What are the responsibilities and job description for the Staff Accountant position at Helix Linear Technologies?
Department: Finance
Reports to: Controller
Location: Onsite, Beachwood, OH
Helix Linear Technologies designs and manufactures high-precision motion control systems for industries where performance matters most, like aerospace, medical devices, and advanced automation. We’re in a phase of exciting growth, investing in R&D, advanced equipment, and new product lines, including aerospace-grade ball screws.
Our clean, climate-controlled facility is built for precision, focus, and continuous improvement. At Helix, you’ll join a team that values ownership, curiosity, and cross-functional collaboration.
We’re looking for a detail-oriented and curious Staff Accountant to support daily accounting operations while learning cost accounting in a fast-paced manufacturing environment. This is a great opportunity for someone with a strong accounting foundation, someone who understands financial statements and trial balances, and who wants to apply that knowledge in a business where the numbers connect directly to operations.
You’ll report directly to the Controller, working closely with the CFO, Accounting Manager, and cross-functional teams. Your work will keep our books accurate, our costs understood, and leadership equipped to make smart financial decisions.
Core Accounting & Month-End Close
● Maintain the general ledger and trial balance, ensuring accuracy and compliance.
● Prepare journal entries, accruals, and reconciliations for month-end close.
● Assist in preparing financial statements and supporting schedules.
● Ensure timely and accurate reporting to the Accounting Manager, Controller and CFO.
Cost Accounting & Inventory Analysis
● Review and close production jobs daily to confirm labor, material, and overhead costs are captured accurately.
● Perform variance analysis to identify jobs running over budget; work with production to investigate and explain variances.
● Assist with standard cost updates, cost rolls, and BOM (Bill of Materials) creation and maintenance.
● Monitor inventory transactions to ensure accurate costing; reconcile inventory accounts monthly.
● Support weekly cycle counts and monthly/quarterly physical inventory, ensuring discrepancies are investigated and resolved.
Gross Margin & Profitability Insights
● Prepare monthly gross margin analysis by customer, product, and part number.
● Provide cost visibility to Sales and leadership to improve pricing and quoting accuracy.
● Identify trends, cost drivers, and opportunities to improve margins and profitability.
● Partner with operations to connect financial results with business performance.
Accounts Payable
● Enter vendor invoices accurately and perform 3-way matching against POs and receipts.
● Work closely with Purchasing and Receiving to resolve discrepancies and ensure vendor accuracy.
● Support vendor payment runs, maintain vendor files, and assist with communications.
● Track AP aging and support cash flow planning with the Controller.
Cross-Functional Support & Projects
● Collaborate with Production, Engineering, Purchasing, and Sales to investigate cost issues and recommend solutions.
● Support continuous improvement initiatives across accounting and operations (e.g., better cost capture, faster close, streamlined AP)
● Participate in ERP system projects, audits, and other special projects as assigned.
● Actively connect the “why” behind the numbers with real shop-floor activity.
● Demonstrated ability to independently manage workload, ask the right questions, and deliver accurate results without constant oversight.
● Weekly job cost reviews completed and communicated with production for all jobs over designated price point.
● Monthly gross margin report completed within 15 days of month-end.
● Costing coverage of at least 75–80% of total monthly sales dollars.
● Strong foundation in accounting, you understand debits/credits, trial balances, and how they roll up into financial statements.
● Curious and engaged, you want to know the “why” behind the numbers, not just post them.
● Adaptable, you’re comfortable moving between detailed accounting work and cross-functional collaboration on the shop floor.
● Proactive and reliable, you take ownership, follow through, and don’t need to be told twice.
● Clear communicator, you explain what the numbers mean and raise questions when things don’t add up.
● Bachelor’s degree in Accounting or related field
● 2–3 years of professional accounting experience.
● Experience preparing and interpreting trial balances and financial statements.
● Strong Excel skills; ERP experience preferred (Epicor is a plus).
● Exposure to or desire to learn cost accounting, inventory, or manufacturing finance is helpful but not required, we’ll train you.
● Accurate and timely month-end close and reconciliations.
● Weekly job cost reviews completed and communicated with production.
● Monthly gross margin reports delivered within 15 days of close.
● Smooth execution of AP and reporting processes with minimal rework.
● Growing ability to connect financials to operations and provide insights that improve profitability.
At Helix, you’ll find more than just a job, you’ll join a company on an ambitious growth trajectory. We’re doubling in size over the next few years, expanding into aerospace, and investing in advanced technology. You’ll gain exposure to both financial and cost accounting, learning directly from an experienced finance team while partnering closely with operations.
We offer a clean, safe, climate-controlled work environment and a leadership team that values professionalism, responsiveness, teamwork, continuous improvement, and a winning attitude. At Helix, you’ll have the chance to learn, grow, and make a meaningful impact on a business built for precision and innovation.
