Project Accountant

Mission Control is based in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, with a Rover Development Facility in St. Mary’s, Ontario. We’re looking for an enthusiastic and talented Project Accountant to join our team.  

About Us 

Mission Control is a Canadian space technology company building intelligent systems for the next generation of missions. Our vision is a future where intelligent space systems help humanity explore farther, understand more and protect what matters here on Earth. Our technology helps spacecraft, rovers and mission teams operate with greater autonomy, responsiveness and purpose in complex environments, delivering reliable outcomes for our customers. Our team combines software-first thinking, spaceflight heritage, advanced autonomy, mission integration experience and a practical understanding of what missions need to achieve.

Please visit our website to learn more about our team and ongoing projects: https://missioncontrolspace.com.    

About the Job 

Mission Control is seeking a Project Accountant to provide financial control, reporting and forecasting across our growing portfolio of commercial, government and research projects. Reporting to the CFO, this role sits at the intersection of Finance, Program Management, Engineering, Procurement and Operations and will be responsible for ensuring that project financial information accurately reflects both financial transactions and operational progress.

This is a forward-looking project finance role, not solely a historical accounting role. The Project Accountant will maintain a complete financial view of assigned projects, including approved budget, actual costs, open commitments, accrued and uninvoiced costs, work in progress (WIP), Estimate to Complete (ETC), Estimate at Completion (EAC), project revenue and profitability. The role will work closely with Project Managers to align the project Work Breakdown Structure (WBS), schedule, procurement activity, subcontractor activity, equipment development and financial records.

The successful candidate will also be expected to use modern AI and business-intelligence tools as part of the normal finance workflow. Fluency with Claude, ChatGPT or comparable enterprise AI platforms for financial analysis, reporting and analytics is an important capability for this role, alongside strong accounting, project controls and Excel skills.

As Mission Control continues to grow, this position offers the opportunity to help build an increasingly automated, data-driven project finance function within Canada's rapidly expanding space sector, while developing expertise in complex project accounting, government contract administration, equipment development, subcontractor management and strategic financial planning.

Tasks and Responsibilities 

• Own the financial structure and integrity of assigned projects from project setup through completion, aligned to the approved Work Breakdown Structure (WBS), project schedule and budget.
• Maintain a complete project financial view including budget, actual costs, open commitments, accruals, WIP, ETC, EAC, contingency, forecast cash requirements and variance to budget.
• Prepare monthly project financial reports, rolling forecasts and variance analyses, clearly explaining changes from budget and prior forecast and identifying emerging cost or schedule risks.
• Partner closely with Project Managers to challenge and validate cost, resource, procurement, subcontractor and schedule assumptions and translate operational changes into financial impacts.
• Track purchase requisitions, purchase orders and subcontract commitments by project and WBS; ensure changes in scope, timing and committed costs are reflected in project forecasts before invoices reach the general ledger.
• Prepare and reconcile monthly WIP, accruals, subcontractor accruals and other project balance-sheet schedules to the general ledger, supporting accurate month-end and year-end close.
• Maintain the revenue side of project reporting, including contract/funded value, project invoicing, milestone billings, unbilled/deferred amounts, collections support, revenue recognition and project profitability.
• Use Claude, ChatGPT or comparable approved AI tools to analyze project and operational datasets, investigate variances, identify anomalies and trends, support forecasting, and produce concise business-intelligence reporting while validating outputs against source data.
• Drive continuous improvement and automation across project accounting, reconciliation, reporting and analytics, working collaboratively with Finance, Operations, Engineering, Procurement and Program Management.

Skills and Experience 

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Commerce, Business Administration, or a related discipline.
• 5-7 years of progressive project accounting, project finance, project controls or related accounting experience.
• Experience with project accounting, job costing, WIP, long-duration contracts or complex project environments; aerospace, defence, engineering, advanced manufacturing, technology or government-funded organizations are particularly relevant.
• Strong understanding of accrual accounting, financial reporting, balance-sheet reconciliation and project financial controls.
• Demonstrated experience managing project budgets, commitments, cost tracking, forecasting, ETC/EAC and variance analysis.
• Experience working with purchase orders, subcontractors, project invoicing and revenue recognition.
• Demonstrated fluency using Claude, ChatGPT or comparable AI tools for business intelligence, financial analysis, reporting and data analytics.
• Proficiency with ERP/accounting and project-management systems; experience with QuickBooks and Microsoft Project or comparable systems is an asset.
• Ability to communicate complex financial information clearly to Project Managers, engineers and other non-financial stakeholders.
• Comfort constructively challenging project assumptions and working with incomplete information to continuously improve forecasts.
• Experience working in a fast-growing startup or scale-up environment.

Bonus points for:

• Experience supporting IRAP, CSA, NRC, SR&ED, or similar Canadian government funding programs.
• Experience with WBS-based project controls, procurement commitments, subcontractor cost management, WIP and multi-project portfolio reporting.
• Experience building repeatable AI-assisted reporting, analytics or reconciliation workflows using Claude, ChatGPT or comparable tools.
• Interest in the commercial space industry and emerging technologies.

Special Comments

Security: Successful candidates must be eligible to obtain a security clearance in Canada at the reliability status level (and potentially at the higher levels), and pass security assessment for the Controlled Goods Program (CGP).

Due to the security clearance required for Mission Control's facility, only Canadian Citizen's and Permanent Residents are eligible at this time.

Salary: The salary range for this position is $100 000- $125 000 annually. Final compensation will be determined based on the candidate’s qualifications and experience

Location

This position is based in Ottawa, Ontario with hybrid work flexibility. Successful candidates must reside in or be willing to relocate to Ottawa, with flexibility on which days they work onsite.

Some travel may be required at certain times for this role, always following the Health and Safety Guidance of the Government of Canada.

What’s In It For You?

• Be on the forefront of space exploration and the emerging commercial space industry.
• Work to solve problems with a team of intelligent, fun people!
• Comprehensive Compensation and Benefits Package including vacation pay, wellness plan (health, vision, dental) and unlimited unpaid time off.
• Relocation assistance for eligible employees.
• Two weeks of sick/personal leave per year.
• Employee Stock Option plan for equity sharing.
• Flexible working hours.
• Work in a respectful and inclusive workplace. It is extremely important to us that all employees feel safe and supported at work, and feel able to bring their whole selves to work.
• Be part of a family-friendly company, where we understand the needs of working parents with young children (because many of us are too!).
• Bi-weekly coffee chats for connecting with colleagues socially, and for mentorship by senior staff.

How To Apply

Please apply directly through this posting, or send your application by email to hr@missioncontrolspace.com. Application materials include:

• Cover letter and resume as a single PDF (required)
• Portfolio material, references, or other indications of exceptional past work (optional)

As part of our commitment to an inclusive work environment, we accept and encourage anonymized resumes.

We will accept applications until the position is filled. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, colour, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status.