Cost Accounting Lead for Space Hardware

Northwood Space; Los Angeles (CA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Northwood Space is seeking its first Cost Accountant to build and own the cost accounting function as we scale our space infrastructure products from development into production.

You will establish processes, standard costing, and reporting for inventory, WIP, COGS, and manufacturing variances, partnering with Finance, Supply Chain, Manufacturing, Engineering, and Program teams to provide actionable financial insights.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field with 4+ years of experience in cost accounting, inventory accounting, or manufacturing accounting.
• Strong understanding of manufacturing cost accounting, including standard costing, inventory valuation, WIP, COGS, PPV, absorption, variances, and inventory flows within an ERP environment.
• Demonstrated ability to independently own cost accounting close activities, journal entries, reconciliations, and complex analyses while identifying and resolving discrepancies across financial and operational data.
• Highly analytical and comfortable operating autonomously in a fast-paced environment, with strong Excel skills and demonstrated ability to build processes, solve ambiguous problems, and partner effectively across Finance and Operations.

Responsibilities

• Build and own the company’s cost accounting function, establishing scalable processes, methodologies, controls, documentation, and reporting for inventory, standard costs, WIP, COGS, and manufacturing variances as production scales.
• Own cost accounting activities across month-end and quarter-end close, including journal entries, inventory and cost account reconciliations, accruals, variance analysis, and supporting schedules, ensuring accurate and timely financial reporting.
• Develop and maintain standard costing methodologies across purchased and manufactured hardware; analyze purchase price, material, labor, overhead, absorption, scrap, and other variances to identify root causes and improve cost accuracy.
• Own inventory accounting and valuation across raw materials, WIP, and finished goods, partnering with Supply Chain and Manufacturing to reconcile operational activity to the ERP and resolve inventory, work order, and transaction discrepancies.
• Partner closely with Manufacturing, Supply Chain, Engineering, and Program teams to understand BOMs, production flows, procurement costs, engineering changes, and operational drivers, translating them into accurate product costs and actionable financial insights.
• Serve as the Finance owner for cost accounting systems and continuous improvement, helping define ERP requirements, automate manual processes, strengthen financial controls, and build the reporting infrastructure needed to support significant company and production growth.

Skills

Excel skills

Analytical thinking

Autonomy

Process improvement

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Accounting/Finance

Tools

ERP system

Job description

Northwood Space is seeking its first Cost Accountant to build and own the cost accounting function as we scale our space infrastructure products from development into production.

You will establish processes, standard costing, and reporting for inventory, WIP, COGS, and manufacturing variances, partnering with Finance, Supply Chain, Manufacturing, Engineering, and Program teams to provide actionable financial insights.