Head of Operations, US
At Parallel Bio, we are leveraging the human immune system to unlock safer, more effective drugs. We believe immunotherapies are the future of medicine, but their discovery is hindered by outdated models that fail to capture the complexity of the human immune system.
Our platform overcomes these challenges by combining best-in-class human immune organoids with massive scale and advanced computational methods, including AI and machine learning. This allows us to generate unprecedented, population-scale insights into human health and disease.
We can rapidly discover new drugs that we know will work in patients from the start and understand how they will perform across an entire population—something not possible with today's technology. This knowledge will allow us to engineer therapies that will work for as many people as possible, ensuring a safe and effective cure for everyone.
We are a fast-paced, venture-backed company at a pivotal moment of growth. Join us on our journey as we create new tools to push the boundaries of what is possible.
The Role
We're looking for a Head of Operations, US to be the operational backbone of Parallel Bio as we scale. This is a hands-on, high-autonomy role for someone who has built before: built systems, built processes, and built the infrastructure that lets a small company punch above its weight.
You'll own the systems and programs that keep us running: people operations, compliance, finance coordination, vendor relationships, and the workflows that quietly make or break a growing company. You'll have the freedom to redesign what isn't working, automate what shouldn't be manual, and create the operational foundation for our next phase of growth.
This role is not a strategic advisory position. You will own benefits administration, configure systems, manage vendor relationships, and handle multi-state compliance directly. You'll thrive here if that kind of ownership is energizing, and if you take pride in getting it right.
One signal we look for specifically: you've joined an organization early, under 20 people, and built operational infrastructure from scratch. Not improved it. Built it.
What You'll Own
Operational Systems & Process Excellence
Identify operational bottlenecks and design scalable solutions that grow with the company
Build and maintain the systems, workflows, and playbooks that let us move fast without compounding errors
Develop operational metrics and reporting to drive visibility and accountability across functions
Automate repetitive work and eliminate manual handoffs wherever possible
Document processes to create institutional knowledge that scales beyond any one person
Cross-Functional Program Leadership
Partner with leadership to translate company priorities into operational execution
Drive initiatives spanning Science, Technology, Automation and external partners
Serve as connective tissue between teams, ensuring alignment on shared priorities
Own special projects as needs emerge; be the person who makes things happen when ownership is unclear
Systems & Integrations
Own business systems end-to-end: audit, optimize, and maintain integrations, configurations, and workflows across platforms (Rippling, Ramp, Ashby, and others)
Ensure automated data feeds are properly configured across ATS, compensation, benefits, and payroll to eliminate reconciliation and manual intervention
Evaluate new tools, manage renewals, consolidate redundant systems, and build a technology stack that supports scale
Audit integrations regularly to ensure data integrity and catch issues before they become problems
People Programs
Run benefits and leave programs end-to-end, including direct coordination with state authorities on claims and documentation
Ensure enrollment data flows accurately to providers; be the person employees trust for clarity on policies and status
Own onboarding: equipment, system access, benefits enrollment, training coordination
Own the details that make people feel like they belong
Finance Operations
Support recurring finance activities including expense tracking, PO issuance, and invoice processing
Manage vendor onboarding/offboarding and payment workflows; ensure system configurations support accurate tracking and reporting
Partner with Finance on budget management and procurement
Support internal controls and ensure proper segregation of duties
Compliance & Risk
Own multi-state employer compliance: state registrations, annual filings, regulatory updates
Maintain labor law poster compliance and manage government portal credentials (SAM.gov, state EDD accounts, tax portals)
Route contracts for review, coordinate NDA workflows, and support trademark and IP matters
Stay ahead of deadlines and ensure nothing slips through the cracks
Who You Are
On-site in San Francisco: This role requires five days a week in our SF office
4-8 years in operations, with early-stage depth: You've done this at a startup or high-growth company — ideally under 50 people at the time you joined. You've seen early-stage chaos and know how to create order without creating bureaucracy. You've built processes from scratch and owned systems end-to-end. Experience primarily at large companies or in big pharma without early-stage exposure is a signal against fit
Generalist breadth, not specialist depth: You have real ownership across people programs, finance ops, compliance, and systems administration. Candidates specializing in only one of these domains — pure clinical ops, pure lab ops, pure finance, pure IT — are not the profile we're hiring. The role requires breadth
Hands-on executor: No task is beneath you. You configure systems yourself, handle benefits enrollment directly, call the support line, read the documentation. You don't delegate things you haven't built. Candidates whose recent experience is predominantly consulting, advisory, or high-level program management without operational ownership are not likely to be a fit
Precise and rigorous: You move fast but accuracy is non-negotiable. You double-check your work, validate data before acting on it, and build habits that prevent small errors from compounding downstream
Systems fluency: You configure and maintain business platforms, not just use them. You build automations, manage permissions, troubleshoot integrations, and ensure data flows reliably between systems. Direct experience with Rippling, Brex, or Ashby is a meaningful plus
AI fluency: You're comfortable using AI tools (Claude, etc.) to accelerate operational work across writing policies, structuring vendor analyses, debugging workflows, building internal documentation. You know when to prompt and when to just do it yourself
Multi-state compliance experience: Direct ownership of state registrations, labor law compliance, and government portal management
Mission-driven: Genuine interest in building something meaningful in biotech or healthcare. Life sciences industry experience is a bonus, not a requirement
Parallel Bio is an equal opportunity employer committed to fostering an inclusive and respectful workplace. We encourage applications from individuals of all backgrounds, regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, religion, disability, or sexual orientation.