Staff Accountant

Detroit Defense Inc.•Troy, MI

32d•$62,000 - $80,000

About The Position

Detroit Defense is seeking a well-rounded Staff Accountant to support the general ledger, month-end close, and cost compliance functions in our Deltek Costpoint environment. This Staff Accountant role touches nearly every part of the accounting cycle – journal entries and reconciliations, accounts payable coding, employee expense report review, and financial reporting support – and is expected to apply the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) and Cost Accounting Standards (CAS) correctly wherever costs are recorded. The ideal Staff Accountant candidate is a hands-on Costpoint user who is comfortable moving between GAAP-based accounting tasks and government contract cost compliance, and who works well across Accounting, Payroll, purchasing/Procurement, and Program Finance.

Requirements

A Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field from an accredited college or university
a minimum of one year of general accounting experience; government contracting experience strongly preferred
Hands-on experience with Deltek Costpoint (or a comparable ERP), ideally across GL, AP, and Projects/Time & Expense modules
Solid understanding of GAAP and general ledger accounting, including journal entries, accruals, and account reconciliations
Working knowledge of FAR Part 31 cost principles and applicable Cost Accounting Standards (CAS) as they apply to journal entries, AP coding, and expense report review
Strong Microsoft Excel skills; comfortable working with large data sets and reconciliations
High attention to detail with strong analytical and problem-solving skills
Ability to manage multiple deadlines and prioritize competing close-cycle demands
Strong written and verbal communication skills; comfortable collaborating across Accounting, Payroll, Purchasing/Procurement, and Program Finance
Must be a able to obtain a U.S. Secret clearance if required. The minimum requirement to obtain a clearance is you must be a US Citizen. Only applicants meeting this requirement will be considered.

Nice To Haves

Experience supporting DCAA accounting system reviews or incurred cost submissions
Exposure to indirect rate structures (overhead, fringe, G&A) and rate reconciliation
Prior experience performing three-way match/vouchering or coordinating directly with a Purchasing/Procurement team.
Prior experience in the aerospace, defense, or broader federal government contracting industry.

Responsibilities

Prepare journal entries (accruals, prepaids, reclasses, and adjusting entries) in Deltek Costpoint in accordance with GAAP and company policy
Perform monthly reconciliations of assigned balance sheet accounts, including bank, credit card, accounts payable, accounts receivable, payroll clearing, and fixed asset accounts
Research and resolve reconciling items and variances in a timely manner, documenting root cause and resolution
Support monthly and year-end close activities, including close-cycle checklists, supporting schedules, and variance analysis
Work hands-on across multiple Costpoint modules (General Ledger, Accounts Payable, Projects, Time & Expense) to ensure costs are recorded accurately and consistently
Support maintenance of project/cost objective setup, account structures, and charge codes in coordination with Program Finance and Contracts
Support Costpoint testing, upgrades, and continuous process improvement initiatives
Assist with invoice processing and coding to the correct contract, task/sub-task, and cost element (direct vs. indirect)
Apply FAR Part 31 cost principles – including allowability (FAR 31.201-2), reasonableness (FAR 31.201-3), and allocability (FAR 31.201-4) – and Cost Accounting Standards (CAS 401, 402) to ensure invoices and journal entries are coded consistently and allowably
Coordinate with Purchasing/Procurement on purchase order matching, vendor setup, and resolution of coding or pricing discrepancies
Provide backup coverage for the Accounts Payable function during peak volume, absences, or transitions.
Review employee expense reports for accuracy, business purpose, and adequate supporting documentation prior to approval and reimbursement.
Apply company travel & expense policy and FAR 31.205-46 (travel costs) and related FAR 31.205 subparts to identify and flag expressly unallowable costs (e.g., first-class airfare, alcohol, entertainment)
Apply Cost Accounting Standards (CAS 401, 402, 405 – accounting for unallowable costs, 406 – cost accounting period) to ensure expenses are treated consistently across contracts and accounting periods
Maintain organized, audit-ready documentation supporting expense allowability and allocability for DCAA and other government or client audits
Support DCAA, DCMA, and external audits – including incurred cost submissions and accounting system reviews – with documentation, schedules, and analysis
Assist in maintaining SOPs and internal controls documentation across general ledger, accounts payable, and expense processes