell phone & internet stipend
Access to free onsite baristas and daily lunch for employees who are either onsite or hybrid
Access to a free commuter bus network that provides transport to and from our South San Francisco HQ from locations all around the Bay Area
insitro is an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran or disability status.
We believe diversity, equity, and inclusion need to be at the foundation of our culture. We work hard to bring together diverse teams–grounded in a wide range of expertise and life experiences–and work even harder to ensure those teams thrive in inclusive, growth-oriented environments supported by equitable company and team practices. All candidates can expect equitable treatment, respect, and fairness throughout the interview process.
#LI-Hybrid
Please be aware of recruitment scams: we never request payments, all recruitment communications are from @insitro.com, and if in doubt, contact us at info@insitro.com.
About insitro
insitro is a drug discovery and development company using machine learning (ML) and data at scale to decode biology for transformative medicines. At the core of insitro’s approach is the convergence of in-house generated multi-modal cellular data and high-content phenotypic human cohort data. We rely on these data to develop ML-driven, predictive disease models that uncover underlying biologic state and elucidate critical drivers of disease. These powerful models rely on extensive biological and computational infrastructure and allow insitro to advance novel targets and patient biomarkers, design therapeutics and inform clinical strategy. insitro is advancing a wholly owned and partnered pipeline of insights and therapeutics in neuroscience and metabolism. Since launching in 2018, insitro has raised over $700 million from top tech, biotech and crossover investors, and from collaborations with pharmaceutical partners. For more information on insitro, please visit www.insitro.com.