Senior Cost Accountant

Astrolab • Hawthorne, CA

23h • $115,000 - $145,000 • Onsite

About The Position

Astrolab is seeking a hands-on, detail-oriented Senior Cost Accountant to manage and execute our day-to-day costing operations as we transition from design to the manufacturing and testing of our first-of-a-kind lunar service robotics. You will be the financial eyes and ears on the floor—tracking engineering design changes, equipment procurement, third-party contractors, test-product quality, spares, and scrap. Crucially, you will ensure our costing structures maintain strict compliance with both US GAAP and Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR).

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field.
• 2+ years of hands-on experience using NetSuite, specifically within manufacturing, inventory, or project-costing modules.
• Direct experience working in a FAR-compliant environment (Aerospace, Defense, or Government Contracting).
• 3–5 years of progressive cost accounting experience, with a deep understanding of job-order/project-based costing (low volume, high complexity).
• A hands-on executor who enjoys setting up processes from scratch and working cross-functionally with engineers and technicians.

Nice To Haves

• Familiarity with ASC 730 (R&D) vs. ASC 360 (Property, Plant, and Equipment) optimization for aerospace hardware.
• Experience assisting with a NetSuite implementation or advanced customization phase.

Responsibilities

• Implement, maintain, and customize NetSuite’s costing modules to align with company accounting policies and reporting needs.
• Execute day-to-day cost accounting entries, labor distributions, and inventory reconciliations.
• Establish and maintain work centers, routing steps, and Bill of Materials (BOM) cost structures within NetSuite.
• Track and analyze expenditures across multiple dimensions: by account, department, work station, and product segment.
• Monitor and report on variances (material, labor, and overhead) between budgeted estimates and actual build costs.
• Partner with Engineering and Supply Chain to accurately track and account for high-value scrap, rework, and spare parts inventory.
• Apply US GAAP principles to accurately distinguish between R&D expenses (pre-technical feasibility) and Capitalized Assets (flight hardware/PP&E).
• Ensure all cost accounting practices, labor logs, and overhead pools comply with FAR and government contracting requirements.
• Assist the Controller in preparing for external financial audits and government compliance reviews.
• Work closely with Engineering, Manufacturing, and Quality Assurance teams to ensure accurate tracking of test-product costs and qualification units.
• Translate complex operational activities on the manufacturing floor into accurate financial data.

Benefits

• Equity ownership in the company
• Comprehensive health benefits, including medical, dental, vision, and mental health support
• 401(k) plan with company match
• Flexible PTO and parental leave
• Home office set up reimbursement
• Weekly lunch stipend, plus complimentary snacks and beverages on-site
• Once a month social hour on-site with food and drinks

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior