Senior Cost AccountantApplication Deadline: 31 July 2026
Department: Accounting & Finance
Employment Type: Full Time
Location: Hawthorne, California
Compensation: $115,000 - $145,000 / year
DescriptionAstrolab 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).
What you'll do:NetSuite Implementation & Daily Execution- 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.
Cost Tracking & Analysis- 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.
Technical & Regulatory Compliance- 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.
Cross-Functional Collaboration- 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.
What you'll bring:Required Experience & Qualifications- Education: Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field.
- ERP Expertise: 2+ years of hands-on experience using NetSuite, specifically within manufacturing, inventory, or project-costing modules.
- Regulatory Knowledge: Direct experience working in a FAR-compliant environment (Aerospace, Defense, or Government Contracting).
- Core Accounting: 3-5 years of progressive cost accounting experience, with a deep understanding of job-order/project-based costing (low volume, high complexity).
- Mindset: A hands-on executor who enjoys setting up processes from scratch and working cross-functionally with engineers and technicians.
Preferred Attributes- 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.
Benefits and Perks- Join a team of best-in-class engineers building the foundation of planetary surface exploration
- 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
