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