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Stoke Space

Fully reusable rocket launch provider.

Payroll Administrator / Accounting Specialist

Full-TimeUpdated on 10/23/2026
$76.5k - $115k+ Stock options + 401(k) match
Mid, Senior
Bachelor's, Associate's
Kent, WA, USA
In Person
AccountingPayroll Accounting, Accounts Payable/Receivable
No H1B Sponsorship
US Citizenship Required

About the job

Requirements
  • Associate's or bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or a related field is preferred.
  • Four to six years of experience in payroll administration or accounting operations, including hands-on multi-state payroll processing, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
  • Working knowledge of payroll taxes, deductions, wage and hour requirements, and payroll compliance.
  • Experience with Rippling or a similar payroll/HRIS platform; direct Rippling experience is preferred.
  • Experience with Accounts Payable and/or Accounts Receivable processes is preferred.
  • Strong Excel skills and ability to work comfortably with transactional data.
  • Experience with ERP or accounting systems.
  • Ability to manage multiple priorities and meet recurring deadlines.
  • Ability to handle confidential employee and financial information appropriately.
  • Experience in a manufacturing, aerospace, technology, or other fast-paced environment is preferred.
  • Experience supporting payroll and accounting system implementations or process improvements is preferred.
  • Experience working in an environment with developing or evolving accounting processes and internal controls is preferred.
  • Must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., or protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), due to ITAR export-control requirements.
  • Must be able to prove identity and authorization to work in the U.S.; employment eligibility verification and re-verification may be required.
Responsibilities
  • Process bi-weekly, multi-state payroll through Rippling accurately and on time, including employee wages, overtime, bonuses, deductions, reimbursements, and other payroll transactions.
  • Review and validate employee timecards and payroll changes in Rippling before each payroll run.
  • Review payroll reports and resolve discrepancies before payroll is finalized.
  • Respond to employee payroll questions and research and resolve payroll-related issues.
  • Support payroll tax filings, quarterly and year-end reporting, and W-2 processing.
  • Monitor compliance with applicable federal, state, and local wage and hour requirements.
  • Perform payroll-related general ledger reconciliations and support month-end close.
  • Maintain accurate payroll documentation and records and support internal and external audit requests.
  • Identify opportunities to improve payroll processes, controls, and system utilization.
  • Partner with HR during employee leaves of absence, including FMLA, short- and long-term disability, parental leave, and state leaves, to ensure accurate payroll adjustments, compliant pay distribution, and proper benefit deduction catch-ups.
  • Maintain vendor master data, including new vendor setup and changes to existing vendor information.
  • Review vendor setup documentation for completeness and accuracy.
  • Validate vendor information and support controls designed to prevent duplicate, inaccurate, or fraudulent vendor records.
  • Assist with AP-related inquiries and resolution of vendor account issues.
  • Support AP transaction review and other transactional accounting activities as needed.
  • Monitor customer invoicing and collections processed through third-party billing and payment platforms such as Stripe and Maxio.
  • Review customer invoices and billing activity for accuracy, completeness, and consistency with contractual or billing requirements.
  • Monitor outstanding accounts receivable balances, aging, payment status, and collection activity through third-party platforms.
  • Investigate billing, payment, and collection exceptions and coordinate with internal stakeholders and customers to resolve discrepancies.
  • Follow up on past-due balances and support collection activities as needed.
  • Review and reconcile billing and payment activity from third-party platforms to accounting records and assist with resolution of differences.
  • Maintain documentation supporting invoicing, collections, and customer account activity.
  • Assist with month-end close activities related to payroll, AP, and AR.
  • Prepare supporting schedules and documentation for internal and external audits.
  • Maintain organized and complete accounting records.
  • Assist with process documentation and implementation of internal controls.
  • Support Finance and Accounting projects and other transactional accounting activities as needed.
Desired Qualifications
  • Experience with Rippling directly.
  • Experience with Accounts Payable and/or Accounts Receivable processes.
  • Experience in a manufacturing, aerospace, technology, or other fast-paced environment.
  • Experience supporting payroll and accounting system implementations or process improvements.
  • Experience working in an environment with developing or evolving accounting processes and internal controls.

