Assistant Controller (Director)

thenuclearcompany; Columbia (SC); Hybrid; USD 150,000 - 220,000; Full time

Job summary

The Nuclear Company is seeking an Assistant Controller (Director) to serve as second-in-command to the Corporate Controller, owning corporate accounting across all lines of business. You will manage the month-end close, financial reporting, balance sheet reconciliations, and internal controls while partnering with audit teams and internal stakeholders to scale the finance function.

This hybrid role can be based in Columbia, SC or Washington, D.C., requiring in-office presence three days per week

Qualifications

• 10+ years of progressive accounting and controllership experience.

Responsibilities

• Close and financial reporting. Own the accuracy, completeness, and timeliness of the corporate month-end and year-end close across all lines of business-close calendar, accruals, balance sheet reconciliations, and preparation of balance sheets, income statements, and cash flow statements.
• Drive measurable improvement in close timelines, handoffs, and execution.
• Accounting operations. Own general ledger integrity across entities and lines of business, including the reconciliation process, review of accounts payable and accounts receivable, and the accuracy of complex journal entries and intercompany activity.
• Project accounting. Establish and own project and job-cost accounting for the company's capital programs-cost capture, construction in progress, capitalization in line with company policy, and project-level reporting and analysis.
• Internal controls and compliance. Lead the design, documentation, and operation of internal controls across accounting operations. Support control testing and remediation, and build toward public-company-level discipline, documentation, and timelines.
• Audit. Lead day-to-day coordination of external and internal audits, including ownership of the PBC process, schedules, and supporting documentation, driving to clean, on-time completion.
• Budgeting and forecasting support. Provide supporting data and analysis for annual budgeting and ongoing forecasting; track departmental spending and lead variance analysis.
• Segment partnership. Partner with the Director of Accounting, Nuclear to align close calendars, accounting policies, consolidation handoffs, and reporting requirements, ensuring consistency between segment and corporate results.
• Process improvement and systems. Identify and implement improvements to accounting processes, controls, documentation, and systems utilization. Leverage AI and automation to increase accuracy, visibility, and efficiency across the function

Job description

The Nuclear Company is the fastest growing AI tech-enabled startup in the nuclear and energy space, pioneering a fleet-scale approach to building the next generation of nuclear reactors. Through our design-once, build-many model, we're accelerating the deployment of safe, reliable, and affordable nuclear energy.

We operate with an AI-first mindset. Every employee is expected to leverage AI, technology, and the Nuclear Operating System (NOS) as integral components of their role to improve the quality, speed, and impact of their work. We expect every team member to continuously identify opportunities to automate workflows, enhance decision-making, improve processes, and contribute to the ongoing evolution of NOS as a strategic operating capability that enables The Nuclear Company to scale with excellence.

We hire people who are driven by purpose, thrive in ambiguity, and are energized by building what has never been built before. Our team combines intellectual curiosity with high agency, embraces candid feedback and continuous learning, and holds themselves and others to exceptional standards. Our values- Transparency, Responsibility, Unity, Scrappy, and Tenacity -guide how we hire, collaborate, and make decisions every day. They are not words on a wall; they are the standard by which we operate. TRUST is the foundation of our safety culture, fostering intellectual honesty, accountability, and open communication, while our values challenge every team member to execute with urgency, humility, resilience, and an unwavering commitment to our mission.

About the role

The Assistant Controller (Director) serves as the Corporate Controller's second-in-command, with ownership spanning corporate accounting across all of TNC's lines of business. Reporting directly to the Corporate Controller, this role owns the integrity of the corporate month-end close, financial reporting, project accounting, balance sheet reconciliation, and the internal control environment across the enterprise.

The Director partners with the Director of Accounting, Nuclear, Project Accounting, FP&A, and external auditors to deliver a consistent, audit-ready close as the business grows. With the Nuclear businesses served by a dedicated accounting lead, this role anchors enterprise-wide consistency close calendars, accounting policy application, consolidation, and controls rather than any single segment.

This is a build-and-scale role for a hands-on player-coach who can strengthen corporate accounting capabilities while advancing audit and internal control readiness.

NOTE* This is a hybrid position based in either our Columbia, South Carolina, or Washington, D.C. office, with the expectation of working in the office 3 days per week. This is not a remote position. Candidates must live within commuting distance of one of these locations or be willing to relocate. The position may also be posted in nearby markets where commuting may be feasible for visibility.

Responsibilities

• Close and financial reporting. Own the accuracy, completeness, and timeliness of the corporate month-end and year-end close across all lines of business-close calendar, accruals, balance sheet reconciliations, and preparation of balance sheets, income statements, and cash flow statements. Drive measurable improvement in close timelines, handoffs, and execution.
• Accounting operations. Own general ledger integrity across entities and lines of business, including the reconciliation process, review of accounts payable and accounts receivable, and the accuracy of complex journal entries and intercompany activity.
• Project accounting. Establish and own project and job-cost accounting for the company's capital programs-cost capture, construction in progress, capitalization in line with company policy, and project-level reporting and analysis.
• Internal controls and compliance. Lead the design, documentation, and operation of internal controls across accounting operations. Support control testing and remediation, and build toward public-company-level discipline, documentation, and timelines.
• Audit. Lead day-to-day coordination of external and internal audits, including ownership of the PBC process, schedules, and supporting documentation, driving to clean, on-time completion.
• Budgeting and forecasting support. Provide supporting data and analysis for annual budgeting and ongoing forecasting; track departmental spending and lead variance analysis.
• Segment partnership. Partner with the Director of Accounting, Nuclear to align close calendars, accounting policies, consolidation handoffs, and reporting requirements, ensuring consistency between segment and corporate results.
• Process improvement and systems. Identify and implement improvements to accounting processes, controls, documentation, and systems utilization. Leverage AI and automation to increase accuracy, visibility, and efficiency across the function

Experience

• 10+ years of progressive accounting and controllership e