Who We Are

Vial is a hyper-scalable biotech company advancing programs into the clinic by leveraging dramatically cheaper trials and computationally designed therapeutics.

Our mission is to reimagine drug development in order to cure all human diseases. We have assembled a talented team of clinical operators, chemists, and innovative thinkers to achieve this vision.

Vial is based in San Francisco, California, and was founded by Simon Burns in October 2020. Since our founding, we have grown rapidly to a team of 100+ employees with over $100 million in funding from leading investors including General Catalyst, Box Group, and Byers Capital.

Vial is rebuilding the infrastructure to advance research. By deploying technology at every step, we are creating a more efficient future for drug discovery.

Position Overview

If you’re wired to dismantle bureaucratic inertia and rebuild systems that move at the speed of innovation, this is your call to arms. Vial seeks a relentless lobbyist/ policy architect who doesn’t just track regulations—you rewrite the rules. This isn’t about climbing the ladder; it’s about blazing a trail for affordable drug development.

This role operates at the fusion point of policy and biotech disruption. Every regulation you reshape accelerates trials for cancer therapies. Every coalition reduces years and billions in wasted R&D.

What You’ll Own

You’ll be our legislative-policy scalpel. Reporting to the Chief Corporate Affairs Officer, you’ll dissect policy barriers and engineer solutions that accelerate Vial’s mission. Forget “monitoring trends”—you’ll create them.

Core Execution Zones

• Decode and Disrupt: Identify legislative loopholes and regulatory roadblocks slowing drug development—then design changes that others deem impossible.

• Build Coalition Firestorms: Forge alliances with policymakers, advocacy groups, and industry mavericks to override status-quo thinking.

• Craft Persuasion Artillery: Draft messages that don’t just inform—provoke action. Your words will arm executives for high-stakes Capitol Hill showdowns.

• Anticipate the Next Crisis: Map emerging policy threats and preemptively neutralize them.

• Turbocharge Cross-Functional Impact: Partner with Vial teams to embed policy wins into operational DNA.

Who We Need

You’re a mission-guided mercenary with a builder’s mindset. You thrive in ambiguity and measure success by how many outdated systems you dismantle.

Non-Negotiables

• 3-7 years in federal affairs, policy strategy, or adjacent fields where you’ve forced systemic change.

• Proven record of shortening policy timelines: Show us where you cut month or year long processes into weeks.

• Mastery of legislative jiu-jitsu: Leverage relationships across party lines to bypass gridlock.

Executional DNA

• Speed > Perfection: You ship draft legislation to allies before the opposition finishes their coffee.

• Resourceful Scrappiness: Turn a 3-sentence policy concept into a coalition-backed white paper in 48 hours.

• Relationship Mapper: Know who our champion(s) will be, and how to reach them, overnight.

• Anticipatory Instincts: Spot the upcoming policy landmine buried in play sight.

Title flexibility: “Senior Manager” for 5-7 years’ experience; “Manger” for 3-5 years with hypergrowth trajectory. Or a different title to suit your experience. Either way, you’ll get VP-level autonomy and a mandate to break things.

Ready to stop playing defense and start rewriting the rulebook? Let’s burn the playbook together.

Why You’ll Love Working At Vial

Innate curiosity.

At our core, we embody an insatiable curiosity. Our journey into the realm of clinical trials was ignited by a firsthand understanding of the challenges involved. This innate curiosity drives us to constantly innovate, seek fresh ideas, and bring our vision of reimagining clinical trials to life.

Fostering autonomy.

Autonomy is our guiding principle. We firmly believe that when team members are entrusted with autonomy, they unleash their true potential. Our culture fosters an environment where each individual takes ownership of their domain, empowering them to make a profound impact.

The pursuit of mastery.

We are dedicated to cultivating mastery. We understand the value of honing expertise in a craft. The pursuit of mastery, coupled with a deep sense of pride in one's workmanship, fuels our unwavering commitment to tackle intricate challenges. At Vial, we foster a culture of highly autonomous professionals, each an expert in their field, collaborating on an immensely demanding endeavor together.

Move fast, stay humble.

Our strength lies in agility and humility. We firmly believe that intellectual honesty and a nimble mindset are the pillars of success. By staying adaptable and open-minded to all solutions, we tackle obstacles head-on, remaining humble in the face of adversity. This enables us to surmount the hurdles that confront us at every twist and turn.

Benefits

• Competitive Equity Compensation

• Health, Dental, and Vision Benefits

• Retirement Savings Plan with Company Matching after 90 Days of Employment

• One time, Remote Office Setup Stipend

• Paid Parental Leave

• Remote-First, Flexible Work Schedule

• Observed US & Canada Holidays

• Unlimited Vacation

We prioritize candidate safety. Please be aware that official communication will only be sent from '@vial.com' or ''@tryvial.careers' addresses. Vial is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or veteran status.