Cost Accountant

STARC Systems is seeking a highly motivated, hands‑on Cost Accountant to join our finance team and support a growing manufacturing operation. This role is designed for someone who is proactive, analytical, detail-oriented, and eager to learn. The right candidate will bring both accounting discipline and business curiosity, with the ability to turn cost and operational data into insights that support smart decisions.

This position plays a key role in inventory accounting, standard costing and variance analysis while serving as a strong business partner to Operations, Supply Chain, Engineering, and Finance. This is not a passive reporting role. It is an opportunity to help strengthen processes, improve visibility into cost drivers, support margin performance, and build a more scalable manufacturing finance function.

The essential functions include, but are not limited to the following:

• Support and maintain the company’s cost accounting structure, including inventory valuation, standard costing, and related manufacturing accounting processes.
• Assist with standard cost updates and cost roll processes, including validation of material, labor, overhead, BOM, and routing assumptions.
• Analyze and explain manufacturing variances, including material usage, purchase price variance, labor efficiency, overhead absorption, scrap, rework, and inventory‑related variances.
• Prepare and review inventory reconciliations for raw materials, work in process, finished goods, reserves, and other key balance sheet accounts.
• Support inventory accuracy through cycle count analysis, physical inventory support, adjustment review, and follow‑up on root cause issues.
• Monitor inventory transactions and costing data to help ensure completeness, accuracy, and proper financial reporting.

• Support month‑end and year‑end close activities related to inventory, cost of goods sold, accruals, and manufacturing‑related account reconciliations.
• Prepare journal entries, schedules, and supporting analysis with a strong focus on accuracy, documentation, and timeliness.
• Develop and maintain recurring reporting on gross margin, manufacturing cost, operational KPIs, and other management reporting needs.
• Assist in analyzing financial results and explaining period‑over‑period and actual‑to‑standard variances to management.

• Partner cross‑functionally with Operations, Supply Chain, Engineering, and other stakeholders to understand cost drivers, investigate issues, and support better business decisions.
• Translate financial and operational data into practical, actionable insights for non‑finance partners.
• Support profitability, pricing, and margin analysis by providing clear and reliable cost information.
• Contribute to budgeting, forecasting, and ad hoc analysis related to manufacturing costs, inventory, and operational performance.

• Leverage ERP and reporting tools to improve data integrity, reporting efficiency, and visibility into cost and inventory performance.
• Identify and help drive process improvements that reduce manual work, strengthen controls, and support a more efficient close and reporting cycle.
• Support internal and external audit requests by preparing schedules, documentation, and explanations related to inventory and cost accounting.
• Help strengthen finance documentation, process consistency, and internal controls across the manufacturing accounting cycle.
• Supports and models STARC Systems’ values and mission.
• Other duties as assigned, relevant to the role and in support of the needs of the company.

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field.
• 3+ years of relevant experience in cost accounting, manufacturing finance, financial analysis, or closely related accounting roles.
• Strong understanding of inventory accounting, standard costing, variance analysis, and U.S. GAAP within a manufacturing environment.
• Hands‑on experience working with an ERP system in a manufacturing setting. Acumatica experience is a plus.
• Advanced…