Staff Accountant - Part Time

Welcome to Backburner Labs

Backburner Labs is an engineering consultancy in St. Paul that designs and builds products our client scan'tbuild alone:medical devices, industrial systems, robotics, things that oftendon'texist until we make them.

That'sthe engineering side.

None of it works without the business behind it.

We'vedoubled revenue every year for five years and are preparing to move into a new headquarters to match. Growth like thatdoesn'thappen without finance, operations, andsalespeoplewho are just as sharp and just as accountable as the engineers down the hall.

We'restill small enough that your work is visible, not buried in a process nobody remembers building.

You'llhelp create the systems this company runs on as it scales, not justmaintainones someone else already figured out.

Ifyou'drather build something than babysit it,you'llfit in here.

Help build the company that'sbuildingwhat'snext.

As Backburner Labs continues to scale, our finance function needsadditionalhorsepower.

We are looking for a detail-oriented, self-sufficient accountant to own our core transactional accounting work,freeing ourCFOto focus onnewstrategic finance initiatives.

This is a six-month independent contractor engagement (1099) working alongside ourCFO. For the right person, this role offers an opportunity to grow with us over time and take on more complex accounting work as the company expands.

• Manage daily transaction entry and ensure accurate,timely syncing between our corporate card platform (Brex) andexistingaccounting system (Xero)
• Audit and clean up transaction descriptions and project classifications; follow up with team members on missing or incomplete coding
• Allocate expenses to the correct projects within Xero;maintainaccurateproject-level records throughout the month
• Process and reconcile hardware &materials invoices in Xero; generate draft invoices forCFOreview and perform materials tie-out at month-end
• Perform monthly balance sheet reconciliations, ensuring all accounts are properlysupportedand discrepancies are resolved before close
• Load and audit contractor payable invoices at month-end; verify against time-tracking data and follow up on any discrepancies
• Maintain and update month-end Excel trackers forengineeringtime, contractor activity, and related financial data
• Classify and post daily non-card transactions to Xero; ensure consistent coding across the general ledger
• Generate draft client invoices fromengineeringtime data forCFOreview
• Supportan accurateandtimelymonthly close process in collaboration with theCFO

Required:

• 3+ years of hands-on transactional accounting experience
• Proficiency with Xero (our primary accounting platform)
• Experience with Brex or similar corporate card and spend management platforms
• Strong attention to detail and accuracy
• Ability to work independently and manage priorities
• US, Minnesota-based with familiarity with US GAAP and standard accounting practices
• Comfortable working in a fast-paced, growing company with evolving processes

Preferred:

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting(or)
  Finance(equivalent experience welcome)
• Experience with Microsoft Dynamics or similar ERP platforms
• Experience with Harvest or similar time-tracking and project billing tools
• Background supporting a professional services or project-based business
• Familiarity with project-cost accounting and expense-to-project allocation

• $40–$50 per hour,commensurate with experience
• 16 hours per week that you choose, but must befixed once set
• Six-month contract term:
  October1
  - March 31, 2027
• Flexibility to workhybridorremote(Twin Cities, Minnesotarequiredfor occasional in-person collaboration)
• The chance to grow with a high-performing, engineering-driven company,with potential for expanded scope over time
• Start date ideally =>
  September 21, 2026

• Founded: 2019
• Team: ~50 people (full-time and contract employees)
• Current location:
  St Paul
  - St Anthony Park area
• Future location:
  Minneapolis
  - Prospect Park area (we have leaseda 43,000 sq ft building)
• Revenue: doubled every year for 5 years (more details shared later)
• Client retention: 93%

We're proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We welcome people of all backgrounds and believe different experiences, perspectives, and ideas make our team and our work better.