Accounting Lead

Swarm Aero is redefining air power, building the largest swarming UAV and the most versatile swarming aircraft network in the world. The company is moving quickly to launch the first aircraft designed specifically for swarming, as well as the Command & Control software to mobilize swarms of thousands of heterogeneous autonomous assets and empower human operators to achieve superhuman results. The team has created and exited multiple startups, negotiated defense deals worth billions of dollars, and designed and built 30+ novel aircraft, with aerospace experience from Scaled Composites, Airbus, Archer Aviation, Blue Origin, and Boom Supersonic. THE OPPORTUNITY There's a version of an accounting career where the chart of accounts is already built, the close schedule is set, and your job is to run the process. It's stable. Predictable. And for the right person at the right time, exactly what they need. This isn't that role. We're looking for someone ready to build the infrastructure from scratch and grow into the compliance demands of a defense business. As our first dedicated accounting hire, you'll own the close, configure the ERP, and establish the policies that scale with us. And as we win government contracts, a meaningful part of this role becomes tracking costs against contract line items, building job-cost structures, and staying current on what compliance actually requires. We don't expect you to have run a DCAA audit at a prime. We do expect enough familiarity with government contract accounting to build it correctly and learn fast. The strongest candidates have seen both sides: enough contract finance exposure to understand the framework, and enough time at a smaller operation to understand the reasoning behind the practices, not just the practices themselves. WHAT YOU'LL DO • Own the full accounting cycle: month-end/year-end close, AP/AR, cash management, and financial reporting • Manage NetSuite as the core ERP, configuring and maintaining it to support current operations and future manufacturing scale • Build and maintain accounting policies, internal controls, and scalable processes from the ground up • Prepare financial statements, variance analyses, and management reports for leadership and board distribution • Design and implement cost accounting systems for hardware manufacturing, including inventory, WIP, and COGS tracking • Own government contract accounting as we scale: tracking costs to contract line items (CLINs), building job-cost structures, and ensuring compliance with DCAA and FAR/DFARS requirements • Manage audit relationships and ensure GAAP and regulatory compliance • Partner with operations and supply chain on financial processes tied to manufacturing and procurement WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR Required • 5+ years of progressive accounting experience • Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field • Direct experience in hardware manufacturing, R&D, or inventory-intensive businesses • Proven track record managing full-cycle accounting independently • ERP configuration experience, NetSuite strongly preferred • Strong GAAP knowledge and understanding of internal controls • Startup mentality: resourceful, adaptable, comfortable with ambiguity Strongly Preferred • CPA certification or actively pursuing • Aerospace, automotive, or defense industry experience • Cost accounting, inventory management, and bill-of-materials experience • Exposure to government contract accounting, CLIN-based cost tracking, or project/job-cost structures • Familiarity with DCAA audit expectations or FAR/DFARS cost principles • Experience at a smaller operation where you had to understand the reasoning behind practices, not just execute them Nice to Have • NetSuite implementation, migration, or development experience with strong financial acumen • Experience supporting audits or implementing SOX controls • Knowledge of revenue recognition standards (ASC 606) • SQL or data analytics skills WHO YOU ARE • Detail-Obsessed: N