Senior Cost Accountant - Government Contracting

About Applied Intuition

Applied Intuition is the vehicle intelligence company that accelerates the global adoption of safe, AI-driven machines. Founded in 2017, Applied Intuition delivers the toolchain, Vehicle OS, and autonomy stacks to help customers build intelligent vehicles and shorten time to market. Eighteen of the top 20 global automakers and major programs across the Department of Defense trust Applied Intuition's solutions to deliver vehicle intelligence. Applied Intuition services the automotive, defense, trucking, construction, mining, and agriculture industries and is headquartered in Mountain View, CA, with offices in Washington, D.C., San Diego, CA, Ft. Walton Beach, FL, Ann Arbor, MI, London, Stuttgart, Munich, Stockholm, Seoul, and Tokyo. Learn more at appliedintuition.com.

We are an in-office company, and our expectation is that employees primarily work from their Applied Intuition office 5 days a week. However, we also recognize the importance of flexibility and trust our employees to manage their schedules responsibly. This may include occasional remote work, starting the day with morning meetings from home before heading to the office, or leaving earlier when needed to accommodate family commitments. (Note: For EpiSci job openings, fully remote work will be considered by exception.)

About the role

We are seeking a detail-oriented and experienced Cost Accountant to join our government contracting team. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in cost accounting practices tailored to federal contracts, with specialized expertise in labor distribution, multi-state payroll, timekeeping compliance, and DCAA audit readiness. This position requires deep knowledge of FAR/DFARS, DCAA requirements, and labor cost allocation under federal contracts.

At Applied Intuition, you will:

• Prepare and manage accurate labor distribution aligned with FAR cost principles and DCAA guidelines.
• Review and process time sheets to ensure compliance with DCAA and company policies.
• Perform bi-weekly reconciliations between labor distribution records and payroll system outputs.
• Investigate and resolve timecard corrections, ensuring proper audit trails and labor cost accuracy.
• Conduct compensation analysis in support of DCAA audits and internal compliance reviews.
• Support state Workers' Compensation audits through accurate payroll classification and reporting.
• Assist in the onboarding of new employees, including timekeeping training, work authorizations.
• Setups employee profiles for payroll and labor distribution processing and benefits tracking for cost accounting.
• Provide support for payroll system integrations and implementations, including data validation, testing, and mapping of labor cost elements.
• Collaborate with HR, Contracts, and Program teams to ensure accurate alignment of labor and payroll costs to project WBS, intermediate and final cost objectives.
• Maintain payroll journal entries, audit-ready labor documentation, and cost allocation records in accordance with federal standards.
• Support indirect rates development and cost allocations of fringe, overhead, and G&A pools as applicable.
• Administer labor distribution in a multi-state payroll environment, ensuring compliance with federal and state-specific tax and labor regulations.
• Process and file all required federal payroll tax forms, including Forms 940, 941, W-2, and W-3, in accordance with IRS requirements.
• Review employee classifications to ensure compliance with FLSA exempt/non-exempt regulations and correct allocation of labor costs.
• Support internal audits and DCAA reviews by maintaining proper labor and payroll documentation and audit trails.
• Provide monthly reconciliation and reporting of payroll liabilities and labor allocations within ERP systems such as Deltek Costpoint, PROCAS, or similar.
• Prepare and Maintain payroll accrual journal entries and support financial statement preparation as needed.
• Identify process improvement opportunities related to payroll, labor distribution, and compliance.
• Assist with bank reconciliations, initiating wire and ACH payments, processing deposits, and support other accounting functions as necessary.

We're looking for someone who has:

• 5+ years of experience in cost accounting and payroll within a government contracting environment.
• Solid understanding of FAR/DFARS, DCAA audit compliance, and federal labor cost allocation principles.
• Proficient with multi-state payroll and tax reporting (Forms 940, 941, W-2/W-3).
• Strong experience in labor distribution, timekeeping systems, and cost pool structures.
• Demonstrated knowledge of exempt vs. non-exempt employee classification per federal and state wage laws.
• ERP systems experience required (e.g., PROCAS, Deltek Costpoint, Unanet, ADP, Paychex, etc.).
• Strong Microsoft Excel skills and analytical capabilities.
• Excellent attention to detail, organizational, and communication skills.
• Bachelor's degree in accounting, Finance, or related field.

We're looking for someone who has:

• Experience supporting indirect rate development and cost proposal pricing.
• Prior experience in DoD or defense contracting environments.
• Active Secret Clearance

Compensation at Applied Intuition for eligible roles includes base salary, equity, and benefits. Base salary is a single component of the total compensation package, which may also include equity in the form of options and/or restricted stock units, comprehensive health, dental, vision, life and disability insurance coverage, 401k retirement benefits with employer match, learning and wellness stipends, and paid time off. Note that benefits are subject to change and may vary based on jurisdiction of employment.

Applied Intuition pay ranges reflect the minimum and maximum intended target base salary for new hire salaries for the position. The actual base salary offered to a successful candidate will additionally be influenced by a variety of factors including experience, credentials & certifications, educational attainment, skill level requirements, interview performance, and the level and scope of the position.

Please reference the job posting's subtitle for where this position will be located. For pay transparency purposes, the base salary range for this full-time position in the location listed is: $110,000 USD to $135,000 USD annually.

Don't meet every single requirement? If you're excited about this role but your past experience doesn't align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.

Applied Intuition is an equal opportunity employer and federal contractor or subcontractor. Consequently, the parties agree that, as applicable, they will abide by the requirements of 41 CFR 60-1.4(a), 41 CFR 60-300.5(a) and 41 CFR 60-741.5(a) and that these laws are incorporated herein by reference. These regulations prohibit discrimination against qualified individuals based on their status as protected veterans or individuals with disabilities, and prohibit discrimination against all individuals based on their race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or national origin. These regulations require that covered prime contractors and subcontractors take affirmative action to employ and advance in employment individuals without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status or disability. The parties also agree that, as applicable, they will abide by the requirements of Executive Order 13496 (29 CFR Part 471, Appendix A to Subpart A), relating to the notice of employee rights under federal labor laws.