Cost Accountant

Description We are looking for a Cost Accountant to join our finance team in Huntington Beach, California. This role supports a manufacturing environment focused on clean energy solutions and will help deliver accurate cost insights, dependable reporting, and meaningful analysis for operational and financial decisions. The ideal candidate brings strong experience in standard costing, inventory analysis, and project-oriented accounting within a production setting. You will work closely with operations, engineering, and finance partners to improve visibility into performance, explain cost movements, and strengthen financial discipline.

Responsibilities:

• Support the monthly close cycle by preparing cost-related entries, reviewing results, and contributing to timely financial reporting.

• Evaluate product, job, and project margins to identify performance risks, cost drivers, and opportunities for improvement across the business.

• Analyze standard costs, bills of materials, labor usage, and overhead absorption to ensure manufacturing costs are accurate and well understood.

• Investigate variances between actual and expected results, determine root causes, and communicate findings to finance and operational leaders.

• Prepare financial analyses that compare current performance against prior periods, forecasts, and budget expectations.

• Partner with operations and engineering teams to improve cost visibility, strengthen data accuracy, and support informed business decisions.

• Contribute to budgeting and forecasting activities by developing reliable cost assumptions and performance insights.

• Help enhance reporting processes, internal controls, and process consistency, including support for new tools or system-related improvements when needed. Requirements • Experience in cost accounting within a manufacturing environment.

• Strong knowledge of standard costing, inventory accounting, and cost variance analysis.

• Familiarity with project-based accounting and percentage-of-completion revenue recognition.

• Ability to interpret bills of materials, labor rates, overhead structures, and margin performance.

• Proficiency in financial analysis and month-end reporting.

• Advanced Excel skills and comfort working with accounting or reporting systems.

• Strong communication skills with the ability to present financial findings to cross-functional teams.

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.

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