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Salary: USD 250,000 - 300,000 / annual
Periodic Labs is an AI and physical sciences company building state-of-the-art models to accelerate breakthroughs across materials, energy, and beyond. Backed by world-class investors, the company operates at the pace the frontier requires.
You will be hired as Periodic Labs' first in-house Controller, owning the integrity and day-to-day operation of the accounting function. This is a hands-on builder role where you will review and conduct accounting analysis while shaping the overall accounting function as the company scales.
Key Responsibilities:
- Own the monthly, quarterly, and annual close process, including general ledger, consolidations, reconciliations, accruals, journal entries, and GAAP financial statement preparation.
- Manage daily accounting operations and build robust processes across procurement, vendor management, employee expenses, revenue, and capital expenditure management.
- Develop a close and reporting cadence that gives leadership reliable visibility into income statement, balance sheet, cash flow, working capital, and period-over-period changes. Partner with Strategic Finance on forecasts, runway analysis, board materials, and investor reporting.
- Own accounting policies and technical conclusions for leases, fixed assets, leasehold improvements, prepaid services, equity and stock-based compensation, R&D arrangements, capitalization, foreign currency, and commercial agreements.
- Oversee accounting for U.S. and international entities, including intercompany activity, statutory reporting, payroll obligations, and U.K., Canadian, and U.S. compliance coordination.
- Enhance NetSuite functionality and integrations to ensure scalable, flexible reporting as the company grows.
- Work cross-functionally with Legal, People, Operations, Lab Operations, and technical teams to evaluate accounting and control implications of new contracts, programs, facilities, and business models.
- Serve as the key point of contact with external advisors including auditors and tax advisors.
Requirements:
- 10+ years of progressive accounting experience, including meaningful ownership of an end-to-end accounting function and experience leading or playing a central role in building up a company's accounting team from the ground up.
- Active CPA license and strong command of U.S. GAAP.
- Track record leading and managing an accounting team with clear standards and accountability.
- Deep, hands-on experience with monthly close, financial-statement preparation, balance sheet reconciliations, audit support, and internal controls.
- Strong NetSuite experience and familiarity with modern finance tools such as Ramp and Rippling.
- Experience in a rapidly growing, venture-backed company where processes, systems, and responsibilities are still being built.
- Ability to move comfortably between technical accounting questions and detailed operational work; willingness to investigate reconciliations, review invoices, or write accounting memos independently.
- Clear written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to explain accounting issues to non-accounting audiences.
- High integrity, strong attention to detail, and ability to operate with agency.
- Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field, or equivalent professional experience.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Public-accounting experience at a Big Four or nationally recognized audit firm.
- Experience with laboratory, hardware, robotics, manufacturing, infrastructure, or other capital-intensive operations.
- Experience accounting for large cloud-compute commitments, fixed assets, construction projects, or leasehold improvements.
- Multi-entity and international accounting experience, particularly involving the U.K. or Canada.
- Familiarity with ASC 842, ASC 718, ASC 606, R&D arrangements, equity financings, and complex or nonstandard contracts.
- Experience building an accounting function or hiring and developing an internal accounting team.
- Experience building an AI-native accounting function to automate processes, improve efficiency, and accelerate month-end close.
