Sr. Manufacturing Accountant

Valid8 Financial, Inc.; Sterling (VA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health, Dental, Vision insurance

401(k) matching

PTO and sick leave

Life and AD&D

Job summary

Method Aircraft Systems and Technologies, Inc. in Sterling, VA, is seeking a highly analytical Sr. Manufacturing Accountant to build cost accounting from the ground up for hardware drone production.

You will partner with Operations to establish costing, BOM tracking, and inventory valuation to scale manufacturing efficiently. You will own the month-end close, GAAP compliance, and cost variance analysis, while developing budgets, forecasts, and KPIs.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in accounting or finance.
• 5+ years in finance/accounting with 3+ in cost/manufacturing accounting.
• Experience with government contracting and DCAA audits a plus.
• Hardware manufacturing startup or complex production experience preferred.

Responsibilities

• Establish costing for drone models and sub-assemblies.
• Lead cost variance analysis with production teams.
• Oversee inventory valuation, cycle counts, and obsolescence reserves.
• Own month-end close, journal entries, reconciliations, and reporting.
• Ensure GAAP compliance and support audits and tax filings.
• Develop budgets, forecasts, and operational KPIs with ops.
• Model make-vs-buy scenarios and ROI analyses.
• Implement/optimize Deltek Costpoint modules for finance and manufacturing.
• Establish internal controls on production floor and procurement.
• Bridge Finance, Engineering and Production to ensure BOM accuracy.

Skills

Cost accounting

GAAP knowledge

ERP systems

Deltek Costpoint

Excel (advanced)

Data visualization

BOM / MRP understanding

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Accounting or Finance

CMA and/or CPIM preferred

Tools

Deltek Costpoint

Job description

Method Aircraft Systems and Technologies, Inc., is an aerospace startup designing and manufacturing UAV drones. We are transitioning from R&D into full-scale production and are looking for a highly analytical and hands-on Sr. Manufacturing Accountant to build our cost accounting operations from the ground up. This role is full-time onsite at our headquarters in Sterling, VA.

The Role

As our first Sr. Manufacturing Accountant, you will serve as the financial co-pilot for our Operations and Production teams. You will be responsible for establishing costing, optimizing inventory valuation, tracking our complex Bills of Materials (BOM), and providing the financial insights needed to scale our drone manufacturing efficiently. In this role, you won't just report the numbers—you will actively support the production strategy and build the financial infrastructure required for hardware manufacturing and sustainment.

Key Responsibilities

General Accounting:

Establish and manage month-end close processes, including journal entries, account reconciliations, and financial reporting.

Oversee accounts payable and accounts receivable functions to ensure timely processing.

Ensure compliance with GAAP and internal financial policies.

Assist with external audits and tax filings.

Cost Accounting & Inventory Management:

Develop, document and implement costing methodologies for all drone models, components, and sub-assemblies (e.g., avionics, motors, batteries, airframes).

Lead the tracking and analysis of manufacturing cost variances (materials, labor, and overhead) and work with production leaders to drive cost-reduction initiatives.

Will work with the Operations team to establish and oversee inventory management processes, including cycle counting, physical inventory audits, and managing reserves for excess or obsolete (E&O) components.

Ensure accurate valuation of raw materials, Work-in-Progress (WIP), and finished goods.

Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A) for Operations:

Partner with the Director of Manufacturing and Supply Chain to develop annual budgets, rolling forecasts, and operational KPIs (e.g., yield rates, production output, cost per unit).

Analyze and explain manufacturing variances (labor, material, overhead, yield) and drive corrective actions with the operations teams

Evaluate Capital Expenditure (CapEx) requests for new manufacturing equipment, assembly lines, and facility expansions, providing ROI and payback analyses.

Model out "make vs. buy" scenarios for critical drone components to optimize the supply chain.

Process & Systems Development:

Play a critical role in the implementation and optimization of our ERP system (Deltek Costpoint) as it relates to accounting, manufacturing, inventory, and supply chain modules.

Establish robust internal controls around the production floor, inventory movement, and procurement to safeguard company assets as we scale.

Cross-Functional Partnership:

Bridge the gap between Finance, Engineering, and Production to ensure BOM accuracy and track costs through the New Product Introduction (NPI) phase.

Educate operational teams on financial performance and the cost impact of engineering and production decisions.

Escalate findings within the management team to ensure timely resolution.

Requirements

Experience & Education:

Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field (CMA and/or CPIM strongly preferred).

5+ years of progressive finance or accounting experience, with a minimum of 3 years of recent cost/manufacturing accounting.

Experience with Government contracting and DCAA audits preferred but not required

Proven experience in a high-growth hardware startup or complex manufacturing environment (aerospace, automotive, EV, or consumer electronics experience is a major plus).

Understanding of Bills of Materials (BOMs), routing, labor variances, and hardware supply chain dynamics.

Hands-on experience implementing or managing a ccounting and project management modules within a major ERP system, Deltek Costpoint a plus.

Advanced Excel skills and proficiency with data visualization tools to build out operational dashboards.

Startup Mentality: Highly adaptable, comfortable with ambiguity, and willing to roll up your sleeves to build processes from scratch.

Excellent communication skills with the ability to translate complex financial concepts to non-financial engineers and plant managers.

What We Offer

Competitive base salary + discretionary bonus in a fast-growing aerospace startup.

Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance.

Extraordinary 401(k) employer match

Paid time off - 3 weeks PTO and 32 hours of annual sick leave

Company provided life and AD&DD