At a Glance
- Tasks: Drive financial clarity for AI/ML and Infrastructure teams, turning data into impactful decisions.
- Company: Join Lila Sciences, a pioneering company in Scientific Superintelligence and AI innovation.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, inclusive culture, and opportunities for professional growth.
- Other info: Dynamic startup environment focused on solving humanity's greatest challenges.
- Why this job: Be at the forefront of AI finance, shaping the future of technology and science.
- Qualifications: 7-10+ years in finance roles, with strong analytical and communication skills.
The predicted salary is between 63000 - 77000 £ per year.
Your Impact at LILA
Lila Sciences is scaling its Scientific Superintelligence platform, and we’re building the finance backbone to match.
As the Finance Business Partner for our AI/ML and Infrastructure teams, you’ll partner with Technology leaders to turn data into decisions and bring structure to ambiguity.
You’re a builder-operator who partners with technical leaders to drive financial clarity across complex and fast-moving cost surfaces: compute and GPU infrastructure, LLM usage and API spend, data storage, and pipelines.
You stand up dynamic planning processes, design the KPI and reporting engine leaders rely on, and shape resource allocation across cloud infrastructure and AI/ML workloads.
- What You'll Be Building
- Serve as the primary finance business partner for AI/ML and Infrastructure teams, providing end-to-end financial leadership across planning, performance management, investment governance, and risk controls.
- Partner with Technology leaders to translate AI and infrastructure roadmaps into financial outcomes with clear P&L, cash, and capital implications.
- Produce Board and investor materials and support fundraising diligence with crisp analyses and data room preparation.
- Assist with cash runway modeling and scenario planning across compute, AI/ML, and infrastructure cost vectors.
- Lead headcount and capacity planning across rapidly growing technical teams, tracking hiring pace and resource allocation across critical projects.
- Translate complex technical cost data into clear narratives, recommendations, and decision frameworks for executives and cross-functional leaders.
- Own financial tracking and analysis of compute and GPU infrastructure spend, including utilization reporting and efficiency benchmarks.
- Build and maintain LLM usage and API cost models, partnering with ML teams to track inference costs, training runs, and optimization opportunities.
- Develop frameworks for data storage and pipeline cost visibility, driving accountability for storage efficiency and lifecycle management.
- Co‑own financial models and rolling forecasts across headcount, OPEX, CAPEX, cloud and GPU spend, LLM API costs, and data infrastructure.
- Expand KPI frameworks, reporting packages, dashboards, and variance analyses for executives and budget owners.
- Help implement and operationalize FP&A tooling through integrations with core business systems.
- Partner with Accounting, IT, and Procurement to improve data quality, chart of accounts structure, and source‑of‑truth metrics for cloud and infrastructure cost allocation.
- What You'll Need to Succeed
- 7 to 10+ years in FP&A, strategic finance, investment banking, consulting, or similar analytical roles.
- Startup or scale‑up experience strongly preferred.
- Demonstrated zero‑to‑one build experience across driver‑based models, annual planning, rolling forecasts, KPI dashboards, and management reporting.
- Hands‑on experience with technology cost management, including cloud infrastructure, compute/GPU, or AI/ML cost structures.
- Strong financial acumen and accounting fluency.
- Ability to work with imperfect datasets and reconcile to source systems.
- Clear, concise communicator who can simplify complexity, influence cross‑functionally, and present to executives and the Board.
- Thrives under tight timelines and changing priorities, balancing precision with pragmatism.
- Bachelor’s degree in finance, economics, engineering, math, or related field.
- Bonus Points For
- Domain familiarity with AI/ML infrastructure and cloud economics.
- Experience building Fin Ops‑style frameworks for cloud cost visibility, allocation, and optimization.
- Familiarity with LLM cost modeling, including inference and training cost structures.
- Experience implementing or scaling FP&A processes within planning tools.
- About LILA
Lila Sciences is building Scientific Superintelligence to solve humankind's greatest challenges.
We believe science is the most inspiring frontier for AI.
Rather than hard‑coding expert knowledge into tools, LILA builds systems that can learn for themselves.
LILA combines advanced AI models with proprietary AI Science Factory instruments into an operating system for science that executes the entire scientific method autonomously, accelerating discovery at unprecedented speed, scale, and impact across medicine, materials, and energy.
Learn more at www. lila. ai.
Guided by our core values of truth, trust, curiosity, grit, and velocity, we move with startup speed while tackling problems of historic importance.
We’re All In
Lila Sciences iscommitted to equal employment opportunityregardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity or Veteran status.
Information you provide during your application process will be handled in accordance with our Candidate Privacy Policy.
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Finance Business Partner, AI & Software in Cambridge employer: Lilasciences
At Lila Sciences, we pride ourselves on being an exceptional employer that fosters a collaborative and innovative work culture. As a Senior Principal or Principal Software Engineer in our AI Lab Execution System team, you will have the opportunity to lead cutting-edge projects that directly impact scientific discovery while enjoying comprehensive benefits, flexible time off, and a commitment to employee growth through mentorship and educational assistance. Join us in a dynamic environment where your contributions will shape the future of AI in science, all while working alongside passionate professionals dedicated to solving humanity's greatest challenges.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Finance Business Partner, AI & Software in Cambridge
✨Tap into Campus Networks
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Join finance-focused groups on platforms like LinkedIn and engage in discussions. This can really help you stand out from the crowd, allowing potential employers to see your knowledge and interest in industry trends. Plus, you might stumble upon job postings shared exclusively within the group.
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We think you need these skills to ace Finance Business Partner, AI & Software in Cambridge
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Off Your Numbers!:In the banking and financial services world, quantifiable achievements are key. Make sure your CV highlights your grades in relevant subjects, any financial certifications you hold, and specific projects where you've delivered measurable results. Employers love to see how your skills translate into real-world success.
Tailor Your Cover Letter to the Role:When applying for a full-time position, your cover letter should make a direct connection between your experience and the job description. Don't just state your enthusiasm for finance—dive into how your background in banking or financial analysis sets you apart. Let your passion shine through while being specific about what you can bring to Lilasciences.
Include Relevant Financial Software Experience:If you've worked with financial modelling tools or software like Excel, SAP, or specific analytical tools during your studies or internships, bring that up! Highlighting your proficiency can really make your application pop and show you're ready to hit the ground running in a full-time role.
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How to prepare for a job interview at Lilasciences
✨Brush Up on Financial Analysis Skills
Make sure you're well-versed in financial concepts and analytical techniques relevant to banking and financial services. Get comfortable with tools like Excel for modelling or financial forecasting, as technical questions in this area are common during interviews with Lilasciences.
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✨Network with Industry Professionals
Before your interview, reach out to current or former Lilasciences employees on platforms like LinkedIn. They'll offer unique insights into the company's culture and the interview process, which can give us a delightful edge in showcasing a good fit for the team.