Controller San Jose

Hark; San Jose (CA); On-site; USD 200,000 - 350,000; Full time

Job summary

Hark is seeking an experienced Controller to build and scale the accounting function from the ground up in the United States. You will own the full close, compliance, tax, and international expansion, while standing up systems and processes to support rapid growth for a hardware+software company.

You will lead established accounting operations, drive standards, and scale the team as Hark expands into new jurisdictions, ensuring robust financial infrastructure and audit readiness.

Qualifications

• 8+ years progressive accounting experience including Controller roles.
• Experience in hardware/hardware-adjacent companies and inventory accounting.
• Experience supporting international expansion and multi-jurisdiction compliance.
• Strong technical accounting skills and ability to document conclusions clearly.
• Experience managing an audit with Big4 or national firm.
• Hands-on leader who builds processes from scratch and works actively.
• Clear communicator able to translate accounting to non-finance stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Own the full accounting close process monthly, quarterly, and annually.
• Maintain scalable chart of accounts, internal controls, and policies.
• Lead technical accounting on revenue, inventory, equity, and lease accounting.
• Manage external auditors and annual audit process.
• Oversee accounts payable, accounts receivable, payroll, and expense management.
• Lead international accounting and tax operations in new markets.
• Set up entity structures, statutory reporting, VAT/GST registration, transfer pricing.
• Evaluate and implement ERP and financial systems to support scale.

Skills

8+ years experience

Hardware industry

International expansion

Technical accounting

Audit with Big4

Ambiguity tolerance

Hands-on

Clear communicator

NetSuite familiarity

Tools

NetSuite

Job description

Hark is an artificial intelligence company building advanced, personalized intelligence. One that is proactive, multimodal, and capable of interacting with the world through speech, text, vision, and persistent memory.

We're pairing that intelligence with next-generation hardware to create a universal interface between humans and machines. While today's AI largely operates through chat boxes and decade-old devices, Hark is focused on what comes next: agentic systems that interact naturally with people and the real world.

To get there, we're developing multimodal models and next-generation AI hardware together - designed from the ground up as a single, unified interface for a new era of intelligent systems.

About the Role

Hark is seeking an experienced Controller to play a crucial role in building and scaling the accounting function from the ground up. This person will be responsible for owning the full accounting operation — close, compliance, technical accounting, tax, and international expansion — and building the systems, team, and processes that will carry Hark through significant scale.

As Hark expands its hardware and software business internationally, this role will be at the center of that effort: standing up accounting and tax operations in new jurisdictions, navigating the complexity of multi-country compliance, and ensuring the company’s financial infrastructure keeps pace with its global ambitions.

This is a high-impact, hands‑on opportunity for an individual who excels at scaling systems efficiently and thrives in an environment where they are the one authoring the playbook rather than following one.

Responsibilities

• Own the full accounting close process — monthly, quarterly, and annual — and drive it toward a tight, reliable cadence
• Build and maintain a scalable chart of accounts, internal controls, and accounting policies appropriate for a hardware + software company
• Lead technical accounting on complex areas: revenue recognition (ASC 606), inventory valuation, capitalized costs, equity compensation (ASC 718), and lease accounting (ASC 842)
• Manage relationships with external auditors and own the annual audit process
• Oversee accounts payable, accounts receivable, payroll, and expense management
• Lead international accounting and tax operations as Hark expands into new markets — including entity setup, local statutory reporting, VAT/GST registration and compliance, transfer pricing policy and documentation, and cross-border payroll tax
• Manage tax compliance across federal, state, and local jurisdictions, coordinating with outside advisors on domestic and international filings
• Build and lead the accounting team as the organization continues to scale
• Evaluate and implement the ERP and financial systems infrastructure needed to support scale

Requirements

• 8+ years of progressive accounting experience, including time in a Controller or Assistant Controller role
• Experience at a hardware or hardware-adjacent company — you understand inventory accounting, COGS structure, contract manufacturing, and the operational complexity that comes with physical products
• Demonstrated experience supporting international expansion: standing up accounting and tax operations in new countries, managing multi‑jurisdiction compliance, and coordinating with regional advisors
• Strong technical accounting chops; you can work through a complex accounting question independently and document your conclusions clearly
• Experience managing an audit with a Big 4 or national firm
• Comfortable building in ambiguity — you’ve set up processes from scratch, not just inherited them
• Hands‑on by default; you’re not waiting for a team to do the work
• Clear communicator who can translate accounting complexity for non-finance stakeholders

Bonus Qualifications

• Familiarity with NetSuite or similar ERP implementation
• Experience with indirect tax (VAT/GST) across multiple international jurisdictions

Compensation

The US base salary range for this full-time position is between $200,000 – $350,000 annually.

The pay offered for this position may vary based on several individual factors, including job‑related knowledge, skills, and experience. The total compensation package may also include additional components/benefits depending on the specific role. This information will be shared if an employment offer is extended.