Accounts Payable and General Accounting Specialist

About this role

About IonQ:
IonQ, Inc. [NYSE: IONQ] is the world’s leading quantum company delivering solutions to solve the world’s most complex problems. IonQ’s newest generation quantum computers, IonQ Tempo and IonQ Forte Enterprise, are the latest in cutting-edge systems that have been helping customers and partners such as Amazon Web Services, AstraZeneca, and NVIDIA achieve 20x performance results. The company achieved 99.99% two-qubit gate fidelity, setting a world record in quantum computing performance in 2025.
The company is accelerating its technology roadmap and intends to deliver the world’s most powerful quantum computers with 2 million qubits by 2030 to accelerate innovation in drug discovery, materials science, financial modeling, logistics, cybersecurity, and defense. IonQ’s advancements in quantum networking position the company as a leader in building the quantum internet.

About Vector Atomic:
Vector Atomic, an IonQ company, is building quantum technology to transform navigation, timing, geophysical exploration, and telecommunications. Our team of engineers, scientists, software developers, and operations professionals works together to solve complex challenges and turn bold ideas into real-world solutions. We value collaboration, curiosity, and diverse perspectives, and we give every team member the opportunity to make an immediate impact while growing their skills. If you're excited to work on breakthrough technology in a fast-paced, hands-on environment, we'd love to hear from you.
Location: This role is based on site at our office in Pleasanton, CA.
Travel: Up to 5%, domestic or international.

The Role:
We're looking for a detail-oriented and proactive individual to grow with us. As an Accounts Payable and General Accounting Specialist, you'll work alongside our growing accounting team in a role that combines day-to-day accounts payable processing with broader general accounting, close, and compliance responsibilities in a company that performs government contract work on the frontier of quantum technology. This is a hands-on, high-impact role supporting accurate financial reporting in a DCAA-compliant and SOX-compliant environment. If you’re excited to support transformational technologies in a fast paced, collaborative environment, we’d love to hear from you!

Responsibilities:
Accounts Payable

• Process vendor invoices accurately and efficiently, including coding to the appropriate cost objectives, purchase order/receiving matching, approval routing, and payment preparation

• Ensure invoice coding properly distinguishes direct, indirect, and unallowable costs in accordance with FAR Part 31 cost principles and the company's disclosed Cost Accounting Standards (CAS)

• Manage new vendor setup, including collecting and verifying W-9s, reviewing vendor master records for completeness, and maintaining documentation to support segregation-of-duties and approval controls

• Maintain vendor records and respond to vendor inquiries regarding invoices, payments, and balances

• Reconcile vendor statements and resolve invoice, purchase order, receiving, and payment discrepancies

• Ensure invoices and supporting documentation are retained in accordance with company policies, government contract record-retention requirements, and SOX audit-evidence standards

• Support 1099 processing and year-end vendor reporting

General Accounting

• Prepare and post journal entries and supporting schedules with adequate documentation and audit trails

• Assist with monthly, quarterly, and year-end close activities, including maintaining and following a documented close checklist consistent with SOX internal-control requirements

• Prepare bank, credit card, prepaid expense, fixed asset, and other balance-sheet reconciliations, with timely identification and resolution of variances

• Support internal and external audit requests (including DCAA, independent financial statement auditors, and SOX testing) by compiling accurate documentation and schedules

• Help maintain accounting records that support both government contract and US GAAP reporting, cost tracking, and compliance requirements

• Assist with indirect cost rate data, labor distribution, and cost accumulation supporting the annual incurred cost submission (ICE) and provisional billing rates

• Support month-end timekeeping/labor distribution review and project cost transfers in compliance with DCAA timekeeping expectations

• Participate in process improvements, system clean-up, SOX control documentation, and other finance projects as needed.
Requirements

• Associate or bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, business, or a related field preferred; equivalent relevant experience will be considered

• To comply with the US export control laws, Vector Atomic employees must be U.S. citizens (born or naturalized), lawful U.S. permanent residents (i.e. green card holders), or certain categories of refugees and asylees

• 2+ years of experience in accounts payable, general accounting, bookkeeping, or a similar accounting support role preferred

• Working knowledge of fundamental accounting principles, including general ledger accounts, accruals, reconciliations, and the accounts payable cycle

• Demonstrated understanding of internal controls over financial reporting, including segregation of duties, approval authority, and supporting documentation/audit trails

• Experience with accounting or ERP systems (Deltek Costpoint preferred) and strong proficiency with Microsoft Excel (lookups, pivot tables, and reconciliations at a minimum)

• Excellent attention to detail, organization, follow-through, and ability to meet deadlines in a close-driven environment

• Strong communication skills and a professional approach to working with vendors and internal teams

• Ability to work independently while collaborating effectively with a cross-functional team

• Willingness to learn new systems, processes, and government contract accounting…