Cost Accountant

Matternet is building the future of delivery with autonomous drone networks that move critical goods faster, cleaner, and at lower cost. We work with partners across healthcare, logistics, food, and retail to deliver everything from medical items to everyday essentials, safely and reliably.

We are looking for a hands-on Cost Accountant to own the cost accounting function for our drone manufacturing operations. This role is the dedicated finance partner to Manufacturing, Supply Chain, and Purchasing — responsible for the integrity of standard costs, work-in-process, production variances, and inventory valuation across both in-house assembly and subcontracted subassembly production. You will be based at our Mountain View headquarters, working day-to-day with Manufacturing, Supply Chain, and Configuration Management to make sure the numbers in SAP reflect what is actually happening on the floor.

Responsibilities: 

• Own the standard cost framework in SAP Business ByDesign for raw materials, subassemblies, and finished drones, including coordinating proposed cost updates from Purchasing and Manufacturing, validating GL mapping and valuation class, and activating costs in SAP under documented sign-off
• Run and review periodic cost rolls, both annual and ad hoc (triggered by ECOs, BOM changes, or significant supplier price changes), and lead the cross-functional sense-check before activation
• Monitor and analyze production variances, distinguishing real production efficiency from standard cost drift, and partner with Manufacturing to investigate and explain unexplained variances
• Own the monthly capitalization of labor and overhead into inventory: set and maintain absorption rates, partner with Manufacturing to keep standard hours and routings accurate, and perform the monthly capitalization entry.
• Reconcile WIP, finished goods, and raw material inventory each period; ensure production orders are settled cleanly and that month-end WIP clears without ad hoc journal entries
• Support the subcontract manufacturing cost flow, including STO-based component transfers, service-only subcontracting POs, and goods receipt at standard cost, in partnership with Purchasing and the ERP/process owner
• Maintain a quarterly purchased material cost review schedule with Purchasing, and an annual full standard cost refresh aligned to the fiscal year
• Build and maintain unit cost and margin reporting that Operations and Leadership can use to make sourcing, pricing, and capacity decisions
• Support inventory cycle counts and the annual physical inventory, ensuring adjustments flow through SAP's inventory adjustment process and not through manual journal entries
• Partner with the staff accountant and Head of Finance on month-end and year-end close for all manufacturing-related accounts, and prepare schedules and walkthroughs for external auditors
• Continuously improve cost accounting documentation: SOPs, the new product introduction (NPI) cost gate, the cost change control process, and the period-end close checklist

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field
• 4+ years of cost accounting experience in a manufacturing environment with multi-level BOMs (raw material → subassembly → finished good)
• Strong working knowledge of standard costing, WIP accounting, production order settlement, and inventory valuation under US GAAP
• Hands-on experience with an integrated ERP system (SAP, Oracle, NetSuite, Microsoft Dynamics, or similar), including the manufacturing and inventory modules
• Experience capitalizing manufacturing labor and overhead into inventory under US GAAP, including setting absorption rates and analyzing absorption variances.
• Comfort working directly with Manufacturing, Supply Chain, and Purchasing teams to gather inputs (labor rates, routings, overhead, vendor pricing) and translate them into accurate standard costs
• Demonstrated ability to investigate and explain production variances, and to distinguish standard cost drift from real operational performance
• Strong Excel skills and the ability to build clear cost and margin analyses for non-finance audiences
• Excellent attention to detail and a control mindset — you naturally separate "who proposes" from "who approves" and document your work

Preferred Qualifications:

• SAP Business ByDesign experience, particularly with Production Models, BOMs, transport lanes, and production order settlement
• Experience supporting subcontract / contract manufacturing flows, including service POs and stock transfer orders
• Background in hardware, robotics, aerospace, medical device, or other complex manufacturing environments
• CPA, CMA, or progress toward either
• Experience preparing for and supporting external audits at a venture-backed or pre-IPO company
• Familiarity with PLM and ECO processes and how they tie back to ERP material masters and standard costs

At Matternet, we’re advancing a new era of logistics, one where autonomous drones deliver what matters faster, cleaner, and more efficiently. We know our mission is challenging, but it's worth it, and we are committed to taking care of the people who make it possible.

Compensation: The expected base salary range for this role is $110,000–$145,000, based on San Francisco Bay Area market data. This range reflects the target starting pay for candidates who meet the minimum qualifications for the role. Final compensation will depend on factors such as your experience, skills, level, location, and potential impact.

Total Rewards: In addition to base pay, this role is eligible for equity along with comprehensive benefits including medical, dental, vision, life, and disability coverage; flexible spending accounts (FSA); flexible paid time off; company holidays; and a 401(k) plan.