ARA’s accounts payable team in Champaign, IL, is seeking a driven, passionate, and career-minded entry-level accounting assistant who is committed to customer service, organization, and a strong attention to detail.

What you will do as an entry-level accounting assistant:

• Review and verify employee travel and expense reimbursements for accuracy and compliance with ARA policies
• Process employee reimbursements for payment in a timely manner
• Accurately enter general ledger (GL) codes and descriptions to company credit card expenses
• Enter vouchers and journal entries into the Costpoint accounting system
• Manage electronic accounts payable and report archives
• Create data entry forms using MS Access
• Review project budget spreadsheets for accuracy
• Engage in team meetings surrounding deadlines, goals, and projects the team supports

Entry-level accounting assistant requirements:

• High school diploma or equivalent
• Highly efficient computer skills with the ability and willingness to learn new programs/skills
• Familiarity with Microsoft Office, particularly Excel and Word
• Detail-oriented, proactive, and organized with a strong work ethic
• Customer service focused with excellent time management and prioritization skills
• Self-motivated with the ability to manage independent tasks and/or projects
• Requires ability to:
  • Communicate effectively (both verbal and written)
  • Enter data accurately into computer systems
  • Think critically and pay acute attention to details
  • Build relationships and work collaboratively with team members
  • Work independently and take ownership of individual tasks
• Familiarity with accounting procedures preferred

About ARA:

ARA is an employee-owned international research and engineering company recognized for providing technically superior solutions to complex and challenging problems in the physical sciences. The company, founded in Albuquerque, NM, in 1979, currently employs more than 2,000 professionals and continues to grow. ARA offices throughout the United States and Canada provide a broad range of technical expertise in civil technologies, computer software and simulation, defense technologies, systems analysis, environmental technologies, and testing and measurement. The corporation also provides sophisticated technical products for pavement analysis, environmental site characterization, and robotics.

At ARA, employees are our greatest assets. The corporation realizes that employee ownership spawns greater creativity and initiative along with higher performance and customer satisfaction levels. ARA gives its employees the tools, training, and opportunities to take more active roles as owners. The culture is challenging; innovation and experimentation are the norm. Employees are eligible for contributions which not only add to the company’s success, but also their own through the Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP). The motto, “Engineering and Science for Fun and Profit” sums up the ARA experience.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities

The contractor will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor’s legal duty to furnish information. 41 CFR 60-1.35(c)