Job Description

VENTURE CAPITAL ASSOCIATE / SENIOR ASSOCIATE – PRIVATE INVESTING, LIFE SCIENCES

May 2022

CALL FOR APPLICANTS

Are you an M.D. or Ph.D. in the life sciences with a passion for the biotechnology sector? Do you find yourself questioning acquisitions by big Pharma or wondering why a company is pursuing one novel target over another? Do you consider yourself an entrepreneur at heart and like the idea of joining a new fund where you can help set the culture and be a part of the growth? Are you interested in identifying, financing, and creating new and exciting companies in the life sciences?

If so, Red Tree Venture Capital might be the place for you. Please send us your CV and a brief write up about why you find a therapeutic target particularly compelling, or not compelling. Please focus in the therapeutic areas of neurology, immunology, or oncology. There are no right or wrong answers, we are focused on understanding your interest in the sector and your thought process for evaluating a new opportunity. 

THE COMPANY

Red Tree Venture Capital is an early-stage biased venture capital firm focused on private investing in the areas of neurology, immunology, and oncology. The firm focuses its early-stage investment on opportunities coming out of top tier West Coast academic and research institutions. We primarily invest in therapeutics companies and work closely with academic luminaries who also have ownership in the Fund. Red Tree’s senior leadership has decades of venture capital investment, company creation, and operating experience. It’s a fun and fast-paced place to work and we are in process of building a leading life sciences venture capital firm.

THE POSITION

We are seeking an Associate or Senior Associate to join Red Tree’s core investment team to participate in all investment and company creation activities. 

The Associate/Senior Associate will:

• partner with senior members of the Red Tree team to source and diligence private life sciences investment opportunities. 
• develop broad relationships within the biomedical venture capital and crossover investor communities. 
• evaluate, and eventually source potential life sciences investments, conduct in-depth due diligence on the scientific and business merits of select deals, and develop investment recommendations. 
• track and curate Red Tree’s deal flow, from initial contact through exit, and will assist with investment and strategic decision making.
• develop financial models to evaluate potential investment returns

ESSENTIAL SKILLS

The following essential skills are required for the role:

Scientific and clinical data acumen:  The ideal candidate will have superior analytical 
capabilities for scientific and clinical data and an eagerness to apply their expertise across biotechnology and device investment opportunities. The ability to synthesize disparate information, identify the most important elements, and arrive at a conclusion is required. The Associate will be curious about private investing, science, and demonstrate a strong desire to identify differentiated investment opportunities through a thorough due diligence process.

Superior collaboration and influencing skills:  The Associate will be a self-directed, 
hard-working team player, who materially contributes to the investment efforts of the Red Tree investment team. The successful candidate will enjoy contributing to a highly collaborative investment environment and will build strong trusting relationships internally with colleagues as well as externally with potential portfolio companies and co-investors. The ability to effectively communicate (both verbally and in writing) and contribute to an open investment dialogue is required.

Growth mindset: Flexibility and openness to continue learning, evolving, and growing as an Associate is important. The Associate will have a global perspective and creative approach for analyzing private life sciences companies. Success in this role will open career progression opportunities within Red Tree Venture Capital. 

Passion:  The Associate will have a strong interest and passion for science, drug development and emerging technologies in the life sciences industry.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Responsibilities for this position include the following:

• Assisting with outbound market research and company mapping activities
• Performing due diligence on prospective portfolio companies
• Drafting investment memos and participating in investment committee discussions
• Attending target company management meetings and relevant industry conferences
• Assisting with quarterly and annual reporting needs for Limited Partners
• Building and managing internal databases including investment pipelines and investment partners
• Completing complex analytical projects under tight time constraints

OTHER QUALIFICATIONS

Additional qualifications and other characteristics include:

• A minimum of 2-4 years of relevant experience in clinical medicine, biomedical research, investment banking, consulting, biotech start-up, and/or venture capital investing
• Superior academic credentials and track record: an MD or PhD in a biomedical discipline is strongly preferred
• Ability to organize, manage, and prioritize time well
• Market mapping and sizing capabilities
• Ability to work independently and make decisions in the face of uncertainty
• Demonstrated analytical, problem-solving ability
• Sound judgment, strong work ethic and highest personal and professional integrity
• Interest and ability to build network in start-up ecosystem including entrepreneurs, adjacent funds, accelerators, academic labs/founders and cutting-edge science and technology development, etc.
• A high degree of intellectual curiosity
• Strict attention to detail

We are committed to attracting a talented and diverse workforce, and to fostering an open, 
collaborative, and inclusive culture because we believe multiple perspectives lead to more informed investment and business decisions. As an Equal Opportunity Employer, we welcome people with diverse life experiences, fresh ideas, and specialized subject-matter expertise.