Cost Accounting Manager

Ansa Biotechnologies•Emeryville, CA

3d•$135,000 - $175,000•Hybrid

About The Position

Ansa Biotechnologies is developing enzyme-based solutions to synthesize DNA. The Cost Accounting Manager reports to the Director of Accounting and works closely with Supply Chain, Production, Bioinformatics, and a NetSuite consultant. The role will rebuild manufacturing costing in NetSuite, including designing a standard-cost system, introducing manufacturing work-in-process (WIP), and connecting manufacturing events captured in the MES to general-ledger transactions. It will help produce reliable COGS and profitability reporting by product complexity and order, with influence over system design as the company scales production and prepares for the possibility of becoming a public company. The position owns month-end accounting for inventory, WIP, and COGS; develops costing and inventory controls; and improves cost visibility and processes. It is based on-site in Emeryville, California, with flexibility for one to two remote days per week. The position is full-time and exempt.

Requirements

At least 6 years of progressive accounting experience, including at least 4 years of cost accounting in a manufacturing environment.
Hands-on standard-costing experience, including building standards, analyzing variances, and revaluing inventory.
Strong working knowledge of NetSuite inventory and manufacturing functionality, including saved searches and best practices, with advanced manufacturing exposure.
Solid understanding of GAAP inventory accounting (ASC 330), including overhead absorption, normal capacity, and inventory reserves.
Experience reconciling operational data to the general ledger and explaining differences.
Comfort working directly with Production and R&D leads, both on the production floor and with data.
Bachelor’s degree in accounting, Finance, or a related field.

Nice To Haves

Prior design or implementation of a standard-cost manufacturing system in NetSuite, especially WIP and routings.
Experience in make-to-order, high-mix, or custom manufacturing, such as life sciences tools, synthetic biology, oligo or gene synthesis, semiconductors, or contract manufacturing.
Experience integrating an MES or shop-floor system with an ERP, or defining requirements for one.
CPA or CMA.
Pre-IPO or public-company experience, including SOX-ready controls.
Advanced Excel skills, SuiteAnalytics, and comfort with SQL or a BI tool.
Ability to envision how costs should flow before configuration exists and design around NetSuite’s capabilities and limitations.
Persistence through iterative system rebuilds and the ability to treat failed reconciliations as information.
Ability to explain variances to scientists and processes to auditors.
Honesty in interpreting and communicating what the numbers show.

Responsibilities

Reform standard-costing practices in NetSuite and introduce Manufacturing WIP into the process flow.
Update NetSuite setup for items, bills of materials (BOMs), work centers, cost templates, variance account linking, labor and overhead rates, cost versions, rollups, and revaluations.
Help design a costing model for bespoke, high-volume manufacturing, including standards based on repeatable process units and failure and rework rates by complexity tier.
Evaluate NetSuite manufacturing capabilities and document possible use cases.
Partner with Production, Bioinformatics, and the NetSuite consultant to define how MES manufacturing events become accurate NetSuite transactions.
Establish cadence and controls for setting standards, revaluing inventory, and managing engineering changes to BOMs and routings.
Own month-end close for inventory, WIP, and COGS, including work-order close, variance analysis, absorption, inventory reserves, and reconciliations.
Deliver gross-margin and profitability reporting by complexity tier, product, and customer, with variance commentary that drives action.
Assist Supply Chain with the cycle count program and improve inventory record accuracy.
Own purchase price variance analysis with Supply Chain and fixed-asset accounting for production equipment.
Support audits and develop documentation that meets public-company standards.
Identify sources of cost leakage and improve the underlying processes.
Build saved searches, dashboards, and tools that provide near-real-time cost visibility.
Leverage AI and the MES to help ensure systems and reporting can scale.
Take on additional accounting responsibilities as the team grows, with the opportunity to build and lead a team.