Controller

Liquid-Ai; United States; On-site; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

Liquid AI, an MIT CSAIL-spun unicorn, seeks a Controller to own the close, establish accounting positions, and build scalable controls as the company scales."

The role requires deep GAAP expertise, 12+ years in accounting across public and private tech, and hands-on ERP experience, preferably NetSuite. You will lead audits, tax processes, and cross-functional partnerships to ensure precise financial reporting.

Qualifications

• 12+ years progressive accounting experience in public accounting and industry, tech focus preferred.
• Active CPA required or strongly preferred.
• Deep US GAAP knowledge with ASC 606 and ASC 718.
• Experience managing external audits and building or maturing a controls environment (SOX a plus).
• Implemented or owned NetSuite or similar ERP and integrations.

Responsibilities

• Own the Close: manage monthly and quarterly close end-to-end with accurate, documented financials.
• Set Technical Accounting Positions: memo complex areas (ASC 606, ASC 718) and ensure consistent application.
• Own Equity Compensation Accounting: manage stock comp expense, 409A coordination, cap table reconciliation.
• Architect Controls: design and implement scalable internal controls for audit readiness.
• Own the Tax Process: manage outsourced tax vendor for income tax and sales/use tax compliance.
• Lead the Annual Audit: manage external auditors, PBC lists, testing, issue resolution.
• Drive Systems & Automation: evaluate/implement ERP and finance tooling, automate workflows.
• Partner Cross-Functionally: collaborate with FP&A, Legal, GTM Finance on terms and revenue contracts.

Skills

Technical accounting judgment

Audit & controls mindset

Systems thinking

Ambiguity tolerance

Communication with CFO/board

Education

CPA (Active)

Tools

NetSuite ERP

ERP integrations

SOX controls

Job description

Controller
About Liquid AI
Spun out of MIT CSAIL, we build general-purpose AI systems that run efficiently across deployment targets, from data center accelerators to on-device hardware, ensuring low latency, minimal memory usage, privacy, and reliability. We partner with enterprises across consumer electronics, automotive, life sciences, and financial services. We are scaling rapidly and need exceptional people to help us get there.

The Opportunity

As a unicorn-stage company, we're building the accounting infrastructure that will support us through our next stage of growth — larger financing events, an expanding audit scope, and eventually the rigor of a public company. This role is the technical and operational backbone of that effort: owning the close, setting our accounting policy positions, and building the controls environment from the ground up. This is not a maintenance role; it's an opportunity to architect the systems and processes a much larger company will run on.

What We're Looking For

We need someone who:

• Has deep technical accounting judgment: Comfortable taking positions on complex revenue recognition (ASC 606) and equity compensation (ASC 718) matters, and can document and defend them.

• Builds infrastructure, not just reports: Excited to design controls, close processes, and systems from a lean starting point rather than inherit something fully built out.

• Is audit- and controls-minded: Has driven external audits and built SOX-ready processes, even before SOX was required.

• Is systems-fluent: Has stood up or significantly improved an ERP (e.g., NetSuite) and the integrations around it.

• Thrives in ambiguity: Prefers building the playbook to following one, and can move at the speed of an AI company.

The Work

In this role, you will:

• Own the Close: Run the monthly and quarterly close process end-to-end, delivering accurate, well-documented, and increasingly timely financials.

• Set Technical Accounting Positions: Research and memo complex areas — revenue recognition under ASC 606, equity compensation under ASC 718, and other non-standard transactions — and ensure consistent application.

• Own Equity Compensation Accounting: Manage stock compensation expense, 409A coordination, and cap table reconciliation, partnering closely with FP&A and Legal.

• Architect Controls: Design and implement internal controls that scale with the company, building toward audit and SOX readiness ahead of when it's required.

• Own the Tax Process: Manage our outsourced tax vendor relationship end-to-end, covering both income tax and sales & use tax compliance, and ensure tax positions are properly reflected in the books.

• Lead the Annual Audit: Own the external audit relationship end-to-end — PBC lists, testing support, and timely resolution of open items.

• Drive Systems & Automation: Evaluate, implement, and optimize ERP and adjacent finance systems, and automate manual accounting workflows as the company scales.

• Partner Cross-Functionally: Work closely with FP&A, Legal, and GTM Finance to ensure deal terms, equity grants, and revenue contracts are reflected correctly in the books.

Desired Experience

• Sustained Track Record: 12+ years of progressive accounting experience, spanning public accounting (Big 4 or equivalent) and industry, ideally including time at a high-growth or pre-IPO technology company.

• CPA: Active CPA required or strongly preferred.

• Technical Depth: Strong working knowledge of US GAAP, with particular depth in revenue recognition (ASC 606) and stock-based compensation (ASC 718).

• Audit & Controls Experience: Has managed external auditors directly and built or matured a controls environment (SOX experience a plus, even if not previously mandated).

• Systems Experience: Has implemented or owned an ERP system (NetSuite or similar) and the integrations connecting it to other finance tools.

• Communication: Comfortable presenting technical accounting positions and close results to the CFO, board, and audit committee.