Lead Controller

Job Description:

CHIRP is looking for a detail-oriented, systems-minded Financial Controller to build and lead our in-house accounting function. This is a foundational hire responsible for establishing the accounting practices, closing discipline, financial controls, and systems infrastructure that will support CHIRP as we scale from an early-stage startup into a large, complex hardware organization.

We are looking for someone who can operate hands-on today while building for tomorrow: someone who owns the details, standardizes best practices, and turns accounting from a manual, reactive process into a rigorous, extensible financial operation. You will work closely with leadership, Finance, Operations, Manufacturing, and Supply Chain to ensure our financial records accurately reflect the business, and our accounting infrastructure scales alongside it.

The mandate: build an accounting function that works at 35 employees today and can support thousands tomorrow.

Key Responsibilities:

Accounting & Close Excellence: Own the general ledger, accounts payable and receivable, payroll accounting, reconciliations, and monthly, quarterly, and annual close processes, delivering accurate, timely, and consistent financial statements.

Scalable Processes & Internal Controls: Establish standardized accounting policies, documented procedures, approval workflows, and internal controls that create consistency, accountability, and audit readiness as the organization grows.

Financial Systems & Automation: Build and scale accounting systems, ERP infrastructure, integrations, and AI-enabled workflows that reduce manual work, improve data integrity, and support increasingly complex financial operations.

Manufacturing & Operational Accounting: Develop robust accounting practices for inventory, cost of goods sold, fixed assets, procurement, production costs, and program-level expenses in partnership with Manufacturing, Supply Chain, and Operations.

Required Qualifications:

• 8+ years of experience in accounting, controllership, audit, or financial operations, ideally in a high-growth or hardware/manufacturing environment.
• Strong command of GAAP, financial statements, general ledger management, reconciliations, and month-end close.
• Demonstrated ability to build repeatable accounting processes and scalable controls rather than simply maintain existing ones.
• Experience implementing, configuring, or scaling ERP and accounting systems; familiarity with NetSuite or manufacturing ERP platforms is a plus.
• Understanding of inventory accounting, cost accounting, and manufacturing financial operations.
• High attention to detail, strong organizational discipline, and a bias toward ownership and execution.
• Technically curious and motivated to leverage automation and AI to improve accounting workflows and financial data quality.
• Ability to communicate clearly across Finance, Engineering, Operations, and executive leadership.
• Must be a U.S. citizen and able to work on-site in Torrance, CA or Austin, TX.

Preferred Qualifications:

• CPA or equivalent accounting qualification.
• Experience in aerospace, defense, robotics, or another regulated hardware industry.
• Experience with ERP implementation or scale-up, including NetSuite or manufacturing-focused platforms.
• Experience building accounting systems and processes for a rapidly scaling organization.

$150,000 - $250,000 a year

Company Overview

CHIRP Robotics is a well-funded seed-stage startup operating in stealth mode and based in Torrance, California. The company aims to become a leading U.S. provider of modular intelligence and autonomous systems for a wide range of vehicles and applications. It has an impressive portfolio of patents on the hardware side and IP in software and algorithms. CHIRP’s CEO, a founding member of SpaceX, brings extensive technical expertise, a strong professional network, and significant business leadership experience.

Why Join Us?

• Opportunity to build the accounting foundation for a growing hardware and robotics company.
• Meaningful ownership over financial infrastructure, systems, and operating practices.
• Direct collaboration with company leadership and cross-functional teams.
• Competitive salary and benefits package.

We're not looking for someone to inherit a mature accounting organization. We're looking for someone who can build one.