Cost Accountant

Why This Role Stands Out

If you enjoy analyzing the drivers behind product costs, connecting manufacturing performance to financial outcomes, and ensuring accuracy in cost data from the shop floor through to financial reporting, this role offers that opportunity.

As a Senior Cost Accountant, you will play a central role in cost transparency and control. You will be responsible for maintaining accurate product costing, managing cost structures, analyzing variances, and providing insights that support operational and financial performance. Your work will have a direct impact on pricing, profitability, forecasting, and strategic decision-making across complex aerospace manufacturing programs.

This is a highly hands-on role with full ownership of cost accounting processes. You will work closely with operations and program teams while ensuring financial accuracy in a regulated manufacturing environment.

Key Responsibilities

Cost Accounting Structure Ownership

• Manage the accurate tracking, classification, and allocation of both direct and indirect costs
• Maintain and enhance cost pools such as labor, overhead, and G&A, along with their allocation methodologies
• Lead the development, forecasting, and monitoring of annual and interim indirect rates
• Ensure accurate and consistent cost flow from subledger to general ledger
• Maintain standard cost structures and align them with operational realities
• Support month-end close activities
• Ensure compliance with FAR, CAS, and U.S. Government accounting requirements across active aerospace programs
• Support CAS-covered contracts by maintaining compliant and consistent cost accumulation, allocation, and reporting
• Monitor adherence to key CAS standards and maintain proper documentation
• Identify and manage unallowable costs in accordance with FAR Part 31

Manufacturing Cost Control and Analysis

• Perform in-depth analysis of labor, material, overhead, and subcontract costs
• Evaluate manufacturing variances including labor efficiency, material usage, overhead absorption, and purchase price variance, and collaborate with operations to determine root causes
• Monitor inventory valuation, work-in-progress (WIP), and cost of goods sold
• Assist with standard cost updates, annual cost roll processes, and bill of materials (BOM) reviews
• Analyze cost trends and identify opportunities to improve efficiency and margins

Government Cost Compliance

• Ensure cost accumulation processes align with FAR, CAS, and government contract requirements
• Support CAS-covered contracts with consistent cost allocation practices
• Identify, track, and segregate unallowable costs
• Prepare and support forward pricing rate proposals (FPRPs) and required government submissions
• Participate in DCAA and DCMA audits, supporting documentation and explaining financial data

Financial Controls and Reporting

• Maintain documentation supporting cost methodologies and internal control structures
• Assist with month-end and year-end close activities related to inventory, reserves, and cost adjustments
• Develop clear and actionable reporting for leadership
• Maintain audit readiness through consistent processes and thorough documentation

Systems and Tools

• Utilize SAP for cost accounting structures, standard costing, and reporting
• Support financial consolidation and reporting through OneStream
• Build and maintain cost models, variance analyses, and dashboards using Excel, MS Office tools, and Qlik

Qualifications

Required

• U.S. Citizenship
• Bachelor's degree in Accounting or Finance
• Minimum of 5 years of progressive cost accounting experience in a manufacturing environment (aerospace experience preferred)
• Strong knowledge of standard costing, variance analysis, and indirect rate structures
• Experience with cost roll processes in complex bill of materials (BOM) environments
• Advanced Excel skills, along with experience using ERP systems (SAP preferred) and financial reporting tools (OneStream preferred)
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to translate cost data into actionable insights
• Experience supporting audits and government rate submissions
• Working knowledge of FAR and CAS within a government contracting environment
• Direct experience preparing forward pricing rate proposals (FPRP)
• Experience supporting DCAA and DCMA audits

Preferred

• CPA or CMA certification