Job Title: Senior Cost Accountant
Department: Finance
Reports to: Accounting Manager
Location: Pullman, WA
Pay Rate: $110,000 - $130,000
Key Responsibilities
Standard Costing & Inventory Valuation
- Own standard costing across the hardware product portfolio - including build, maintenance, and the annual cost roll with impact analysis, journal preparation, and communication to Finance leadership.
- Maintain BOM accuracy in partnership with Engineering and Operations; validate cost components, labor rates, and overhead absorption.
- Own monthly inventory valuation; ensure clean subledger-to-GL reconciliation and audit-ready supporting workpapers.
- Own overhead absorption rate methodology - calculate, review, and periodically recalibrate rates to reflect actual cost behavior and capacity utilization.
- Maintain documented costing methodology and supporting policies; ensure consistency with U.S. GAAP and internal controls.
Manufacturing Variance Analysis
- Calculate, review, and explain price and quantity variances (purchase price, material usage, labor efficiency, overhead) each close cycle.
- Partner with Operations and Supply Chain to identify root causes of unfavorable variances and recommend corrective actions.
- Build and maintain variance dashboards and recurring management reporting that drive insight, not just numbers.
Impairment & Inventory Risk
- Analyze and recommend impairment for excess, obsolete, and slow-moving inventory, including net realizable value assessments, in coordination with Supply Chain.
- Monitor inventory aging, cycle count results, and physical inventory variances; drive accuracy and timely resolution.
- Support physical inventory and cycle count programs; ensure financial accuracy of all inventory transactions.
- Identify inventory risk before it materializes; surface trends and recommend proactive action to leadership.
Gross Margin Analysis & Strategic Partnership
- Lead gross margin analysis at the product, customer, and channel levels; deliver clear, decision-ready insight.
- Partner with Product, Operations, Supply Chain, and FP&A on pricing, sourcing, and make-vs-buy decisions.
- Provide cost insight to support new product introduction (NPI) and engineering change order (ECO) financial impact assessments.
- Support external audit, internal control testing, and compliance reviews as they apply to cost and inventory.
- Support End-of-Life (EOL) cycle planning - assess inventory exposure, margin impact, and transition costs for products approaching or in EOL.
Qualifications and Skills
- Education: Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field. CPA, CMA, or active progress toward licensure preferred.
- Experience: 5-10+ years of progressive cost accounting experience in a manufacturing environment, with demonstrable ownership of standard costing, variance analysis, and inventory valuation.
- Strong working knowledge of U.S. GAAP, particularly as applied to inventory, COGS, and capitalization, with advanced Excel skills (complex formulas, pivot tables, and data manipulation).
- Hands-on experience with NetSuite (or comparable mid-market ERP), particularly inventory and costing modules.
- Demonstrated ownership of full-cycle cost accounting close deliverables, including reconciliations, journal preparation, and variance reporting.
- Strong communication skills with the ability to translate cost outcomes into operational language for non-finance partners.
- Demonstrated success partnering cross-functionally with Operations, Engineering, and/or Supply Chain.
- Comfort using AI / LLM-based tools to accelerate analytical workflows.
- Strong accounting fundamentals - prior staff or senior accountant experience preferred.
Key Competencies
- Deep specialist mindset - comfortable as the resident expert on costing methodology.
- Effective cross-functional partner with Operations, Engineering, and Supply Chain.
- Detail-oriented with a systems-thinking approach to cost and inventory.
- Curious about how operational decisions translate into financial outcomes.
- Resilient under pressure during close cycles, audit periods, and standard cost rolls.
What We Offer
- Competitive salary
- Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance
- 401(k) retirement plan with a company match (up to 4% after your first year)
- Paid Time Off, Sick Leave, and 11 Paid Holidays
- Ongoing learning and development opportunities to support your growth
- Clear paths for career advancement as you grow with us
- Company-paid life and disability insurance for peace of mind
- Health savings account and flexible spending account options
- A collaborative, inclusive work environment with regular team-building activities and fun company events
