The Chan Zuckerberg Biohub Chicago (https://www.czbiohub.org/chi) is an independent nonprofit research institute that brings together three powerhouse universities - Northwestern University, the University of Chicago, and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign - into a single collaborative technology and discovery engine. CZ Biohub itself supports some of the brightest, boldest engineers, data scientists, and biomedical researchers to make breakthroughs in medicine and develop new technologies, frequently in collaboration with our partner universities. We are guided by our values of scholarly excellence; disruptive innovation; hands-on engineering/hacking/building; partnership and collaboration; open communication and respect; inclusiveness; and opportunity for all.
Our Vision
- We pursue large scientific challenges that cannot be pursued in conventional environments
- We enable individual investigators to pursue their riskiest and most innovative ideas
- The technologies developed at CZ Biohub Chicago facilitate research by scientists and clinicians at our home institutions and beyond
Diversity of thought, ideas, and perspectives are at the heart of CZ Biohub Network and enable disruptive innovation and scholarly excellence. We are committed to cultivating an inclusive organization where all colleagues feel inspired and know their work makes an important contribution.
The Opportunity
Each of the research entities is a separate limited liability company and they are subsidiaries that are wholly owned by the parent company, Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, Inc.
We are seeking an experienced Staff Accountant to join the Chicago Biohub Finance team in a newly created role reporting to the COO of the Chicago Biohub. The Staff Accountant will be responsible for general day-to-day accounting and operations processes, including vouchering of invoices (PO and non PO backed), assisting with the month-end close process, including preparing journal entries and account reconciliations, and invoicing third-parties. The Staff Accountant must have meticulous attention to detail and the ability to investigate and troubleshoot discrepancies, as well as communicate effectively with colleagues and stakeholders.
The position will be based in Chicago, IL, on an on-site basis.
What You'll Do
Accounting
- Process vendor invoices timely and accurately, ensuring all required approvals are obtained in line with company policy
- Process expense reports in Concur, responsible for processing corporate credit card expense reports and reconciliation
- Perform month-end close activities by preparing journal entries and account reconciliations for assigned areas that may include cash, fixed assets, accruals and prepaid expenses
- Prepare and analyze reports such as Open Purchase Orders, AP/AR Aging, etc.
- Maintain billings, including preparation of invoices and collection of payments for reimbursements
- Maintain accurate fixed asset management, tracking, and reporting process
- Support parent company requests to prepare intercompany transactions
- Research and resolve discrepancies and ensure timely resolution of outstanding items
- Maintain documents and records, ensuring adherence to policies and procedures and internal controls
- Provide timely responses by interacting with both internal colleagues and external vendors
Other
- Identify and assist with implementing process improvements and controls, including system efficiencies
- Support parent company requests for the annual audit and tax returns, including preparing PBC schedules as requested
- Support parent company with business licenses, and other renewals and registrations as needed
- Perform other accounting duties and ad-hoc projects as required
What You'll Bring
Essential –
- Bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, or business
- 2-4 years of related general accounting, fixed assets and accounts payable experience with demonstrated performance
- Solid knowledge of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) including solid understanding of fixed assets, accruals and prepaids
- Experience using Coupa, NetSuite, and Concur software
- Proficient with Microsoft Office products with intermediate to advanced skills in Microsoft Excel
- Strong attention to detail and excellent analytical skills
- Ability to multi-task in a fast-paced environment and prioritize duties to meet deadlines with limited supervision
- Must be comfortable working in an environment with continued process improvement and changes
- Ability to proactively identify and propose solutions to solve problems
- Strong collaboration, interpersonal, and communication skills (verbal and written)Excellent organizational skills
Nice to have -
- Biotech/pharmaceutical industry/Life sciences or research organization background
- Exposure to non-profit accounting
Compensation
The Chicago, IL base pay range for this role is $80,000.00 - $110,000.00. New hires are typically hired into the lower portion of the range, enabling employee growth in the range over time. Actual placement in range is based on job-related skills and experience, as evaluated throughout the interview process.
What We Provide
- Resources to disrupt and innovate at the frontiers of our knowledge of biology and disease
- A collegial and collaborative environment consisting of diverse expertise
- Access to collaborators, resources and facilities at our three partner universities (Northwestern University, the University of Chicago, and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign) and at partner organizations in Chicagoland and beyond
- Competitive compensation and benefits commensurate with the experience
If you’re interested in a role but your previous experience doesn’t perfectly align with each qualification in the job description, we still encourage you to apply as you may be the perfect fit for this or another role.
Benefits
We offer a robust benefits program that enables the important work Biohubbers do everyday. Our benefits include healthcare coverage, life and disability insurance, commuter subsidies, family planning services with fertility care, childcare stipend, 401(k) match, flexible time off and a generous parental leave policy. In addition, we honor our commitment to career development and our value of scholarly excellence through regular onsite opportunities to learn from the world's leading scientists.
The CZ Biohub Network is an equal opportunity employer committed to diversity of thought, ideas and perspectives. We are committed to cultivating an inclusive organization where all Biohubbers feel inspired and know their work makes an important contribution. Therefore, we provide employment opportunities without regard to age, race, color, ancestry, national origin, religion, disability, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, or any other protected status in accordance with applicable law.
Headhunters and recruitment agencies may not submit resumes/CVs through this website or directly to managers. The CZ Biohub Network does not accept unsolicited headhunter and agency resumes. The CZ Biohub Network will not pay fees to any third-party agency or company that does not have a signed agreement with the CZ Biohub Network.
What We Do
The Chan Zuckerberg Biohub Network is a group of nonprofit research institutes that bring together physicians, scientists, and engineers with the goal of pursuing grand scientific challenges on 10- to 15-year time horizons. These institutes partner with Chan Zuckerberg Science in its goal to understand the mysteries of the cell and how cells interact within systems. This collaboration will bring us closer to our mission to cure, prevent, or manage all disease by the end of the century.
CZ Biohub San Francisco — which was the inaugural Biohub and launched in 2016 — focuses on infectious disease, quantitative cell science, and technology platforms. It also has an investigator program supporting early-stage, risky research of scientists at Stanford University, UC Berkeley, and UCSF.
CZ Biohub Chicago, which launched in 2023, focuses on engineering technologies to make precise, molecular-level measurements of biological processes within human tissues, with an ultimate goal of understanding and treating the inflammatory states that underlie many diseases. It is a collaboration between the University of Chicago, Northwestern University, and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
