Associate Accountant

Job Description

Accountant I | California Academy of Sciences

The Tone:
This is a full-time, hybrid role at the California Academy of Sciences, located in San Francisco, CA. The Academy is a globally renowned non-profit scientific and cultural institution, home to a planetarium, aquarium, rainforest, and natural history museum. This Accountant I role is a key member of the Accounting team, participating in essential accounting processes that uphold the institution’s financial integrity. Your work will directly support the mission to regenerate the natural world through science, learning, and collaboration, connecting people to nature and empowering them to protect it.

The TL;DR
• Role: Early Career
• Type: Full-time
• Location: Hybrid, San Francisco, CA (Wednesday & Thursday onsite)
• Pay: $35.78–$37.23 hourly
• Team: Key member of the Accounting team, collaborating with various internal and external partners.
• Mission: Participates in various areas of the accounting process in accordance with U.S. GAAP, supporting the Academy’s financial integrity.
• Tech Stack: Google Workspace, Microsoft Excel

What You’ll Actually Do
• Cash Management: Record cash activity and reconcile bank accounts to the general ledger, researching timing differences, resolving discrepancies, and maintaining audit-ready support for cash balances.
• Fixed Assets: Support fixed asset accounting activities, including managing asset additions, cost adjustments, depreciation review, CIP tracking, and capitalization support.
• Period-End Close: Participate in period-end close procedures by preparing routine to moderately complex general ledger journal entries, supporting workpapers, and thorough audit-ready documentation.
• Reconciliations & Analysis: Prepare account reconciliations to validate ending balances and activity, ensuring timely identification and resolution of reconciling items, and review period-end financial results with variance analysis.
• Audit & Tax Support: Prepare thoroughly documented schedules and reports for the annual financial statement audit and tax Form 990, ensuring audit readiness.

The Must-Haves
• Background: Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field.
• Experience: 0-2 years of relevant accounting experience and/or coursework in public accounting/auditing, corporate accounting, or non-profit accounting.
• Skills: Basic knowledge of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP); proficiency with Google Workspace and Microsoft Excel (intermediate to advanced formulas); strong attention to detail and commitment to accuracy; effective time management; clear written and verbal communication; strong analytical and critical thinking skills; ability to work independently and collaboratively.
• Bonus: Working toward CPA eligibility or interest in obtaining certification.