Qnetic was founded with the mission to enable the transition to clean, sustainable energy. To achieve it, we are developing a high-performance energy storage system for the electric grid, based on new flywheel technology. It delivers ‘energy shifting’ at a lower cost than anything we know about. Compared to lithium-ion batteries, Qnetic has 3x the lifetime, 2x the discharge duration, 0.5x the cost and 0x the degradation.
We’re building something fundamentally different — and we’re looking for people who are driven to solve hard challenges, do meaningful work, and make a real impact on the future of energy.
About The Role
As our first US finance hire, you will bridge our existing accounting capabilities with the strategic financial needs of a growing US entity. This is a hands-on, build-from-scratch role perfect for someone who thrives in startup environments and wants to see their work directly impact manufacturing scale-up.
You will own the critical transition from Non-Recurring Engineering (NRE) costing through small-batch production to series manufacturing cost structures, while simultaneously building financial planning capabilities for US operations.
What You'll Do
Product Costing & Manufacturing Finance (40%)
- NRE Cost Tracking: Establish systems to capture and allocate non-recurring engineering costs from R&D through pilot production, including prototyping, testing, tooling, and certification expenses
- Cost Structure Development: Build product costing models transitioning from one-off NRE amortization to small-batch unit economics, preparing for series production scale
- BOM & Routing Analysis: Work with engineering and operations to develop accurate bill of materials and manufacturing routings for 4-meter flywheel assemblies
- Make-vs-Buy Analysis: Evaluate insourcing vs. outsourcing decisions for components and assembly processes as volumes scale
- Inventory Valuation: Implement WIP and finished goods valuation methodologies appropriate for capital-intensive energy storage equipment
Financial Planning & Analysis (30%)
- OpEx Planning: Develop operating expense budgets and forecasts for the US entity, including facility costs, staffing plans, and operational overhead
- CapEx Planning: Create capital expenditure models for assembly line build-out, test equipment, and facility improvements (late 2026/early 2027 focus)
- Cash Flow Management: Monitor US entity cash position, working capital requirements, and intercompany funding needs
- Board & Investor Reporting: Prepare financial presentations for leadership and investors highlighting US operational metrics and path to manufacturing
China-US Coordination (30%)
- Partner with China-based R&D and sourcing teams (70% of current activity) to capture design-to-cost feedback and engineering change impacts on US production cost models
- Coordinate with China sourcing on supplier qualification costs, tooling amortization, and component pricing for US-bound materials
- Facilitate weekly cost reviews bridging China engineering and US operations, ensuring NRE allocations and BOM accuracy across geographies
- Build relationships remotely via Mandarin-language communication; resolve costing ambiguities across time zones with patience for relationship-heavy business practices
Operational Finance & Compliance (on-going)
- US Entity Setup: Support legal and tax advisors in establishing appropriate entity structure; ensure compliance with federal and California state requirements
- ERP Implementation: Guide selection and implementation of financial systems capable of handling manufacturing cost accounting (experience with NetSuite, SAP Business One, or similar preferred)
- Audit & Controls: Establish internal controls and financial processes appropriate for a venture-backed manufacturing company
Qualifications
- 5-8 years progressive finance experience, 3+ years manufacturing cost accounting (hardware/industrial equipment)
- Proven NRE-to-production costing experience: taken products from engineering development through manufacturing ramp
- ERP implementation experience in startup environment; advanced Excel modeling from scratch
- Bachelor's in Finance/Accounting; CPA/CMA preferred
HIGHLY VALUED
- Cleantech/energy storage or rotating machinery manufacturing background
- Series A-C startup scaling experience
- Multinational financial reporting experience
- Cross cultural communication
- Manufacturing incentives and regulatory familiarity
- Government contracting or utility procurement exposure
