Senior General Ledger Accountant / Bilanzbuchhalter (m/w/f)

Planet Labs; Berlin; Hybrid; EUR 54,000 - 68,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid time off (vacation/holidays)

Employee Wellness Program

Home Office Reimbursement

Monthly Phone and Internet Reimb.

Tuition Reimbursement and LinkedIn L&D

Equity

Volunteering Paid Time Off

Job summary

Planet Labs Germany GmbH is hiring a Senior GL Accountant to maintain books under US GAAP and HGB for our Berlin manufacturing site. You will oversee fixed assets, inventory, cost accounting, and intercompany transfers, while partnering with Berlin Operations on standard costing and processes.

This is a hybrid role based in Berlin, requiring 3 days in the office. The ideal candidate combines strong accounting with cross-border collaboration, German/English fluency, and experience with ERP

Qualifications

• 4+ years cost accounting in manufacturing or high-tech environment.
• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or Business Administration (or German Ausbildung).
• Experience with inventory controls, Fixed Assets, multi-entity structures.
• Proficiency with ERP systems and advanced Excel/Sheets.
• Professional working proficiency in German and English.

Responsibilities

• Close daily, journal entries, and reconciliations for Fixed Assets and Inventory per US GAAP and HGB.
• Maintain Fixed Asset Register, depreciation, CIP, and asset movements with stakeholders.
• Review intercompany transfers and asset movements between PBC and GmbH entities.
• Manage costs, prepayments, accruals for satellite materials and build processes (inventory, WIP, fixed assets).
• Support physical and cycle counts and analyze inventory adjustments.
• Collaborate with Berlin Operations to establish costing workflows and standard costing methods.
• Serve as backup for US cost accountants during peak periods.

Skills

Cost accounting

ERP systems

Excel/Sheets

Bilingual German/English

Education

Bachelor's degree in Accounting/Finance

German Ausbildung (Industriekaufmann/-frau)

Tools

NetSuite ERP

Oracle ERP

Job description

Welcome to Planet. We believe in using space to help life on Earth.

Planet designs, builds, and operates the largest constellation of imaging satellites in history. This constellation delivers an unprecedented dataset of empirical information via a revolutionary cloud-based platform to authoritative figures in commercial, environmental, and humanitarian sectors. We are both a space company and data company all rolled into one.

Customers and users across the globe use Planet's data to develop new technologies, drive revenue, power research, and solve our world’s toughest obstacles.

As we control every component of hardware design, manufacturing, data processing, and software engineering, our office is a truly inspiring mix of experts from a variety of domains.

We have a people-centric approach toward culture and community and we strive to iterate in a way that puts our team members first and prepares our company for growth. Join Planet and be a part of our mission to change the way people see the world.

Planet is a global company with employees working remotely world wide and joining us from offices in San Francisco, Washington DC, Germany, Austria, Slovenia, and The Netherlands.

About the Role

The International Accounting team at Planet is seeking a versatile Senior GL Accountant to maintain our books and become a key part of our global Finance team. In this pivotal position, you will serve as a core financial anchor, managing critical workflows that directly support our expanding international footprint and global operational success. The ideal candidate is detail-oriented, curious, collaborative, and analytical, bringing a strong work ethic to solve complex financial challenges. By driving rigorous accounting standards and cross-functional alignment, you will help power Planet's mission with a robust operational finance foundation. Ideal candidates are proactive problem-solvers who thrive in dynamic, cross-border team environments.

This is a full-time, hybrid role which will require you to work from our Berlin manufacturing office 3 days per week.

Impact You’ll Own

• Manage day-to-day closing and reporting activities including journal entries and reconciliations for Fixed Assets and Inventory in our Berlin Manufacturing site to ensure books are maintained in accordance with U.S. GAAP and HGB.
• Maintain the Fixed Asset Register (FAR), tracking capital expenditures, asset additions, disposals, transfers, monthly depreciation runs, and Construction in Progress (CIP) balances with operational stakeholders.
• Review and clear consolidated transfer orders between international subsidiaries, managing asset movements between locations for both PBC and GmbH entities.
• Maintain costs, prepayments, and accrued payables associated with satellite materials, launch, and build processes across inventory, WIP, and internal fixed asset materials.
• Support physical count / cycle count programs and analyze inventory adjustments.
• Partner with Berlin Operations to establish scalable cost accounting workflows, standard costing methodologies, and manufacturing time-tracking for our local production line.
• Serve as the dedicated backup for US cost accountants during time-off and high-volume periods.

