Staff Accountant - Fixed Assets & General Ledger

At Vast, our mission is to contribute to a future where billions of people are living and thriving in space. We are building artificial gravity space stations, allowing long-term stays in space without the adverse effects of zero-gravity. Our initial crewed space habitat will be Haven-1, scheduled to be the world’s first commercial space station when it launches into low earth orbit in May 2026. Our team is all-in, committed to executing our mission safely and on time. If you want to work with the most talented people on Earth furthering space exploration for humanity, come join us.

Vast is looking for a Staff Accountant - Fixed Assets & General Ledger, reporting to the Controller, to support the development of the systems that will be required for the design and build of artificial-gravity human-rated space stations.

This will be a full-time, exempt position located in our Long Beach location.

Responsibilities: 

Fixed Asset Management: 

• Maintain the fixed asset register, ensuring all assets are recorded accurately.
• Track acquisitions, disposals, transfers, and adjustments to fixed assets (fixed asset rollforward)
• Ensure proper classification of assets based on their respective categories (e.g., leasehold improvement, furniture & fixtures, machinery & equipment, vehicles, etc.)
• Calculate and record depreciation and amortization in accordance with company policies and accounting standards (US GAAP).
• Review and analyze depreciation schedules to ensure accuracy and timely entries.
• Review fixed asset subledger and identify impaired assets or assets that could potentially be sold if no longer in use at the Mojave site 

Financial Reporting:

• Prepare and assist with monthly, quarterly, and annual financial statements.
• Reconcile balance sheet accounts and investigate discrepancies.
• Assist in monthly variance analysis
• Any ad-hoc tasks related to month-end close 

General Ledger Management:

• Post journal entries and process monthly close activities.
• Maintain and update general ledger accounts.
• Ensure proper documentation and support for all entries. 

Cross-Department Collaboration: 

• Work closely with departments such as IT, facilities, engineering, and operations to ensure that new assets are properly recorded and disposed assets are accurately tracked.
• Coordinate with procurement and finance team regarding capital expenditures and asset capitalization, focusing mainly on actuals vs forecast
• Assist with building the annual capex budget on a yearly basis

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration or similar field 
• 1-2 years experience directly related to fixed assets

Preferred Skills & Experience:

• Experience with facilities & machinery within an aerospace industry
• Familiar with amortizing prepaid expenses
• Knowledge of computer applications and the ability to easily navigate through different computer software programs
• Knowledge of NetSuite
• Ability to work effectively in a team environment
• Ability to make independent judgments with limited information
• Logical and strategic approach to solving problems
• Comfortable working in a high-stress environment balancing several projects at any given time, and the flexibility to adjust for abrupt changes in strategic direction.

Additional Requirements:

• Ability to travel up to 10% of the time (Hawthorne & Mojave site)
• Willingness to work evenings and/or weekends to support critical mission milestones
• Ability to lift up to 25 lbs unassisted

Salary Range: California$73,000—$105,000 USDCOMPENSATION AND BENEFITS   Base salary will vary depending on job-related knowledge, education, skills, experience, business needs, and market demand. Salary is just one component of our comprehensive compensation package. Full-time employees also receive company equity, as well as access to a full suite of compelling benefits and perks, including: 100% medical, dental, and vision coverage for employees and dependents, flexible paid time off for exempt staff and up to 10 days of vacation for non-exempt staff, paid parental leave, short and long-term disability insurance, life insurance, access to a 401(k) retirement plan, One Medical membership, ClassPass credits, personalized mental healthcare through Spring Health, and other discounts and perks. We also take pride in offering exceptional food perks, with snacks, drip coffee