Payroll Specialist

About Us

At American Engineering Testing (AET), we believe that people are the heart of innovation. We create an environment that values teamwork, curiosity, and continuous improvement while delivering innovative engineering and consulting solutions. As a 100% employee-owned firm, we deliver comprehensive testing, analysis, and design to reduce uncertainty in construction projects and offer rewarding work, exceptional training, and career development opportunities.

Job Summary
The Payroll Specialist is accountable for a wide variety of payroll-related tasks, verifying time, attendance records, and pay rates from employees or managers. This position will enter and update payroll data into the system, calculate gross and net pay, process payments, and prepare and file payroll taxes, forms, and reports with the help of technology. This position responds to inquiries and resolves discrepancies.

This position will be responsible for maintaining payroll records and documentation as well as performing reconciliations, audits, and adjustments when necessary. It will be critical to remain current to stay up-to-date on the latest payroll laws, regulations, policies, and best practices to ensure compliance.

The Payroll Specialist will work closely with the accounting team and HR department. Integral part of finance management, ensuring compliance with all regulatory standards while optimizing payroll procedures.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Reasonable accommodations or workable solutions may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

• Process weekly payrolls accurately and on time, ensuring correct calculation of wages, deductions, taxes, and benefits in compliance with company policies and applicable regulations.
• Research and analyze payroll issues including reconciliations, over payments, taxation, and adjustments.
• Prepare and review financial statements, produce monthly compliance reports and other reports as requested.
• Provide technical payroll processing, calculation, and consulting expertise on business and technology issues that impact how/when employees are paid.
• Assist with ensuring systems are configured to be current and compliant with all federal, state, and local regulations as they perform all necessary timekeeping, pay, and taxation calculations and transactions.
• Respond to internal and external inquiries in a timely, accurate, positive and professional manner.
• Communicate proactively with team on important matters in a timely manner.
• Participate in training and other professional development activities.
• Maintain confidential records, files, and internal documentation to support accurate tracking, reporting, and compliance.
• With guidance, analyze and modify compensation and payroll tax policies to ensure compliance with legal requirements.
• Contribute to analyzing statistical data and reports to identify and determine recommendations to improve organization's policies and practices.
• Continue to build knowledge of the organization, processes, and stakeholders.
• Independently solve moderately complex issues with minimal supervision, while escalating more complex issues to appropriate staff.
• Perform other related duties as required.

Supervisory Responsibility

None

Required Qualifications and Education Requirements

• Minimum of 3 years of experience in a payroll position.
• Proficient with payroll software preferably ADP Workforce Now, as well as Microsoft Office Suite.
• Excellent Excel skills.
• Strong understanding of the complete end-to-end payroll process.
• Extensive knowledge of the payroll function including preparation, balancing, internal control, and payroll taxes.
• Strong knowledge of federal and state regulations.
• Strong mathematical and analytical skills to deal with complex payroll calculations.

Preferred Skills

• Work in the Engineering or Construction industry.
• Experience with ADP Payroll Tax Services.
• Background in Microsoft Dynamics.
• Customer Service Experience.

Pay Transparency
Base compensation is expected to be in the range of $60,000- $75,000 annually based on skill set and experience. AET offers a comprehensive benefits package, including health benefits, insurance, Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP), long-term savings, paid time off, and professional development opportunities. The selected candidate must be authorized to work for any employer in the U.S. without requiring visa sponsorship now or in the future.

Work Environment

This job primarily operates in a professional office environment. This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, and filing cabinets. This position will occasionally be required to operate in a field environment.

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear. The employee frequently is required to stand;…