Controller

The posting, as DEFCON AI wrote it

ABOUT DEFCON AI

RESILIENCE IN THE FACE OF DISRUPTION. DEFCON AI is an insights company that leverages artificial intelligence, mathematical optimization, data analytics, and software engineering for resilient optimization of complex systems.
In today’s dynamically changing world, DEFCON AI’s technology aligns outcomes with operational goals, better decision making, and empowers customers to anticipate assess, and mitigate the impacts of disruptions.

About the Role

We are seeking a Controller to own accounting, financial close, compliance, and reporting for a fast-growing defense technology company supporting Department of War and commercial customers.

This role will operate in a hybrid capacity from our McLean, Virginia office, with at least one day per week in the office, or more as business needs require. Some work may need to be performed in a cleared facility.

You will serve as the CFO's right hand on the books, ensuring an accurate monthly close, audit-ready financials, and a government contract accounting environment that stands up to DCAA and DCMA review.

This is a hands-on leadership role. You will build scalable accounting processes, strengthen internal controls, and lead a small accounting team as DEFCON AI grows across defense and commercial markets.

Key Responsibilities

Own Accounting and Financial Close

• Own the monthly, quarterly, and year-end close under U.S. GAAP.
• Prepare financial statements, account reconciliations, and management reporting for the CFO, CEO, and Board of Directors.
• Manage revenue recognition under ASC 606 across firm-fixed-price, time-and-materials, cost-reimbursable, and commercial contracts.
• Oversee accounts payable, accounts receivable, payroll accounting, fixed assets, and equity and stock compensation accounting.

Lead Government Contract Accounting and Compliance

• Maintain a DCAA-compliant accounting system, timekeeping process, and job-cost structure.
• Develop and manage indirect rate structures, including fringe, overhead, and general and administrative rates, as well as provisional billing rates.
• Prepare incurred cost submissions, forward pricing support, and pricing inputs for proposals.
• Ensure compliance with FAR Part 31 cost principles, Cost Accounting Standards where applicable, and DFARS business system requirements.
• Serve as the primary contact for DCAA and DCMA audits and reviews.
• Support SBIR Phase III and other contract vehicles, including appropriate segregation of unallowable costs.

Manage Audit, Tax, and Internal Controls

• Lead the annual external financial statement audit from planning through final sign-off, including PBC requests and supporting schedules.
• Serve as the primary day-to-day contact for external auditors throughout the year.
• Act as the company’s technical accounting lead by researching complex transactions and preparing position memos related to ASC 606, ASC 718, ASC 842, debt, and equity financings.
• Coordinate with external

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, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, or on the basis of disability.

Applicant Data Disclosure

By submitting an application, you acknowledge that Defcon AI uses third-party service providers to facilitate its recruitment and hiring processes. These providers include applicant tracking systems, candidate verification platforms, and fraud detection tools (collectively, "Hiring Platforms"). Your application materials, including your résumé, cover letter, work samples, responses to application questions, and any other information you submit, may be transmitted to and processed by these Hiring Platforms for the following purposes:

• Managing and administering your application throughout the hiring process;
• Verifying the accuracy and authenticity of application materials, including by cross-referencing information you provide against publicly available sources and proprietary databases;
• Identifying indicators of potentially fraudulent, fabricated, or materially misleading application content, including but not limited to discrepancies between submitted materials and publicly available professional profiles, geographic anomalies, and fabricated work histories.

Applications that are flagged through this process as containing indicators of fraud or material misrepresentation may be declined from further consideration. If you have questions about the status of your application or the evaluation process, please contact recruiting@defconai.com .

Defcon AI requires its Hiring Platform providers to process your information solely for the purposes described above and in accordance with applicable law. Your information will be retained only for as long as necessary to fulfill these purposes and any applicable legal obligations, after which it will be deleted in accordance with Defcon AI's data retention policies.

For more information about how your data is used, please refer to our Privacy Policy and Applicant Privacy Notice .