Controller

Profluent is the frontier AI lab for biology. Profluent builds powerful foundation models for all of life's molecules, unlocking solutions that transform medicine, agriculture, and beyond. Founded in 2022 and headquartered in Emeryville, CA, Profluent is backed by leading investors including Altimeter Capital, Bezos Expeditions, Spark Capital, Insight Partners, Air Street Capital, AIX Ventures, and Convergent Ventures and has raised over $150M to date.

Profluent is seeking a Controller to serve as the company's senior accounting leader and architect of its finance infrastructure at a pivotal stage of growth. This is a true builder role: you will own the full accounting function, from close and financial reporting to technical accounting, equity, treasury, and compliance. You’ll also be designing the systems, controls, and processes required for a future public-company operating environment.

The right candidate brings accounting experience from a high-growth company (with exposure to CRO accruals, R&D program cost tracking, and ASC 718), hands-on NetSuite (or similar) implementation or migration experience, and the technical rigor to independently research and document complex GAAP positions. You are comfortable serving as the primary interface with external auditors, capable of building an internal control framework from the ground up, and ready to lead the company's transition off QuickBooks as we scale.

Responsibilities

Serve as Profluent's in-house technical accounting authority; research and prepare position memos on complex transactions, new GAAP pronouncements, and company-specific accounting policy decisions

Executes general ledger operations, leading monthly, quarterly, and annual financial close process to ensure accurate and timely US GAAP financial statements

Drive R&D accounting across CRO and vendor accruals, prepaids, and program-level cost tracking, bringing structure and visibility to one of the company's largest spend categories

Build and deliver financial reporting packages and board-level management decks; translate financial results and key metrics into clear narratives for executive leadership and the Board

Own equity accounting and plan administration under ASC 718 (including stock-based compensation expense, 409A valuation support, cap table integrity, and related financial statement disclosures) in partnership with the equity platform (Carta or equivalent)

Design, implement, and maintain an internal control framework scaled for a high-growth tech company, balancing rigor with operational practicality as the company grows

Lead audit readiness and serve as the primary point of contact for external auditors; drive clean, timely delivery of annual financial statement audits

Manage federal, state, and local tax compliance in coordination with external advisors; lead R&D tax credit studies and other R&D-related tax matters, including Section 174 capitalization considerations

Establish, document, and maintain accounting infrastructure, policies and procedures that meet institutional standards and support rigorous audit and regulatory scrutiny

Evaluate and implement finance technology, including procure-to-pay and close management tools, to reduce manual effort, improve auditability, and strengthen data integrity at scale

Own cash management, banking relationships, and treasury operations, including cash forecasting and liquidity monitoring appropriate for a venture-backed company at Profluent's stage

Qualifications

Bachelor's degree in Accounting or Finance, active CPA license

10+ years of progressive accounting experience, with at least 3 years in a Controller or senior accounting leadership role, preferably within a Big 4 or similar environment

Prior experience in a pre-IPO or high-growth venture-backed company environment required (e.g., biotech, tech)

Demonstrated experience with NetSuite, including implementation, migration, or optimization (experience migrating fro …