Project Manager - Preclinical & Translational Programs

Overview

Retro develops therapies for diseases driven by the biology of aging. We focus on cellular reprogramming and autophagy to rejuvenate cell and tissue function with the ultimate aim of adding 10 years to healthy human lifespan.

We’re building a mission-driven team of accomplished and kind individuals who embrace our startup culture of rapid iteration, transparency, and versatility.

We are looking to expand our team with an experienced Project Manager to support our cell therapy programs as they advance toward IND-enabling and IND submission milestones. As Project Manager, you’ll work with deeply technical teams tackling ambitious problems. You will have a direct impact on programs approaching the clinic by enabling strong execution, alignment, and decision-making, ensuring that complex scientific, manufacturing, and regulatory work streams move forward efficiently and on time.

You’re a builder of clarity. When things feel ambiguous or messy, you naturally create structure, turning moving parts into crisp plans, owners, timelines, and next actions. You genuinely enjoy tracking the details so other people don’t have to, and you take pride in making it easy for scientists and cross-functional partners to stay focused on the work that matters.

You’re comfortable operating across pre-clinical science, translational strategy, manufacturing, and regulatory teams, translating between different languages and constraints without losing the thread. You care deeply about hitting milestones without sacrificing quality, and you have good instincts for where rigor matters most, where speed is possible, and what “done” actually means. You communicate clearly, follow through reliably, and keep teams moving, surfacing risks early, resolving blockers, and maintaining momentum with a calm, low-ego, mission-first approach.

• Be the glue that holds multiple cross functional teams together as they move in harmony toward ambitious goals with tight timelines.
• Drive project management for preclinical and translational programs, with a focus on IND-enabling activities and transition into clinical development.
• Build and maintain integrated program plans spanning research, CMC, regulatory, and external partners.
• Track timelines, dependencies, risks, and decision points across cross-functional teams.
• Coordinate closely with internal scientists, CMC leads, regulatory stakeholders, and external vendors (CDMOs, CROs, consultants).
• Ensure manufacturing and regulatory timelines stay aligned with scientific plans.
• Monitor and support follow-through on cross-disciplinary action items, deliverables, and commitments.
• Maintain clear, lightweight documentation (timelines, decision logs, risk registers) that are continuously readable by colleagues.
• Support leadership by preparing materials for portfolio reviews.
• Help identify resource constraints and overlaps across the programs and support effective allocation.

• A Bachelor’s degree in life sciences, engineering, or a related field.
• 5+ years of project or program management experience in biotech, pharma, or a closely related life sciences environment.
• Hands-on experience supporting pre-IND and/or IND-enabling programs.
• Working knowledge of cell therapy drug development workflows, including research, CMC, and regulatory interfaces.
• Experience managing external vendors and cross-functional teams.
• Strong organizational skills and a demonstrated ability to drive accountability.
• Clear, concise communicator who can work effectively with scientists and technical stakeholders.

• Experience in a fast-moving startup environment.
• Background supporting programs transitioning from discovery into translational development.

$140,000 - $180,000 a year. At Retro, we don’t use titles. New hires join as a “Member of X Team.” Total compensation includes competitive base salary, generous equity, and benefits including:

- Medical, dental, and vision insurance for you and your family

- 401(k) plan with 4% matching

- Flexible time off and 10 company holidays per year

- Paid parental leave

- Annual learning & development stipend

- Monthly Longevity stipend

- Daily Retro-sponsored lunch and snacks

We take pride in cultivating an environment that fosters collaboration, open communication, and authenticity. We believe that great results are best delivered by a highly creative team working in concert. We are an equal opportunity employer; we do not discriminate based on race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. We are diverse in background and singular in mission.