PopVax is an Indian full-stack biotech building first-in-class and best-in-class vaccines and cancer immunotherapies using machine learning-driven protein design and relentless empiricism. We design, develop, and manufacture our own RNA medicines end-to-end because we believe great pharmaceutical science can only flourish in tight feedback loops that iterate rapidly. PopVax’s experimental work and clinical dose production is based at the RNA Foundry, our integrated R&D and GMP-capable clinical dose production facility in Hyderabad.
PopVax's north star is our goal of developing novel vaccines and therapeutics over the next decade with the cumulative ability to save 1 million lives each year – the Million Lives Mission. To that end, we are developing first-in-class vaccines against Hepatitis C, Strep A, and adult pulmonary TB; broadly-protective best-in-class vaccines against COVID-19, influenza, malaria, and HPV; and precision immunotherapies against hard-to-treat solid tumours such as liver cancer and pancreatic cancer. Beyond existing diseases, we are leveraging our high-speed platform to build rapid-response biosecurity capabilities against engineered de novo pathogens.
Our mission is funded by Vitalik Buterin’s Balvi Fund, the Gates Foundation, the US Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), Renaissance Philanthropy, and Good Ventures, with individual investments from Enveda founder Viswa Colluru and Tesla self-driving AI pioneer Dhaval Shroff. Our first program, an open-source broadly-protective COVID-19 vaccine, will begin a Phase I clinical trial in Australia in mid-2026. This is just the start – we intend to advance 6+ novel vaccine and immunotherapy programs into human clinical trials over the next three years, decisively demonstrating that world-class biotech R&D is possible in India.
No matter the job title, each person’s role at PopVax is ultimately about helping bring safe, effective new medicines that represent a step-change over the current standard-of-care to the people who need them, as quickly as possible. If you are looking for a place where the ambition is high, the learning curve is steep, and the work matters to billions, you’ll feel at home here.
If you’re excited by the idea of advancing scientific, clinical, and regulatory frontiers of vaccines and immunotherapies, spending each day developing medicines with the potential to save millions of lives, and building a generational global pharmaceutical company in India along the way – join us!
The Role
A biotech moving at PopVax's pace generates a lot of financial complexity. Multi-source funding from international foundations and government agencies, each with their own reporting cadences, restricted-use conditions, and audit expectations. Money moves across India, the US and UK, and Australia, which means forex transactions are part of the everyday picture.
On the operational side, we’re always hiring new talent, which means we are looking to scale our RNA Foundry in Hyderabad, which brings significant capex, asset capitalisation, and depreciation work. The tax stack is broad us — GST across input-heavy R&D purchases, TDS across a wide vendor base including international consultants, transfer pricing as our UK operations grow, and the standard income-tax and statutory compliances on top.
We're looking for an experienced Chartered Accountant to keep the books accurate and current, to keep us compliant across every tax and labour-law obligation, and to make sure we're always ready for the next audit, funder review, or board reporting cycle. This is a hands-on role based in Hyderabad, working closely with the CEO and the broader leadership team.
The Work
The work spans day-to-day accounting and bank operations, month-end close and management reporting, the full tax stack (GST, TDS, income tax, transfer pricing), payroll and labour-law compliance (PF, ESIC, PT, labour welfare funds), budgeting and forecasting, audits and the resolution of whatever they surface, and the steady improvement of the accounting systems and procedures underneath all of it.
In more detail:
General accounting and ledger management. Coordinating accounting functions end-to-end — reviewing entries, ensuring everything is posted correctly, and keeping the general ledger and balance sheets reconciled. Maintaining the chart of accounts as the business grows and new categories of activity emerge.
Banking and treasury. Overseeing all banking activity, including forex transactions, FEMA-related filings, and funds management across multiple currencies and jurisdictions. Tracking cash position and working capital across accounts and entities.
Month-end close and management reporting. Owning the close process and the management reports that come out of it — P&L, balance sheet, cash flow, departmental and program-level views — so that leadership and the board have a clear picture of where things stand.
Taxation. Preparing and reviewing periodic tax filings like GST returns and reconciliations, TDS deductions and filings, advance tax, income tax, professional tax, and transfer pricing documentation as our international footprint grows. Coordinating with external tax advisors on complex positions and assessments.
Payroll and statutory compliance. Running payroll for the full team and working with labour-law consultants on PF, ESIC, PT, and welfare fund compliance, with clean records throughout. Ensuring all employee-related filings are accurate and on time.
Budgeting and forecasting. Preparing annual budgets in collaboration with program and functional leads, tracking actuals against budget, and surfacing variances early enough to act on them.
Funder accounting. Tracking restricted funds by source, maintaining the documentation funders require, and ensuring spend is allocated correctly across programs and budget lines.
Systems and process. Strengthening the accounting systems, controls, and procedures as the company grows — moving from what works at our current scale to what will work two and five years from now.
Team development. Supporting and developing junior accounting staff, and growing the function as PopVax expands.
Who Thrives Here
Someone who treats the books as a craft rather than a chore. Who notices when a number is slightly off before anyone asks, and tracks it down. Who finds satisfaction in a clean reconciliation and a closed month.
This role suits someone who can hold a lot in their head — multiple tax regimes, multiple funders, multiple currencies — and still keep the details right. Someone who can read a complex tax position or a new compliance requirement and work out what it means for PopVax, then explain it clearly to a founder, an auditor, or a funder.
Finally, this is a role with real breadth: accounting, tax, treasury, payroll, audit, budgeting, systems. Someone who enjoys that breadth, and who wants to be the person leadership turns to on any finance question, will find a lot to like here.
Qualifications
Full qualifications as a Chartered Accountant, and membership of the ICAI
At least 5 years of accounting and taxation experience, preferably in an enterprise context
Working knowledge of GAAP and tax laws, including GST, TDS, Income tax, Professional tax, Transfer Pricing, PF, ESIC, etc.
Strong written and verbal communication skills in English, and financial analysis skills
Proficiency in Microsoft Office, particularly with Excel and Accounting software like Tally ERP
Working experience in the pharmaceutical or biotechnology industry is a plus
Strong organisational skills
Ability to train and manage junior accounting staff in specific accounting methods and guidelines
Ability to work with little to no supervision and independently anticipate and come up with solutions for accounting issues
We offer very competitive compensation, comprehensive health insurance with the option to cover immediate family (including pre-existing conditions), and, most importantly, a collaborative work environment focused on solving the cutting-edge multidisciplinary challenges of our novel mRNA platform.