Senior Manufacturing Accountant

Senior Manufacturing Accountant

Job Description As the first Senior Manufacturing Accountant, you will play a pivotal role as a financial co-pilot for our Operations and Production teams. Your responsibilities will include establishing costing, optimizing inventory valuation, tracking complex Bills of Materials (BOM), and providing essential financial insights to scale our drone manufacturing efficiently. In this role, you will actively support the production strategy and build the financial infrastructure required for hardware manufacturing and sustainment. Responsibilities

- 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.
- Develop, document, and implement costing methodologies for all drone models, components, and sub-assemblies.
- Lead the tracking and analysis of manufacturing cost variances and work with production leaders to drive cost-reduction initiatives.
- Work with the Operations team to establish and oversee inventory management processes.
- Ensure accurate valuation of raw materials, Work-in-Progress (WIP), and finished goods.
- Partner with the Director of Manufacturing and Supply Chain to develop annual budgets, rolling forecasts, and operational KPIs.
- Analyze and explain manufacturing variances and drive corrective actions with operations teams.
- Evaluate Capital Expenditure (CapEx) requests for new manufacturing equipment and provide ROI and payback analyses.
- Model 'make vs. buy' scenarios for critical drone components to optimize the supply chain.
- Play a critical role in the implementation and optimization of our ERP system as it relates to accounting, manufacturing, inventory, and supply chain modules.
- Establish robust internal controls around the production floor, inventory movement, and procurement.
- 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.

Essential Skills

- Bachelors degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field (CMA and/or CPIM preferred).
- 5+ years of progressive finance or accounting experience, with a minimum of 3 years in cost/manufacturing accounting.
- Experience with Government contracting and DCAA audits preferred.
- Proven experience in a high-growth hardware startup or complex manufacturing environment.
- Understanding of Bills of Materials (BOMs), routing, labor variances, and hardware supply chain dynamics.
- Hands-on experience implementing or managing accounting and project management modules within a major ERP system.
- Advanced Excel skills and proficiency with data visualization tools.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

- Comfortable with ambiguity and adaptable to a startup environment.
- Excellent communication skills with the ability to translate complex financial concepts to non-financial engineers and plant managers.

Work Environment This position requires a full-time, on-site presence, working five days a week in Sterling. Contact Me: Kaitland Clawson, Recruiter Practice Lead View my availability here: Book a Meeting LinkedIn Connect
Job Type & Location
This is a Permanent position based out of Sterling, VA.
Pay and Benefits
The pay range for this position is $125000.00 - $155000.00/yr. Individual compensation offered for this position within this range will depend on many factors, including qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge, geographic location, internal equity, and other pertinent job-related factors. 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&D
Job Type & Location
This is a Permanent position based out of Sterling, VA.
Application Deadline
This position is anticipated to close on Nov 20, 2026.
Workplace Type
This is a fully onsite position in Sterling,VA.

About Aston Carter

Aston Carter provides world-class corporate talent solutions to thousands of clients across the globe. Specialized in accounting, finance, human resources, talent acquisition, procurement, supply chain and select administrative professions, we extend the capabilities of industry-leading companies. We draw on our deep recruiting expertise and expansive network to meet the evolving needs of our clients and talent community with agility and excellence. With offices across the U.S., Canada, Asia Pacific and Europe, Aston Carter serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing® Platinum Award winner for both client and talent service.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification or adjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability, please email [email protected] for other accommodation options.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in the city and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector: It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI): We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process, including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applications and qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, you acknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.