About the company

Stoke Space is developing Nova rockets with full stage reuse to enable high-cadence, lower-cost access to orbit for commercial satellite operators and government missions. The rockets are designed for rapid reuse of both stages, supporting frequent flights and lower operating costs compared to expendable or partially reusable fleets. The company is progressing toward its first orbital flight with Nova Pathfinder around early 2027, followed by Nova Block 2 capable of lifting about 15 metric tons to low Earth orbit later in the decade. Stoke aims to accelerate reusable launch development and establish a dependable, high-frequency launch capability for customers.

Company Size

201-500

Company Stage

Series E

Total Funding

$2.4B

Headquarters

Kent, Washington

Founded

2019

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Simplify Jobs

Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • Sept. 8, 2026 Reuters said the round values Stoke near $10 billion.
  • Launch Complex 14 at Cape Canaveral advances, giving Stoke a real Florida pad.
  • Kevin Weil joined the board in 2026, strengthening software, product, and fundraising credibility.

What critics are saying

  • Nova Pathfinder slips past 2027, delaying revenue and handing customers to SpaceX.
  • Any 2027 orbital failure stalls certification, burns cash, and forces another expensive redesign.
  • Block 2 faces a brutal capital wall; one slip risks a stranded, pre-revenue company.

What makes Stoke Space unique

  • 100% reusable Nova architecture targets both stages, unlike partial-reuse Falcon-class rivals.
  • Sept. 2026 Series E lifted total capital to $2.3 billion, funding full-stack reuse.
  • Nova Block 2 targets 15 tons to LEO, pairing medium-lift capacity with rapid turnaround.

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Benefits

  • Health Insurance
  • Dental Insurance
  • Vision Insurance
  • Life Insurance
  • 401(k) Company Match
  • Paid Vacation
  • Flexible Work Hours
  • Company Equity

Growth & Insights and Company News

6 month growth

4%

1 year growth

2%

2 year growth

1%
Stoke Space
Sep 9th, 2026
Stoke Space Raises $1 Billion to Accelerate Fully Reusable Launch

Seamless mobility to, through, and from space. Nova is built for 100% reusability, from the start.

Main-Post
Sep 8th, 2026
Porsche SE invests low double-digit millions in US rocket firm Stoke Space

Porsche SE, the majority shareholder of Volkswagen, has invested in US rocket company Stoke Space Technologies. The Stuttgart-based holding company of the Porsche and Piëch families committed a low double-digit million euro amount to the space venture. Stoke Space is developing a two-stage carrier rocket designed for full reusability, enabling higher launch frequency and significantly lower costs than conventional rockets. According to Porsche SE chief Hans Dieter Pötsch, this approach is similar to Elon Musk's SpaceX, which currently dominates the rocket launch market. This marks Porsche SE's second investment in the space sector. In 2021, the holding company invested in Bavarian rocket startup Isar Aerospace, acquiring a low single-digit percentage stake. Stoke Space's "Nova" rocket is scheduled for its first launch in early 2027.

Bloomberg
Aug 13th, 2026
Stoke Space Is Raising $1 Billion to Fund Flagship Nova Rocket

Stoke Space Technologies Inc. is raising $1 billion to accelerate development and production of a fully reusable rocket to challenge Elon Musk’s SpaceX, people familiar with the matter said.

Associated Press
Jul 8th, 2026
Former OpenAI executive Kevin Weil joins Stoke Space board as reusable rocket firm eyes commercial operations

Stoke Space has appointed Kevin Weil to its board of directors. Weil brings over 20 years of technology leadership experience from roles at OpenAI, Planet Labs, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Most recently, he served as vice president of science at OpenAI, focusing on applying AI to scientific discovery. Stoke Space is developing Nova, a fully reusable medium-lift launch vehicle. The company aims to provide low-cost, on-demand space transport with aircraft-like frequency. Weil was part of management teams that took Twitter and Planet public and helped scale Instagram and ChatGPT into global platforms. Stoke's technology development has been funded by the US Space Force, DIU, NASA, and the National Science Foundation. Weil holds degrees in physics and mathematics from Harvard and Stanford.

Business Wire
Feb 11th, 2026
Stoke Space Technologies Extends Previously Announced Series D Financing to $860 Million

Stoke Space Technologies extends previously announced Series D Financing to $860 million.