EQRx is a new type of pharmaceutical company committed to developing and delivering innovative medicines to patients at radically lower prices. Leveraging cutting-edge science and technology and strategic partnerships with stakeholders from across the healthcare system, EQRx aims to provide innovative, patent-protected medicines more efficiently and cost-effectively than ever before.
EQRx encourages people to take smart risks and cultivate innovative thinking.
Their mission aspires to make a broad societal impact—to improve access to important new medicines for people who need them most—which attracts the kind of people who think outside the box, who want to do things differently, and who believe there is a better way.
EQRx is assembling a team of top talent from across the pharma/biotech industry, as well as from other industries, who each bring their skills to building a different kind of company from the ground up, with new approaches to tackle tough challenges. If this sounds like you, here’s what you should know about working at EQRx…
#BeYouAtEQ
EQRx is not looking for just another “culture fit”—they’re looking for a culture ADD. This is why they have an internal philosophy that empowers their team to be themselves—every day and in every way. #BeYouAtEQ encourages the EQRx team to bring their most authentic selves to work, including their big, bold, and out-of-the-box ideas!
#BeYouAtEQ is way more than just a hashtag at EQRx. And the people who are #RemakingMedicine are so much more than their job title. The phrase “Be you at EQ” is a huge part of EQRx’s culture and it’s been their mantra from the very beginning.
The pharmaceutical company wanted to create and nurture a culture that is about inclusion and diversity of thought. To disrupt an industry, they need people who bring different perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences. They want their team to feel comfortable asking questions like “why” and “why not?” That’s why they’ve created the space for people to feel the freedom to be 100% themselves.
EQRx’s Tapestory
Across EQRx, they are a rich tapestry of individuals, each employee bringing something unique to their team, like the different squares within a patchwork quilt. To celebrate their individuality and the powerful way they come together as one collective community, they have designed, created, and sewn together what they’ve termed a “tapestory.” This tapestory proudly displays their individual stories and the people who are a part of EQRx’s growing history.
EQRx asked their teammates, “If you could think of one object that tells us more about who you are, and a part of your story, what would it be?” This information morphed into a beautifully illustrated and embroidered square within the EQRx Tapestory. Their physical, digital, and e-book “Tapestory” will continue to grow as their team grows, with each new teammate comes new stories, perspectives, and backgrounds. EQRx’s physical tapestory is hung in their Cambridge Hub for viewing, and they work with employees to highlight individual stories internally and externally to bring their unique experiences (and EQRx’s company culture) to life.
These stories and objects have ranged from everything from a phoenix (representing a woman who dreamed of having a large family, but her life changed forever when she was diagnosed with cervical cancer…she is now a survivor and adopted five children) all the way to a pair of keys (representing the keys to their partner’s house—the fact they’re able to tell their coworkers where they’re going with no judgement… #BeYouAtEQ) and so much more in between.
Virtual First
The EQRx team is geographically spread out, but together, they’ve cultivated a “virtual-first” approach to working, with digital collaboration tools integrated into their day-to-day work, and their virtual “HQ” intranet and virtual forums that help to keep their employees informed and engaged.
EQRx had to address the challenge of working together and building a new company in a remote environment.
EQRx launched in January 2020, just before the world shut down for the pandemic. They have actually built the company virtually through the pandemic, growing from 25 people in March 2020 to now more than 300!
They also created a policy called “T30”—Tuesday, Thursday Time Off—to help combat the Zoom fatigue, where their team has designated time to step away from their computer, run an errand, or have some time for themselves. They trust their team to get their work done—no matter where they are. EQRx also has many fun virtual activities like happy hours, volunteer events, and even some awesome SWAG gifts. They needed to find a way to still achieve those meaningful interactions that are harder to come by in a virtual world, so that’s exactly what they did.
Benefits Of Working At EQRx
EQRx’s approach to benefits has been very different from most start-ups. From the very beginning, their founders and leadership team wanted their benefits to truly stand out and to make sure their team had access to great options. The company’s benefits allow EQRx-ers to focus on their work and know that they and their families are being taken care of.
Highlights of EQRx’s benefits include:
- Parental leave
- 100% covered medical, dental, and vision
- Legal & pet insurance
- 401(k) matching program
- Volunteer hours and unlimited vacation
- SWAG and many fun team activities
- Working for a company that’s trying to help change the world
