Microsol
Founders Associate
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Founder’s Associate & Operations
Hours | From 0.4 FTE, no upper limit
Location | Future Space, Bristol, UK
Pay | £28,000-35,000 p.a. FTE (pro rata), depending on experience
Start | Immediate, through August
About us
Microsol is an early-stage science startup in Bristol. We’re building a digital platform, combining our own hardware with computational simulation, that speeds up the development of inhaled medicines, so better respiratory drugs reach patients faster. We’re a small, fast-moving team at Future Space with real momentum, and this is the hire that lets our founder move faster.
We seek to attract, develop and retain individuals from the widest possible talent pool and the broadest range of backgrounds. We are committed to building an inclusive working environment where all colleagues can thrive and reach their full potential. We particularly welcome applications from Black African, Black Caribbean and other minority ethnic groups, as they are currently under-represented across our industry.
About the role
This is a hands-on role working directly with Dan, our founder and CEO. At its heart, you keep his world running: his diary, his inbox and the logistics around him. On top of that, you’ll take on real projects of your own as you find your feet, from research and events to making things run better. No two weeks will look the same, and there is a genuine path to grow into an Operations Manager. We are deliberately open to sharp, hyper-organised people who have not been an EA before but have genuinely run things.
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What you’ll be doing
Core, from day one (this is the heart of the role):
- Own the CEO’s diary: schedule and prioritise, anticipate clashes, and make sure he walks into everything prepared
- Act as his first point of contact: screen calls, emails and correspondence, draft replies, and manage the inbox
- Arrange UK and international travel, with clear itineraries and calm handling of last-minute changes
- Coordinate board and client meetings: agendas, briefing packs, minutes and follow-ups
- Draft, edit, format and proofread reports, proposals and presentations
- Keep our systems tidy and usable (Microsoft Office, Google Workspace, ClickUp, HubSpot)
- Protect the CEO’s time and work-life balance, handling personal admin, errands and life logistics that free him up to focus
- Represent the CEO professionally and handle sensitive matters with complete discretion
You’ll also grow into (examples, not an exhaustive list):
- Owning projects end to end, from idea to done
- Research and light analysis to feed into planning and decisions
- Coordinating events, pilots and partner logistics
- Supporting finance admin, hiring and onboarding, and the day-to-day of the office
- Continual improvement of operations
About you
Essential:
- Genuinely organised, proactive, and calm under pressure and ambiguity
- At least 2 years as an EA supporting senior or board-level executives, or demonstrable equivalent (a role, paid or voluntary, where you ran someone’s schedule or the logistics of a team, project or event)
- Excellent written and verbal communication, and the judgement to represent the CEO well
- Confident with office and diary software
- Absolute discretion with confidential information
- Strong at anticipating problems, not just reacting to them
- Flexibility to travel occasionally and support the CEO outside regular hours when it genuinely matters
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Desirable:
- An interest in, or background in, science, pharmacy or STEM
- Experience in an early-stage startup or fast-growing SME
- Financial administration experience (familiarity with software like Xero and Novabook is advantageous)
- Experience assisting with recruitment, onboarding or HR administration
- A relevant qualification (business administration, project management, or an Executive Assistant diploma)
Location & Commitments
- From 0.4 FTE (2 days a week) up to full time. Full time is 37.5 hours a week
- Hybrid working, but at least 80% in-person in Bristol with the CEO
How to apply
Send a CV and a short cover note on why you’d like to join Microsol to ea.careers@microsolscience.com. First interviews from 30 July. We’re also hiring on the engineering side, so if that is more you, both roles are at microsolscience.com/jobs.
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