Controller

Crux AI

Palo Alto (CA)

On-site

USD 250,000 - 420,000

Full time

5 days ago

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Benefits offered by this job

Base salary + bonus

Health, dental, and vision coverage

Life insurance

401(k) with 4% company match

Job summary

Crux AI, a U.S.-based integrated AI infrastructure company, seeks a senior accounting leader to architect the financial backbone for a capital-intensive business. You will own ERP construction, implement AI-forward accounting, and establish internal controls to support rapid growth.

Responsibilities include guiding capex and revenue recognition, driving early PCAOB audits, and building an enterprise finance function across multiple entities and international operations with automated close

Qualifications

10+ years of progressive accounting experience, with at least 3+ years in a senior leadership role (VP, Controller, or Director).
Deep domain familiarity with asset accounting, depreciation, leases, and high-volume hardware procurement.
Experience taking a company public (S-1 preparation, PCAOB audits) or operating in a publicly traded tech firm.

Responsibilities

Lead ERP system construction and scaling with connections to core business systems.
Develop an AI-forward operational accounting function and internal controls.
Navigate complex capex and revenue recognition models; drive PCAOB audits for listing readiness.
Direct external audit partnerships and build a multi-entity, international finance operation.
Partner with Finance, HR, IT, and Legal across the organization.

Skills

Asset accounting

Public company experience

Leadership

Tools

ERP systems

Job description

Built to set the gold standard for integrated AI infrastructure

Crux AI is a newly formed, U.S.-based integrated AI infrastructure company created to remove the physical and operational constraints on consequential AI ambitions. Crux brings together power, high-density data centers, TPU silicon, networking, orchestration software, and ongoing operations as one integrated system.

Crux is being capitalized to plan every layer together, develop each one to demanding standards, and operate the whole system with efficiency and reliability. That gives hyperscalers, frontier AI labs, sovereign customers, enterprises, and AI-native companies greater freedom to pursue the AI they are here to create.

WHAT YOU'LL DO

This is a ground-up opportunity to architect the financial backbone of a capital-intensive physical and virtual infrastructure business, grounded in an AI-first model.

In this role, you will:

Reporting to the CFO, lead ERP system construction and scaling with key connections to core business systems.
Develop an AI-forward operational accounting function.
Implement public-company-grade internal controls.
Assist the organization in navigating and planning for complex capex and revenue recognition models.
Drive our inaugural PCAOB audits in preparation for public listing.
Contribute broadly and have full controllership responsibilities.
Partner across Finance, HR, IT, and Legal.

SIGNALS OF SUCCESS

After 60 days in this role:

Completed a full assessment and gap analysis of our current state.
Prioritized key projects based on collaboration with the CFO and other business leaders.
Adapted to a fast paced environment.

After 6 months:

Demonstrated an AI-forward and automated approach to this role.
Stood up our enterprise ERP, chart of accounts, fixed asset tracking, and financial tooling to support multi-entity, international operations with automated close cycles.
Established formal financial reporting cadences, flux analysis, and board-ready reporting packages.

After 1 year:

Recruit, mentor, and lead a lean, high-performing accounting team spanning ERP, corporate accounting, technical accounting, accounts payable/receivable, and payroll.
Rapidly accelerate close cycle toward the goal of a public company standard.
Establish and defend accounting policies under US GAAP, specifically addressing. capitalization, complex revenue recognition, and debt & structured financing
Architect an internal control environment that smoothly transitions from private growth into Sarbanes-Oxley compliance post-listing.
Direct external audit partnerships, with a path to convert inaugural private audits directly into PCAOB-compliant audits.
Demonstrate consistent operational excellence and impeccable attention to detail.
Implement innovative approaches to accounting programs and team.

EXPERIENCES, ATTRIBUTES AND MINDSET THAT INDICATE A GOOD MATCH

Experiences

10+ years of progressive accounting experience, with at least 3+ years in a senior leadership role (VP, Controller, or Director) within a high-growth tech or capital-intensive hardware/infrastructure business.
Deep domain familiarity with asset accounting (depreciation models, lease accounting, supply-chain commitments, or high-volume hardware procurement).
Direct experience taking a company public (S-1 preparation, PCAOB audits) or operating within a publicly traded technology firm.

Attributes

You are outcome driven and hands on. Comfortable rolling up your sleeves to write initial journal entries and vendor policies on day one, while maintaining the strategic vision to lead a scaled machine by year two. This is a builder's seat, not a supervisory one.

Mindset

You have a high tolerance for ambiguity. Youabsorb ambiguity and navigate complexity rather than passing it along

Nice to have (preferred, not required):

Hardware, infrastructure or data center industry experience
Experience in both start up and scaled enterprises

Salary Range Information

The annual salary range for this position has been estimated based on market data and other factors. However, a salary higher or lower than this range may be appropriate for a candidate whose qualifications differ meaningfully from those listed in the job description.

About Crux