Cost Accounting Manager

Cost Accounting Manager

Los Angeles, CA

K2 is building the largest and highest-power satellites ever flown, unlocking performance levels previously out of reach across every orbit. Backed by $450M from leading investors including Altimeter Capital, Redpoint Ventures, T. Rowe Price, Lightspeed Venture Partners, Alpine Space Ventures, and others – with an additional $500M in signed contracts across commercial and US government customers – we're mass-producing the highest-power satellite platforms ever built for missions from LEO to deep space.

The rise of heavy-lift launch vehicles is shifting the industry from an era of mass constraint to one of mass abundance, and we believe this new era demands a fundamentally different class of spacecraft. Engineered to survive the harshest radiation environments and to fully capitalize on today's and tomorrow's massive rockets, K2 satellites deliver unmatched capability at constellation scale and across multiple orbits.

With multiple launches planned through 2026 and 2027, we're Building Bigger to develop the solar system and become a Kardashev Type II (K2) civilization. If you are a motivated individual who thrives in a fast-paced environment and you're excited about contributing to the success of a groundbreaking Series C space startup, we'd love for you to apply.

The Role

The Cost Accounting Manager will assist financial leadership across manufacturing operations, with a strong focus on manufacturing processes, product costing, and overhead pool management. This role partners closely with Operations, Engineering, Supply Chain, and Product Management to ensure accurate cost visibility, disciplined financial controls, and data-driven decision-making in a complex manufacturing environment. This role will report to the Head of Finance & Accounting.

Responsibilities

Manufacturing Finance Leadership

• Serve as a finance partner to manufacturing operations, providing insight and guidance on cost performance, efficiency, and profitability

• Support operational leadership with financial analysis related to production volume, capacity utilization, labor efficiency, and make/buy decisions

Product Costing

• Assist in the product costing process, including bills of material, labor standards, overhead application, and variance analysis

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

Overhead Pools and Cost Allocation

• Help manage manufacturing overhead pools, allocation bases, and rates to ensure accuracy, transparency, and compliance

• Assist with annual and periodic overhead rate setting, monitoring, and true-up processes

Financial Planning and Analysis

• Assist with manufacturing budgets, forecasts, and long-range plans, including volume assumptions and cost drivers

• Prepare detailed cost models to support new product introductions, pricing decisions, and program bids

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in finance, accounting, economics, or a related field

• 4+ years of progressive experience in financial analysis, financial modeling, and forecasting

• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel

• Knowledge of GAAP accounting rules and their impact on financial modeling and reporting

• Exceptional communication skills to interact with cross-functional teams and ability to articulate complex financial concepts in a simple manner

• Proven ability to perform complex account reconciliations, journal entries, and financial analysis

• Strong leadership skills with a collaborative, roll-up-your-sleeves mentality

• Excellent attention to detail, organizational skills, and ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment

Nice to Have

• MBA or relevant professional certification (CPA, CFA)

• Supervisory or managerial experience

• Space industry or aerospace experience

Compensation and Benefits:

• Base salary range for this role is $110,000 – $150,000 and equity in the company

• Salary will be based on several factors including, but not limited to: knowledge and skills, education, and experience level

• Comprehensive benefits package including paid time off, medical/dental/vision coverage, life insurance, paid parental leave, and many other perks

If you don't meet 100% of the preferred skills and experience, we encourage you to still apply! Building a spacecraft unlike any other requires a team unlike any other and non-traditional career twists and turns are encouraged!

If you need a reasonable accommodation as part of your application for employment or interviews with us, please let us know.

Export Compliance

As defined in the ITAR, "U.S. Persons" include U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents (i.e., Green Card holders), and certain protected individuals (e.g., refugees/asylees, American Samoans). Please consult with a knowledgeable advisor if you are unsure whether you are a "U.S. Person."

The person hired for this role will have access to information and items controlled by U.S. export control regulations, including the export control regulations outlined in the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR). The person hired for this role must therefore either be a "U.S. person" as defined by 22 C.F.R. § 120.15 or otherwise eligible for a federally issued export control license.

Equal Opportunity

K2 Space is an Equal Opportunity Employer; employment with K2 Space is governed on the basis of merit, competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status.