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Cost Accountant

Robert Half Accountemps

Half Moon Bay, CAContract / TemporarySeen todaySeen in employer's feed today

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At a glance

Compensation
No compensation found
Location
Half Moon Bay, CA
Schedule
Contract / Temporary
Work Authorization
Not specified

Olive focuses on jobs in the United States, including remote roles you can work from there.

Requirements

Credentials this posting asks for.

Bachelor's degree, required

Job overview

Robert Half is seeking analytical, detail-oriented Cost Accountants for contract and contract-to-hire opportunities with companies across several Bay Area industries. The roles focus on cost analysis, profitability, budgeting, and operational insights. Candidates should have 3+ years of relevant accounting experience, a bachelor's degree in a related field, ERP system knowledge, and advanced Excel skills. CPA, CMA, or CPA-track status is preferred.

Skills & qualifications

RequiredNice to have

Skills

Cost Accounting, requiredProject Accounting, requiredManufacturing Accounting, requiredERP Systems, requiredSAP, requiredOracle, requiredNetSuite, requiredMicrosoft Dynamics, requiredSage Intacct, requiredJD Edwards, requiredEpicor, requiredAcumatica, requiredMicrosoft Excel, requiredPivotTables, requiredXLOOKUPs, requiredFinancial Modeling, requiredCost Accounting Principles, requiredVariance Analysis, requiredInventory Accounting, requiredStandard Costing, requiredJob Costing, requiredBudgeting, requiredForecasting, requiredManufacturing, nice to haveConstruction, nice to haveInventory Management, nice to haveSupply Chain Operations, nice to haveERP Implementations, nice to haveSystem Conversions, nice to haveProcess Improvement, nice to haveAudit Support, nice to haveCompliance, nice to have

Qualifications

3+ Years Cost Accounting, Project Accounting, or Manufacturing Accounting Experience, requiredBachelor's in Accounting, Finance, Business, or Related Field, requiredCPA, nice to haveCMA, nice to haveCPA-Track, nice to have

Benefits

Medical Insurance
Vision Insurance
Dental Insurance
401(k) Match

Full job description

Description

Robert Half is seeking analytical and detail-oriented Cost Accountants for contract and contract-to-hire opportunities with manufacturing, construction, life sciences, real estate, and technology companies throughout the Bay Area.

These roles are ideal for accounting professionals who excel at analyzing costs, improving profitability, supporting budgeting processes, and providing operational insights that drive business decisions. The ideal candidate will have 3+ years of cost accounting experience and strong ERP system knowledge.

Key Responsibilities

  • Analyze product, project, labor, and operational costs to identify trends and variances.

  • Prepare and maintain standard cost models and cost allocation methodologies.

  • Review inventory valuations, cost of goods sold, and manufacturing or project costs.

  • Perform monthly cost accounting close activities, journal entries, and reconciliations.

  • Analyze actual costs versus budget, forecast, and standard costs.

  • Partner with operations, procurement, project management, and finance teams to improve cost visibility.

  • Assist with budgeting, forecasting, and financial planning activities.

  • Support inventory counts and reconciliations, including cycle counts and physical inventories.

  • Develop and maintain cost reports, KPIs, and management reporting packages.

  • Identify process improvement opportunities to enhance profitability and operational efficiency.

Requirements

Qualifications

  • 3+ years of Cost Accounting, Project Accounting, or Manufacturing Accounting experience.

  • Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Business, or related field.

  • Experience working with ERP systems such as:

  • SAP

  • Oracle

  • NetSuite

  • Microsoft Dynamics

  • Sage Intacct

  • JD Edwards

  • Epicor

  • Acumatica

  • Advanced Microsoft Excel skills, including PivotTables, XLOOKUPs, and financial modeling.

  • Strong understanding of:

  • Cost accounting principles

  • Variance analysis

  • Inventory accounting

  • Standard costing

  • Job costing

  • Budgeting and forecasting

Preferred Experience

  • Manufacturing or construction industry experience.

  • Experience with inventory management and supply chain operations.

  • Exposure to ERP implementations, system conversions, or process improvement initiatives.

  • CPA, CMA, or CPA-track preferred.

  • Experience supporting audits and compliance requirements.

Robert Half is the world’s first and largest specialized talent solutions firm that connects highly qualified job seekers to opportunities at great companies. We offer contract, temporary and permanent placement solutions for finance and accounting, technology, marketing and creative, legal, and administrative and customer support roles.

Robert Half works to put you in the best position to succeed. We provide access to top jobs, competitive compensation and benefits, and free online training. Stay on top of every opportunity - whenever you choose - even on the go. Download the Robert Half app (https://www.roberthalf.com/us/en/mobile-app) and get 1-tap apply, notifications of AI-matched jobs, and much more.

All applicants applying for U.S. job openings must be legally authorized to work in the United States. Benefits are available to contract/temporary professionals, including medical, vision, dental, and life and disability insurance. Hired contract/temporary professionals are also eligible to enroll in our company 401(k) plan. Visit roberthalf.gobenefits.net for more information.

© 2025 Robert Half. An Equal Opportunity Employer. M/F/Disability/Veterans. By clicking “Apply Now,” you’re agreeing to Robert Half’s Terms of Use (https://www.roberthalf.com/us/en/terms) and Privacy Notice (https://www.roberthalf.com/us/en/privacy) .

How this job compares

Set against the 3,266 open Accountant jobs on Olive Jobs, counted November 15, 2026.

Pay
  • This postingNot listed
  • California median$95–130K/yr147 salary ranges
  • California median$35–40/hr39 hourly ranges
Openings
Olive Jobs lists 339 open Accountant jobs in California and 3,266 across the US. 4% of them nationwide are listed as remote or flexible.
Hiring the most in California
Experience
This posting asks for at least 3 years of experience; Accountant postings that state a minimum ask for 3 years at the median (2,241 postings).
Education
This posting asks for a bachelor's degree; 1,733 of the 3,266 open Accountant jobs (53%) ask for a bachelor's degree or higher.

Counted across the open, public US postings on Olive Jobs on November 15, 2026. Figures based on too few postings are left out.

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