Novai
Founder’s Associate
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Salary: up to £38,000 — dependent on experience
Location: Hybrid — Reading head office/remote
Company Description
Novai is a growing biotechnology start-up. Our product is a novel diagnostic platform combining a retinal biomarker with an AI algorithm to identify cellular-level disease activity for the first time in humans. Our pioneering technology predicts disease progression and measures the impact of current and future therapeutics in glaucoma and Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD), with emerging potential in neurodegenerative diseases.
As we grow, we are looking for a bright, ambitious Founder’s Associate to work closely with our CEO and wider team, supporting the smooth running of the business across projects, operations and commercial activities.
Purpose of the Role
This is a broad, hands-on role ideal for a recent graduate who wants exposure to how an innovative biotech start-up operates from the inside. Working directly with the founder and senior team, the Founder’s Associate will provide support across a variety of areas (including project coordination, and day-to-day operations) flexing to the needs of the business as priorities evolve.
It's a genuine opportunity to learn quickly, take on responsibility early, and develop a wide skill set across science, operations and commercial functions in a fast-moving environment. The role would suit someone highly organised, proactive and adaptable, who enjoys variety and is comfortable turning their hand to whatever the day requires.
We are a small team and things move quickly. You will have several things on at once and priorities will shift. You do not need prior clinical trials or biotech experience: we care more about how you think and how carefully you work than where you have worked before.
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Key Responsibilities
Project & Operational Support
- Support the coordination of clinical, preclinical and research projects, working alongside and under the guidance of the project management function.
- Help track project timelines, milestones, actions and deliverables, and keep documentation and trackers up to date.
- Assist in coordinating with internal teams and external partners, vendors and subcontractors.
- Provide general operational and administrative support to keep the business running smoothly.
- Help maintain relationships with sponsors, partners and stakeholders.
- Contribute to preparing presentations, reports and other client-facing materials.
Sales Enablement & Marketing Support:
- Work closely with the Founder and commercial team to translate value propositions into clear, persuasive content and collaterals (decks, case studies etc.) that supports sales and marketing activities.
- Help build and maintain a marketing lead generation funnel, from gated content assets and campaign ads through to capture forms and CRM entry, so that inbound interest is consistently converted into qualified contacts.
- Support the day-to-day running of HubSpot, keeping contact records, segmentation lists and lifecycle stages accurate, and maintaining automated email nurture sequences that keep prospects engaged across long sales cycles.
General & Founder Support
- Internal coordination: Own the process of gathering and compiling weekly internal updates across teams. Ensure smooth, timely communication that supports cross-team alignment and keeping the company organised as it scales.
- Work directly with the CEO on a range of tasks and priorities as they arise.
- Help organise meetings, coordinate schedules, and follow up on actions.
- Take ownership of ad-hoc projects and tasks that support the wider team.
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Qualifications & Skills
Essential
- Bachelor's degree (life sciences or a related field) with strong academic performance.
- Highly organised, with the ability to manage multiple tasks and priorities at once.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
- Proactive, adaptable, and comfortable working in a fast-changing start-up environment.
- Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to build good working relationships.
- Confident with Excel and PowerPoint.
- Comfortable using AI tools (e.g. ChatGPT, Claude) as everyday working partners, while applying a critical eye to their output.
- Eagerness to learn and take on responsibility.
Desirable
- Interest in or exposure to the biotech, pharmaceutical or clinical research sector.
- Familiarity with project coordination or working to deadlines in a professional or academic setting.
What you’ll get
- Direct mentorship from our CEO and senior team, with exposure to strategy, fundraising and commercial decision-making you wouldn't typically see this early in your career.
- Genuine breadth: in your first year you'll work across science, operations and commercial functions, building a skill set that usually takes far longer to develop in a larger, more siloed organisation.
- Real room to grow: as Novai scales, your role and responsibilities will scale with it, with the chance to shape your own path as the business grows.
How to Apply
If you think Novai should meet you, please send your CV.
Please note: to apply for this position, you must be eligible to work in the UK. Due to high levels of interest, we will only contact shortlisted applicants.
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