Cost Accountant

Sun Noodle Inc.; Carlstadt (NJ); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Sun Noodle is seeking a hands-on Cost Accountant at its Carlstadt, NJ facility to own costing, inventory valuation, and operational analysis in a growing food-manufacturing environment.

You will partner with Finance, Operations, Sales, and Procurement to uncover cost drivers, improve costing accuracy, and deliver practical insights that influence pricing, product profitability, and strategic decisions.

Qualifications

• Approximately 3–5 years of cost accounting or closely related manufacturing-finance experience.
• Experience in food/beverage or other manufacturing environments.
• Strong understanding of standard costing, inventory accounting, variance analysis, and GAAP.
• Ability to analyze material, labor, overhead, yield, waste, and production-related cost variances.
• Experience with ERP systems and complex manufacturing data.
• Advanced Microsoft Excel skills.
• Clear communication and collaborative, team-oriented approach.
• Self-motivated and curious mindset, willing to wear multiple hats.

Responsibilities

• Own and maintain the standard cost system, ensuring product costs reflect material, labor, and overhead.
• Analyze manufacturing variances and cost drivers (material usage, labor efficiency, overhead absorption, yields, waste).
• Investigate drivers behind variances and communicate findings to Finance and plant leadership.
• Review bills of materials, routings, and manufacturing orders to improve costing accuracy.
• Strengthen processes to understand true cost and profitability of Sun Noodle’s products.
• Support inventory accounting, reconciliation, and valuation.
• Assist with physical counts, cycle-count analysis, and inventory audits.
• Support month-end, quarter-end, year-end closes involving inventory and production costs.
• Maintain manufacturing and inventory data in the ERP system.
• Prepare cost reporting showing trends, variances, and cost drivers.
• Collaborate with Operations to understand floor activities affecting financials.
• Provide financial analysis for pricing decisions and new product development.
• Analyze profitability by SKU, customer, product line, and facility.
• Work with Finance, Operations, Sales, and Procurement to improve reporting.

Skills

Cost accounting

Plant accounting

Manufacturing cost analysis

Excel (advanced)

GAAP knowledge

ERP systems

Analytical skills

Communication

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or related

Tools

Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central

Job description

Help Sun Noodle Understand What It Truly Costs to Make a Great Product

You may already know Sun Noodle without realizing it.

For more than 40 years, our noodles have been served by ramen shops, restaurants, chefs, and retailers across the country. With approximately 90 varieties of noodles and manufacturing operations supporting a growing customer base, understanding the true cost of every product is critical to how we make decisions and continue building the business.

That is where you come in.

Sun Noodle is creating a new Cost Accountant position at our Carlstadt, New Jersey facility. This is an opportunity for a hands-on accounting professional to take meaningful ownership of manufacturing costs, inventory valuation, and operational analysis within a growing food‑manufacturing environment.

You will work closely with Finance, Operations, Sales, and Procurement to understand what is happening on the production floor, identify what is driving cost changes, and turn that information into practical insights the business can use.

This is not a position where you will simply review reports from behind a desk. We are looking for someone who is curious about how products are made, comfortable working directly with plant partners, and excited to strengthen the costing processes that support the business.

And yes, a love of noodles certainly helps.

What You’ll Own

Manufacturing Costing and Variance Analysis

• Own and maintain the standard cost system, ensuring product costs accurately reflect current material, labor, and manufacturing overhead.


• Analyze manufacturing variances involving material usage, labor efficiency, overhead absorption, production yields, waste trends, and cost changes.


• Investigate the operational drivers behind cost variances and communicate the findings clearly to Finance and plant leadership.


• Review bills of material, routings, and manufacturing orders to improve costing accuracy.


• Help strengthen the processes Sun Noodle uses to understand the true cost and profitability of its products.

Inventory and Financial Reporting

• Support inventory accounting, reconciliation, and valuation.


• Assist with physical inventory counts, cycle‑count analysis, and inventory‑related audit requests.


• Support month‑end, quarter‑end, and year‑end close activities involving inventory and production costs.


• Help maintain accurate manufacturing and inventory data within the ERP system.

Business and Operational Partnership

• Prepare manufacturing cost reporting that identifies key trends, variances, and operational cost drivers.


• Partner with Operations to understand what is happening on the production floor and how it affects financial performance.


• Provide financial analysis supporting pricing decisions and new‑product development.


• Analyze profitability by SKU, customer, product line, and facility.


• Collaborate across Finance, Operations, Sales, and Procurement to improve reporting and decision‑making.


• Participate in ERP enhancements, data‑accuracy projects, and continuous‑improvement initiatives.

What Will Help You Succeed

We care more about the work you have performed than the title printed on your business card.

You may currently be a Cost Accountant, Plant Accountant, Standard Cost Analyst, Inventory Accountant, Production Accountant, Operations Finance Analyst, or a hands‑on accounting professional performing similar work in a manufacturing environment.

The strongest candidates will bring:

• Approximately 3–5 years of cost accounting, plant accounting, or closely related manufacturing‑finance experience.


• Experience working within food, beverage, consumer packaged goods, or another manufacturing environment.


• A strong understanding of standard costing, inventory accounting, manufacturing variance analysis, and GAAP.


• The ability to analyze material, labor, overhead, yield, waste, and production‑related cost variances.


• Experience working with ERP systems and complex manufacturing data.


• Advanced Microsoft Excel skills.


• The confidence to work with both financial information and the people responsible for plant operations.


• Strong analytical, organizational, and problem‑solving abilities.


• Clear communication skills and a collaborative, team‑oriented approach.


• A self‑motivated and curious mindset, with the willingness to wear multiple hats as the business continues to grow.

A bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related discipline is preferred. Relevant manufacturing and cost‑accounting experience will receive strong consideration.

Experience with Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central is preferred, but it is not required. Experience with a comparable manufacturing ERP system is welcome.

The Kind of Person Who Will Thrive Here

You will likely enjoy this opportunity if you:

• Want to understand how the operation works, not just what appears in the accounting system.


• Are comfortable spending time with Operations and learning what happens on the production floor.


• Ask thoughtful questions when costs, yields, or inventory numbers do not make sense.


• Can translate detailed accounting information into a practical explanation.


• Want the opportunity to help shape a newly created position.


• Are motivated by improving a process rather than simply maintaining one.


• Appreciate great food and are willing to develop some strong opinions about noodles.

Why Sun Noodle?

This is a chance to join a respected, family‑owned food manufacturer whose products are enjoyed through ramen shops, restaurants, chefs, and retailers.

You will step into a newly created position with the ability to bring greater visibility to product costs and profitability. Your work will influence how Sun Noodle evaluates production, pricing, inventory, new products, and operational performance.

You will also have the opportunity to work closely with colleagues across Finance, Operations, Sales, Procurement, and company leadership.

If you are a hands‑on manufacturing accountant who wants to understand the full story behind the numbers, we would like to meet you.

Come help us understand what it truly costs to make a great noodle.

Additional Job Application Terms

This job is part of LinkedIn’s Full‑Service Hiring beta program. Eligibility is limited to candidates located in and performing services in the United States, excluding those based in Alaska, Hawaii, Nevada, South Carolina, or West Virginia.

We’re committed to making our hiring process as smooth and timely as possible, and we understand that waiting to hear back can add to the anticipation. If you’re a potential fit, our team will reach out within two weeks to progress you to the next stage. If you don’t hear from us in that time, we encourage you to explore other opportunities with our team in the future, and we wish you the very best in your job search.