Job Description

Job location is at 10240 Science Center Drive,San Diego, CA 92121

This position serves as the primary delegate to the Sr Director of Finance, providing general accounting and financial support. The position will be an analytical and strategic second to the Senior Director of Finance, providing advanced financial modeling, scenario analysis, AI-enabled forecasting, and executive-level financial insights to support institutional strategy. The role strengthens forward-looking financial intelligence, enhances automation and analytics capabilities, and may act on behalf of the Senior Director of Finance when delegated.

• Support the Sr Financial Director as analytical lead and financial thought partner.
• Help the Sr Director of Finance to modernize financial analytics using AI, automation, and advanced modeling tools.
• Lead enterprise-wide scenario planning and financial risk modeling.
• Work with the Sr Director to enhance board-level and executive financial decision intelligence
• Develop forward-looking forecasting capabilities beyond traditional budgeting.
• Support the Sr Dir of Finance in all tasks related to audits, accounting closes and all tasks.

Who We Are

The Salk Institute is an internationally renowned research institution that values allmembers of our scientific community. We seek bold and interactive leaders passionate about exploring new frontiers in science. Our collaborative community embraces perspectives across discipline, professional acumen, and unique life experiences, fostering innovation, and a sense of belonging. Together, we strive to improve the wellbeing of humanity through groundbreaking research.

Founded by Jonas Salk, developer of the first safe and effective polio vaccine, the Institute is an independent, nonprofit research organization and architectural landmark: small by choice, intimate by nature, and fearless in the face of any challenge. Salk's vibrant community has many talented individuals from varied backgrounds, each playing a crucial role in driving our mission forward. From visionary leaders to dedicated administrators and brilliant faculty members, the Institute is united by a shared passion for scientific exploration and innovation.

What Your Key Responsibilities Will Be

Support for Senior Director of Finance - Accounting Operations

• Support the monthly closing process and preparation of the internal financial package.
• Assist with accounting and reporting per regulatory and legal requirements, including but not limited to, annual financial statement and retirement plan audits, annual Internal Revenue Service filings, indirect cost proposals required by the single audit act and Uniform Guidance, and special reports and analyses as requested.
• Evaluate complex accounting issues, formulate multiple scenarios to address issues, presents various solutions, and make recommendations to the Sr Dir of Finance.
• Assist with implementing new financial accounting standards to maintain compliance with US GAAP.

Strategic Financial Analysis & Executive Advisory

• Develop complex financial models including multi-scenario forecasts, liquidity modeling, and stress testing.
• Partner directly with the Senior Director of Finance on institutional financial strategy.
• Provide analytical leadership for debt structuring, endowment sensitivity analysis, and indirect cost modeling.
• Prepare executive-ready materials for senior leadership and the Board of Trustees.
• Act as delegate for the Senior Director in financial discussions as needed.

AI-Enabled Financial Innovation & Technology Integration

• Support the adoption of AI and advanced analytics tools within Finance.
• Implement predictive modeling and automation in forecasting and cash flow projections.
• Design automated dashboards and real-time financial intelligence platforms if needed
• Partner with IT to evaluate and modernize financial systems.
• Identify opportunities for process automation across Finance.

Enterprise Financial Planning & Risk Modeling

• Build integrated 3–5 year institutional financial models.
• Develop sensitivity analysis for funding variability, fringe rates, endowment performance, and capital planning.
• Lead financial risk identification and mitigation modeling.
• Support long-range financial sustainability analysis.

Governance & Special Projects

• Support debt compliance and regulatory reporting through advanced analysis.
• Lead cross-functional financial initiatives and major institutional decision modeling.
• Conduct financial due diligence for partnerships and strategic initiatives.

Leadership & Deputization

• Mentor financial analysts and FP&A staff.
• Provide leadership continuity when the Senior Director is unavailable.
• Uphold strong internal controls and financial governance standards.

What we Require

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Economics, Data Science, or related field.
• MBA and/or CPA strongly preferred.
• Advanced coursework in data analytics, AI, or financial modeling preferred.
• Eight to Twelve plus years of progressive financial experience.
• Experience in nonprofit, research, or complex institutional environments preferred.
• Demonstrated expertise in advanced financial modeling.
• Experience working with AI-driven analytics tools or advanced financial technology platforms.
• Experience supporting executive leadership or board-level reporting.

Technical & Analytical Skills

• Advanced financial modeling and forecasting capabilities.
• Experience with AI tools for financial analytics and predictive modeling.
• Proficiency in data visualization platforms (e.g., Power BI, Tableau).
• Strong understanding of GAAP and nonprofit accounting.
• Ability to synthesize complex datasets into executive-level insights.

What We Can Offer

The expected pay range for this position is $150,000 to $180,000 per annum. Salk Institute provides pay ranges representing its good faith estimate of what the institute reasonably expects to pay for a position. The pay offered to a selected candidate will be determined based on factors such as (but not limited to) the scope and responsibilities of the position, the qualifications of the selected candidate, departmental budget availability, internal equity, geographic location, and external market pay for comparable jobs.

Benefits

Salk Institute offers competitive benefits, including medical, dental, vision, retirement, paid time off, tuition reimbursement, patient advocacy services, and transit/parking program.

Salk Values

The Salk Community, both scientists and administrators, worked together to define values that we believe support Salk’s pursuit of excellence. To be truly the best scientific institution requires not only incredible discoveries, but a common understanding of how we should work together to enable those discoveries.

The acronym “I CARE”provides a simple way to remember each of the values and reminds each of us of the importance of what we do each day.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

The Salk Institute for Biological Studies is an Equal Opportunity Employer and is committed to providing equal access to opportunities for students, employees, applicants for employment and other visitors. Salk has also adopted and maintains a policy to encourage professional and respectful workplace behavior and prevent discriminatory and harassing conduct in our workplace.

Accordingly, the Institute prohibits harassment and discrimination in employment on the basis of, and considers all qualified applicants for employment without regard to, actual or perceived race (race is inclusive of traits associated with race, including, but not limited to, hair texture and protective hairstyles. Protective hairstyles include, but not limited to, such hairstyles as braids, and twists), color, religion, religious creed (including religious dress and grooming practices), national origin, ancestry, citizenship, physical or mental disability, medical condition (including cancer and genetic characteristics), genetic information, marital status, age, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, or related medical conditions), reproductive health decision making, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, veteran and/or military status (disabled veteran, veteran of the Vietnam era, other covered veteran status), political affiliation, and any other status protected by state or federal law.

Discrimination is prohibited with any intersectionality of the above-mentioned characteristics, including:

1. Any combination of characteristics.
2. A perception that the person has any of the characteristics or any combination of those characteristics.
3. A perception that the person is associated with a person who has, or is perceived to have, any of those characteristics or any combination of those characteristics.