Sr. Corporate Accountant South Waltham, MA

Sr. Accountant

We are looking for an experienced Sr. Accountant to support key accounting activities for a life sciences organization in Waltham, Massachusetts. This long-term contract position will focus on clinical accruals, R&D accruals, reconciliations, and monthly close processes while partnering with teams involved in research and development operations. The ideal candidate brings strong pharmaceutical or biotech accounting experience, advanced Excel capabilities, and the ability to work effectively across evolving systems and processes.

• Oversee clinical trial and R&D accrual accounting by reviewing contracts, financial activity, recording appropriate entries, and maintaining accurate period-end balances.

• Manage month-end close tasks, including preparation of journal entries, balance sheet support, and timely completion of assigned accounting deliverables.

• Perform detailed reconciliations across general ledger accounts and banking activity to identify variances and resolve discrepancies efficiently.

• Support accounting for research and development spending by analyzing transactions and ensuring expenses are recorded in the proper reporting period.

• Prepare and maintain schedules that substantiate account balances and provide clear documentation for internal review and audit readiness.

• Collaborate with cross-functional partners to gather accrual inputs, validate financial data, and improve the accuracy of monthly reporting.

• Use advanced Microsoft Excel to organize large data sets, build supporting analyses, and streamline recurring accounting processes.

• Contribute to accounting operations within changing systems or workflows while maintaining consistency, control, and compliance in financial reporting.