Payroll Clerk

Paylocity; Troy (MI); On-site; USD 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical Benefits

Dental Benefits

Vision Benefits

Life Insurance

Disability Insurance

401k with Match

Paid Holidays

Paid Time Off

Job summary

Detroit Defense in Detroit is seeking a Payroll Clerk to manage payroll processing across Deltek Costpoint and Paylocity. You will pull approved labor data, clean it for import, run payroll, and reconcile results to ensure both systems match.

This role suits someone who handles high-volume data entry under deadlines and wants hands-on experience with both platforms. The position offers growth, strong internal controls, and opportunities to support government contracting environments.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance or related field.
• 2–3 years payroll, timekeeping, or clerical accounting experience.
• Experience with Deltek Costpoint and/or Paylocity preferred.
• Accurate data entry and deadlines-driven.
• Maintain confidentiality of sensitive information.
• Strong written and verbal communication; ability to prioritize.

Responsibilities

• Review employee timesheets in Deltek Costpoint for completeness and correct codes.
• Follow up with employees and supervisors on missing or unapproved timesheets.
• Correct timesheet entry errors with an audit trail.
• Prepare labor data for import into Paylocity.
• Import payroll data into Paylocity and resolve interface issues.
• Support semi-monthly/biweekly payroll runs for hourly and salaried staff.
• Reconcile Paylocity output with Costpoint labor data.
• Import finalized payroll data back into Costpoint for GL posting.
• Maintain Costpoint–Paylocity process documentation and escalate discrepancies.
• Assist with manual checks, off-cycle payments, and correction runs.
• Generate payroll and labor reports for Payroll and Accounting.
• Support audits by organizing timekeeping and payroll documentation.
• Assist month-end payroll reconciliations to the GL.

Skills

Data entry

Attention to detail

Confidentiality

Communication skills

Prioritization

Analytical thinking

Time management

Education

Bachelor's degree in Accounting or Finance

Tools

Deltek Costpoint

Paylocity

Job description

Description

Elevate your career with Detroit Defense. Join a dynamic team dedicated to national security through cutting-edge technology. Detroit Defense has a long history of delivering advanced solutions to the Department of War (DOW). Dive into innovation in Systems Engineering, Combat Vehicle Integration, Digital Transformation, Cybersecurity, Data Analytics and Software Development. Your journey to impactful work and rapid growth starts now—Behind the Mission Beyond the Challenge!

Detroit Defense is seeking a detail-oriented Payroll Clerk to support payroll processing across our two core systems: Deltek Costpoint, where employee time and labor are recorded, and Paylocity, where payroll is calculated and paid. This role is the front-line link between those two systems each pay period – pulling approved labor data out of Costpoint, getting it into Paylocity cleanly, running it through payroll, and reconciling the results back so both systems agree. The ideal candidate is comfortable with high-volume, deadline-driven data entry, is precise under pressure, and is eager to build hands-on experience with both platforms.

Primary Responsibilities

• Review employee timesheets in Deltek Costpoint each pay period for completeness, correct charge codes, and required supervisor approval prior to labor distribution
• Follow up directly with employees and supervisors on missing, late, or unapproved timesheets ahead of each payroll deadline
• Assist with correcting timesheet entry errors, documenting all changes with a clear before/after audit trail
• Support labor distribution processing and perform a preliminary check of labor costs before data moves to payroll
• Extract approved timekeeping and labor data from Deltek Costpoint each pay period and prepare it for import into Paylocity
• Import payroll data (hours, earnings codes, deductions) into Paylocity, identifying and resolving interface errors or rejected records before payroll is finalized
• Support processing of scheduled payroll runs in Paylocity (semimonthly/biweekly) for hourly and salaried employees
• Reconcile Paylocity payroll output (hours, gross pay, deductions) back against Costpoint labor and timesheet data to confirm the two systems agree
• Assist with importing finalized payroll and labor cost data from Paylocity back into Costpoint for posting to the general ledger
• Maintain clear documentation of the Costpoint-to-Paylocity process and elevate recurring interface discrepancies to the Payroll Specialist/Manager
• Assist with processing manual checks, off-cycle payments, and correction runs
• Generate routine payroll and labor reports from Costpoint and Paylocity for the Payroll and Accounting teams
• Support internal, external, and DCAA audits by pulling and organizing timekeeping and payroll documentation as requested
• Assist the Accounting Manager with month-end payroll reconciliations to the general ledger

Requirements

• A bachelors degree from an accredited college or university in Accounting, Finance or other related field is preferred.
• Two to three years minimum of payroll, timekeeping, or general clerical accounting experience
• Experience with Deltek Costpoint and/or Paylocity strongly preferred; willingness and ability to learn both systems is required
• Strong, accurate data entry skills with the ability to meet firm pay-cycle deadlines
• Working knowledge of payroll concepts, including overtime, deductions, and garnishments
• Must maintain strict confidentiality of sensitive business and employee information
• High attention to detail and a strong commitment to confidentiality with sensitive employee data
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Must be able to prioritize work requirements and manage critical deadlines
• Must be able to obtain and maintain a U.S. Secret Clearance. The minimum requirement for eligibility to obtain a secret clearance is US Citizenship.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in a government contracting environment.
• Familiarity with DCAA timekeeping requirements and labor charge-code discipline.
• Prior experience supporting a payroll system interface or data conversion process between two platforms.
• Fundamental Payroll Certification (FPC) or progress toward payroll certification.

Detroit Defense offers an impressive compensation and benefits package

• Medical, Dental & Vision Benefits
• Company Paid Life and AD&D
• Company Paid Short Term and Long-Term Disability
• Flexible Spending & HSA Accounts
• Legal & ID Shield Services
• 401k with Company Match
• Paid Holidays
• Paid Time Off (PTO)

Why Detroit Defense

At Detroit Defense, we deliver mission-critical solutions that enhance national security, protect the warfighter, and enable readiness through innovation, technical excellence, and end-to-end lifecycle support.

Remaining steadfast in our core values of Trustworthy, Mission Driven, Creative, and Agile we are a complex systems integrator for the U.S. Government, Detroit Defense provides solutions to meet the technical and programmatic challenges faced by our customers. Our proven success in multi-domain cross-platform system-of-systems integration results in fielded capability for warfighters. From R&D to production, fielding, and sustainment, Detroit Defense provides services and solutions to Empower Those That protect Us.

Veterans Encouraged to Apply

Detroit Defense proudly supports those who have served. We welcome applicants with military experience, including those transitioning to civilian careers. Your leadership, adaptability, and mission-focused mindset are valued here.

Detroit Defense is a proud recipient of the Hire Vets Gold Medallion Award since 2022.

Detroit Defense is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will be considered without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex (including gender identity or gender expression), age, mental or physical disability, creed, ancestry, citizenship, veteran status, marital status, sexual orientation, medical condition, genetic trait or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local law.