Senior Cost Accountant

Posted:
5/20/2026, 1:20:45 AM

Location(s):
California, United States

Experience Level(s):
Senior

Field(s):
Accounting

Work Schedule

Standard (Mon-Fri)

Environmental Conditions

Office

Job Description

Job Description 

Join our Finance team as a Senior Cost Accountant at the Santa Clara, CA manufacturing plant and contribute to financial excellence across our manufacturing operations. In this position, you'll collaborate with Operations teams to optimize costs, analyze variances, and ensure accurate standard costing across our manufacturing facilities. You'll leverage your expertise to support critical financial processes, from monthly closes to annual cost rolls, while helping advance continuous improvement initiatives that impact our bottom line. This role offers excellent opportunities to work across functions and make meaningful contributions to our mission of enabling customers to make the world healthier, cleaner, and safer.

A Day in the Life: 

  • Perform daily Standard Costing of NPI (New Product Introduction). 

  • Perform weekly site WOV and monthly PPV analysis and reviews Communicate variance findings to operations or procurement, work with team to drive actions to reduce leakage.  

  • Manage Demo Inventory Accounting and Depreciation.  Work with Demo Coordinator to ensure In-Service/Out-of-Service Forms are processed timely and accurately. 

  • Execute regular tasks relating to the monthly, quarterly, and yearly financial close process, including balance sheet reconciliations and journal entries relating to Inventory, Def. COGS, E&O Reserves, CMV 

  • Calculate Inventory Excess and Obsolete Reserve quarterly.  Provide detailed analysis to sourcing/planning and collaborate with team driving actions to reduce.  

  • Responsible for driving the yearly cost roll to ensure accurate standard costing of material, labor & overhead rates, and outside processing.   

  • Partner with Finance Operations Managers to review new standards and the impact on margin, inventory revaluation and Capitalized Variance netting.   

  • Support site daily Cycle Count process to ensure compliance with corporate policy 

  • Perform cycle count audits 2X per quarter (per policy) and maintain site accuracy rate metric. 

  • Assist with annual budget process. 

  • Support Internal and External auditors by providing clear supporting documents and explanations. 

  • Ensure compliance with corporate accounting policies. 

  • Various other projects/duties as assigned.

Keys to Success: 

  • Excellent written and oral communication skills 

  • Strong knowledge of GAAP and SOX compliance requirements 

  • The ability to plan, schedule and carry out work for successful project completion. 

  • Ability to work independently, accurately, and timely, with little or no supervision. 

  • Appreciation and understanding of outside department functions (manufacturing, supply chain, engineering, customer support, IT, order admin, marketing and sales). 

  • Experience working in a matrixed organization is preferred. 

  • You are successful in a fast-paced environment. 

  • You thrive in a complex, multi-level environment and can work cross-functionally with individuals and teams. 

  • You are a self-motivated, independent asset in the organization who has enthusiasm and energy for the job. 

  • You keep an eye toward continuous improvement with a successful track record of optimizing processes.

Requirements: 

  • Advanced Degree plus 5 years of experience, or Bachelor's Degree plus 8 years of experience in manufacturing cost accounting or finance 

  • Preferred Fields of Study: Accounting, Finance, or related discipline 

  • MBA, CPA, or CMA certification preferred 

  • Strong proficiency in ERP systems (Intuitive, SAP, JD Edwards E1, Oracle R12) 

  • Advanced Excel skills and experience with financial reporting tools 

  • Demonstrated expertise in standard cost accounting, variance analysis, and inventory management 

Benefits 

We offer competitive remuneration, annual incentive plan bonus, 401(k) U.S. retirement savings plan and corporate match, healthcare, and a range of employee benefits. Thermo Fisher Scientific offers employment with an innovative, forward-thinking organization, and outstanding career and development prospects. We offer an exciting company culture that stands for integrity, intensity, involvement, and innovation!

Compensation and Benefits

The salary range estimated for this position based in California is $112,500.00–$168,750.00.

This position may also be eligible to receive a variable annual bonus based on company, team, and/or individual performance results in accordance with company policy. We offer a comprehensive Total Rewards package that our U.S. colleagues and their families can count on, which includes:

  • A choice of national medical and dental plans, and a national vision plan, including health incentive programs

  • Employee assistance and family support programs, including commuter benefits and tuition reimbursement

  • At least 120 hours paid time off (PTO), 10 paid holidays annually, paid parental leave (3 weeks for bonding and 8 weeks for caregiver leave), accident and life insurance, and short- and long-term disability in accordance with company policy

  • Retirement and savings programs, such as our competitive 401(k) U.S. retirement savings plan

  • Employees’ Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP) offers eligible colleagues the opportunity to purchase company stock at a discount

For more information on our benefits, please visit: https://jobs.thermofisher.com/global/en/total-rewards

Thermo Fisher Scientific

Website: https://www.thermofisher.com/

Headquarter Location: Waltham, Massachusetts, United States

Employee Count: 10001+

Year Founded: 2006

IPO Status: Public

Last Funding Type: Post-IPO Debt

Industries: Bioinformatics ⋅ Biotechnology ⋅ Cloud Data Services ⋅ Consulting ⋅ Health Care ⋅ Life Science ⋅ Management Information Systems ⋅ Office Supplies ⋅ Precision Medicine