Staff Accountant

Staff Accountant

Full Time

Exempt

About the Adler Planetarium

The Adler Planetarium connects people to the universe and each other. Whether introducing a guest to the Ring Nebula, a neighborhood school to a community partner, a research team to a network of citizen scientists, or one staff member to another, the Adler’s focus on meaningful connections dates back nearly a century.

Today, the museum typically hosts close to 400,000 visitors annually and reaches millions more through youth STEAM programs, neighborhood skywatching events, online citizen science, and other outreach efforts. With the Adler’s support, people of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities gain the confidence to learn more about science and space discovery, and to explore their universe together under the sky we all share.

The Position

The Adler Planetarium is seeking a Staff Accountant to join our dynamic team located on Chicago Museum Campus. The Staff Accountant is responsible for performing standard accounting functions

including journal entry preparation and account reconciliation. This individual’s duties will include:

This individual will also be responsible for:

● Assisting in month-end close procedures including journal entry preparation, account

reconciliation and account analysis for: contributions & membership revenue, investment

activity, deferred revenue, and various other revenue sources, including admissions, private

events, webstore, school group sales, outsourced catering, cafe and gift shop activity, and

CityPass/Go Chicago.

● Recording and reconciling daily activity of operating, depository, and money market bank

accounts.

● Maintaining the fixed asset ledger, including identifying and adding new assets, disposing of

assets, as well as preparing monthly depreciation journal entries.

● Responding to financial requests from internal employees and outside agencies.

● Acting as backup assistance for Accounts Payable and Payroll.

● Opportunity to grow into a Senior Accountant role in one to two years

The Work Schedule

The typical work schedule for this position is 35 hours per week. Monday through Friday Hybrid schedule: 3 days on-site with 2 days work-from-home.

The Compensation & Benefits (Full-Time)

Base Pay Range: $70,000-$77,000/yr

Work-Life Balance

• 35-hour workweek

• Eligible to accrue up to 15 vacation days per year to start

• 3 sick days as of date of hire (can accrue up to 6.5 days per year)

• 7 Adler paid holidays

• 4 Personal Holidays (Prorated for new hires starting after January 1st)

• Flexible Work Arrangements

• Paid Family Bereavement Leave & Jury Duty

• Paid Parental Leave

Competitive Health Coverage

• Medical, Dental, & Vision insurance

• Healthcare, Dependent Care & Commuter flexible spending accounts

• Adler Paid Short-Term Disability insurance

Retirement Savings Plan

• 403B plan with Adler match

• Adler match is 100% vested immediately

• Eligible to enroll as of the date of hire  

 Network of Support through our EAP programs

• Resources to help address emotional, legal, and financial issues

• Face-to-face, telephonic, and web-based services

• Free subscription to the Calm Premium app

  Employee Loan Program

  Discounted Onsite Parking Program

  Free Entrance to Chicago area museums and cultural institutions

The Person

You are a resourceful, analytical thinker who enjoys working hard and looking for challenges. You work

well as part of a team and independently, comfortable in a smaller nonprofit environment where your

support is needed for a variety of functions. You can juggle several projects while still

maintaining accuracy and meeting deadlines.

Required Qualifications:

● Bachelor’s degree

● Prior experience working with general ledger accounting packages, journal entry preparation,

account reconciliation and analysis

● Proficiency with Microsoft Excel is essential

● Ability to communicate positively and professionally with internal and external parties

● Strong knowledge of GAAP and nonprofit accounting standards

Preferred Qualifications: 

● Bachelor’s degree in Accounting

● CPA or CPA candidate is a plus

● Nonprofit accounting experience

The Adler Planetarium is dedicated to complying with its Equal Opportunity employer obligations. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to any characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law.

If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the employment process, please email the Human Resources Department at recruiting@adlerplanetarium.org with the nature of your request and your contact information. Accommodation requests will be considered on a case-by-case basis.