Project Accountant

About the role

Located in Newport News, VA, Aery Aviation is seeking an experienced Project Accountant to join our Finance and Accounting team in our Newport News office. This role will support project-based accounting across government, aviation, maintenance, engineering, modification, and special mission programs.

The ideal candidate will have strong accounting fundamentals, experience supporting contract or project-based businesses, and preferably prior exposure to government contracting accounting, including cost tracking, labor allocation, billing support, indirect cost awareness, and compliance-oriented documentation.

This position is in-office 5 days a week - not remote or hybrid.

Who We Are Looking For

The successful candidate will be:

• Detail-oriented and highly organized.
• Comfortable working across departments.
• Accountable for accuracy and follow-through.
• Able to identify problems and recommend practical solutions.
• Professional, discreet, and dependable.
• Comfortable supporting a growing company with evolving processes.
• Able to balance accounting discipline with operational urgency.

What You Will Be Doing

The Project Accountant will be responsible for supporting accurate accounting, reporting, and financial tracking for assigned projects and contracts. Responsibilities include:

• Track project costs, labor, materials, subcontractor costs, travel, and other direct project expenses.
• Support project setup, customer/job coding, class tracking, cost codes, and contract-specific accounting requirements.
• Assist with monthly project financial reviews, including budget-to-actual analysis and variance explanations.
• Support government contract billing, commercial billing, and customer invoicing as assigned.
• Work closely with Program Managers, Operations, Business Development, and Finance leadership to ensure project financial information is accurate and timely.
• Review labor charging, timekeeping data, and cost allocations for consistency with project requirements.
• Support work-in-process accounting, project accruals, revenue recognition, and cost-to-complete analysis.
• Assist with tracking project profitability, gross margin, backlog, and contract performance.
• Help maintain documentation required for internal controls, audits, contract reviews, and customer support.
• Assist with accounts receivable follow-up, billing backup, invoice documentation, and customer reporting.
• Support monthly close activities related to assigned programs and projects.
• Identify accounting discrepancies, coding issues, missing documentation, or process gaps and help resolve them.
• Assist with improving project accounting processes, reporting tools, and internal coordination between Accounting and Operations.

You Must Have

• Minimum 5 years of accounting experience, preferably in project accounting, job cost accounting, contract accounting, or government contracting.
• Strong understanding of general accounting principles.
• Experience with project/job cost tracking and financial reporting.
• Proficiency with accounting systems and Microsoft Excel.
• Ability to work with detailed financial data and reconcile costs to supporting documentation.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Ability to communicate clearly with accounting, operations, and program management personnel.
• Comfortable working in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment.
• Ability to handle confidential financial and contract information professionally.Job Requirements

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in aviation, aerospace, defense, engineering, manufacturing, maintenance, or government contracting.
• Experience with QuickBooks Online or similar accounting software.
• Familiarity with timekeeping, labor distribution, and project-based billing systems.
• Understanding of WIP, inventory, project accruals, and revenue recognition concepts.
• Experience supporting audits, contract reviews, or compliance documentation.
• Strong Excel skills, including pivot tables, lookups, and budget-to-actual reporting.

Preferred Government Accounting Experience

Government accounting experience is strongly preferred, including familiarity with one or more of the following:

• FAR-based contract environments.
• Cost-reimbursable, fixed-price, or time-and-material contract structures.
• Direct vs. indirect cost treatment.
• Labor distribution and timekeeping requirements.
• Project/job cost accounting.
• Government billing support.
• DCAA-style documentation expectations.
• Contract funding, ceiling values, modifications, and period-of-performance tracking.
• Indirect rates, overhead, G&A, and fringe cost concepts.

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business, or a related field preferred.
• Equivalent experience may be considered.
• CPA is not required.

Aery Aviation job descriptions are meant as summarizations only. They do not necessarily reflect all duties and responsibilities of a position.

If this opportunity excites you, come join our team! 
For Aery Aviation, the question isn’t: “Can we?” When others are limited in the common approach, Aery Aviation jumps into higher gear asking, “How can we do this?” and then proceeds into problem-solving for customers. This is what customers appreciate most about Aery Aviation - avid tenacity. It’s not cookie cutter production that Aery Aviation is cultivating; it is projects that inspire the Aery Aviation work-family to come together and brainstorm, excited to come to work every day because there is always something inventive and interesting to work on.

Our Benefits:
We offer the right candidate the chance to join a forward-thinking organization, supported by a competitive compensation and benefits package. Learn more about Aery Aviation, LLC at www.aeryaviation.com.
Aery Aviation, LLC is an Equal Opportunity Employer

At Aery Aviation, we are committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic as outlined by federal, state, or local laws.