What You Bring

• 4+ years of relevant cost accounting experience in a manufacturing or high-tech operational environment.
• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or Business Administration (or a relevant German Ausbildung, e.g., Industriekaufmann/-frau, with specialized focus on accounting/controlling).
• Experience with inventory controls, Fixed Assets and multi-entity global structures.
• Proficiency with modern ERP systems and advanced capability in Excel or Google Sheets.
• Professional working proficiency in German and English, the language of the company.

What Makes You Stand Out

• Working knowledge of both US GAAP and German GAAP (HGB)
• A passion for Fixed Assets & Inventory GL Accounting
• Direct hands-on experience with NetSuite ERP/Oracle

Export Control Requirements

Planet Labs Germany GmbH is authorized to receive U.S. export-controlled information at Planet under an export license issued by the Bureau of Industry and Security. This position requires access to U.S. and German/EU export-controlled information, and as such, employment (or hiring of a contractor) is contingent upon the candidate’s ability to access all applicable export-controlled information without additional export licensing being required by German, EU, or U.S. authorities.

Benefits While Working at Planet

These offerings are dependent on employment type and geographical location, based upon applicable law or company policy.

• Paid time off including vacation, holidays and company-wide days off
• Employee Wellness Program
• Home Office Reimbursement
• Monthly Phone and Internet Reimbursement
• Tuition Reimbursement and access to LinkedIn Learning
• Equity
• Volunteering Paid Time Off

Compensation

The expected starting gross salary range for this role is listed below. Individual placement within this range is determined objectively based on gender-neutral criteria such as your skills, qualifications, and professional experience. This position may also be eligible for discretionary bonuses and/or equity.

Germany Salary Range €54.100 – €67.600 EUR

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance

Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Why we care so much about Belonging

We’re dedicated to helping the whole Planet, and to do that we must strive to represent all of it within each of our offices and on all of our teams. That’s why Planet is guided by an ultimate north star of Belonging—dreaming big as we approach our ongoing work. If this job intrigues you, but you’re thinking you might not have all the qualifications, At Planet, we are looking for well-rounded people from around the world who can contribute to more ways than just what is listed in this job description. We don’t just fill positions, we aspire to fulfill people’s careers, most excited about folks who are motivated by our underlying humanitarian efforts. We are a few orbits around the sun before we get to where we want to be, so we hope you’re excited to come along for the ride.

EEO statement

Planet is committed to building a community where everyone belongs and we invite people from all backgrounds to apply. Planet is an equal opportunity employer, and committed to providing employment opportunities regardless of race, religious creed, color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, childbirth and breastfeeding, age, sexual orientation, military or veteran status, or any other protected classification, in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws. Know Your Rights.

Accommodations

Planet is an inclusive community and we know that everyone has their own needs. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation during the hiring process, please reach out to [e-mail] or contact your recruiter with your request. Your message will be confidential and we will be happy to assist you.

AI in Our Interviewing Process

Planet is committed to providing an exceptional interview experience for all candidates. We currently use Metaview to better focus on candidates and less on trying to capture notes. As such, with the candidate's consent, select interviews may be recorded and include a Planet AI Notetaker for transcription and summarization purposes. Should an interview involve use of AI interview technologies, the candidate will receive notification and have the ability to opt out both in advance and/or real-time. Opting out will not affect one's candidacy.

Candidate AI Policy

Planet embraces Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools, and we encourage its responsible use. We understand that candidates may use various resources, including AI tools, to prepare for interviews and assessments. However, during any live interview stage or when actively completing assessments for this position, the use of AI tools—e.g. Large Language Models (LLMs), deep fake technology, etc.—is strictly prohibited unless explicitly prompted by an interviewer or assessment instructions. If you are unsure about acceptable use, please contact your recruiter for clarification. If an AI tool or similar technology is desired as an accommodation, please contact [e-mail] with your request for assistance. Your message will be confidential, and we will be happy to assist you. Violation of this policy may result in disqualification of your application.