Accounting Assistant 4 | Los Alamos, NM | Los Alamos National Laboratory

Accounting Assistant 4

What You Will Do

The Controller Division at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) provides trusted financial services that support national security and the Laboratory's mission. We offer efficient, transparent financial solutions across areas such as accounting, compliance, payroll, benefits, institutional tax, retirement, travel, disbursements, financial reporting, corporate accounting, and business systems. Our specialized groups ensure operational excellence and financial accountability. Driven by integrity, innovation, and collaboration, we continuously strive for world-class financial operations that align with LANL's broader goals. Join us in shaping the future of financial management and supporting our scientific and security missions.

The Controller Division is seeking to hire a highly motivated, energetic, and customer-focused Accounting Assistant 4 to support the Craft payroll timekeeping team within the Controller Payroll group. The Payroll and Benefits Accounting group ensures accurate, compliant, and timely compensation and benefits for LANL's workforce. The group collaborates with HR, Legal, IT, unions, and external vendors to deliver labor-related services that support operational continuity, financial accuracy, and regulatory adherence. The selected candidate will report to the Craft Payroll Team Leader and will provide support to the mission of the group by entering, tracking, and verifying union time and effort data, customer service coverage via email, phone or in office, electronic filing, and archiving. This position requires a proven record of excellent attendance and availability to periodically work outside of the normal work week. This position may be rotated across functional teams within the group or division to support operational needs and perform other related duties as assigned within the same job level. This position requires the selected candidate to be onsite at Management's request and/or as needed.

Key Responsibilities

  • Enters and validates daily timecards for LANL's craft employees, ensuring accuracy and timeliness of labor charging.
  • Applies special pay codes, performs corrections for prior time periods, and addresses exceptions in coordination with supervisors.
  • Monitors work order usage and ensures proper distribution of labor to projects and functional accounts.
  • Communicates with employees and managers to resolve discrepancies and provide responsive support.


What You Need

Minimum Job Requirements:

Payroll & Accounting

Demonstrated experience as part of a payroll team within a medium-to-large, complex organization. Knowledge of accounting and financial concepts and principles; working knowledge of related activities gained through specialized work experience. Demonstrated ability in interpreting and upholding company policies and support compliance via payroll/time collection systems, time charging practices, processes, and controls. Demonstrated ability balancing timecards and performing arithmetic operations such as addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. Demonstrated awareness of importance of confidentiality and requirements surrounding personally identifiable information (PII).

Problem Solving

Experience and proven ability in researching, troubleshooting, and resolving issues of time and effort.

Experience gathering, analyzing data, and summarizing results.

Communication/Teamwork/Organization

Demonstrated experience in the following: effectively interacting with customers, peers, and management; excellent interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills; demonstrated ability to work effectively within a team with stringent deadlines, interruptions and changing priorities with a high degree of accuracy and accountability.

Technical Experience

Demonstrated understanding of payroll time and labor or financial system data integration in an ERP system. Experience with Microsoft Office tools, especially Outlook, Excel, Word, and PowerPoint.

Education/Experience

Position requires a minimum of 3 years related; or the equivalent combination of education and relevant work experience directly related to the occupation.

Desired Qualifications:

  • One (1) year work experience with LANL union craft timekeeping.
  • One (1) year work experience with spreadsheets


Work Environment:

Work Location: The work location for this position is hybrid and is located in Los Alamos. Hybrid is defined as working partially onsite/partially offsite but within 2 hours ground commute of this location. All work locations are at the discretion of management and can change at any time with appropriate notice.

Position commitment: Regular appointment employees are required to serve a period of continuous service in their current position in order to be eligible to apply for posted jobs throughout the Laboratory. If an employee has not served the time required, they may only apply for Laboratory jobs with the documented approval of their Division Leader. The position commitment for this position is 1 year.

Note to Applicants:

Due to federal restrictions contained in the current National Defense Authorization Act, citizens of the People's Republic of China-including the special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macau-as well as citizens of the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea), and the Russian Federation, who are not Lawful Permanent Residents ("green card" holders) are prohibited from accessing facilities that support the mission, functions, and operations of national security laboratories and nuclear weapons production facilities, which includes Los Alamos National Laboratory.

Where You Will Work

Located in beautiful northern New Mexico, Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) is a multidisciplinary research institution engaged in strategic science on behalf of national security. Our generous benefits package includes:

  • PPO or High Deductible medical insurance with the same large nationwide network
  • Dental and vision insurance
  • Free basic life and disability insurance
  • Paid childbirth and parental leave
  • Award-winning 401(k) (6% matching plus 3.5% annually)
  • Learning opportunities and tuition assistance
  • Flexible schedules and time off (PTO and holidays)
  • Onsite gyms and wellness programs
  • Extensive relocation packages (outside a 50 mile radius)


Additional Details

Directive 206.2 - Employment with Triad requires a favorable decision by NNSA indicating employee is suitable under NNSA Supplemental Directive 206.2. Please note that this requirement applies only to citizens of the United States. Foreign nationals are subject to a similar requirement under DOE Order 142.3A.

No Clearance: Position does not require a security clearance. Selected candidates will be subject to drug testing and other pre-employment background checks.

New-Employment Drug Test: The Laboratory requires successful applicants to complete a new-employment drug test and maintains a substance abuse policy that includes random drug testing. Although New Mexico and other states have legalized the use of marijuana, use and possession of marijuana remain illegal under federal law. A positive drug test for marijuana will result in termination of employment, even if the use was pre-offer.

Equal Opportunity: Los Alamos National Laboratory is an equal opportunity employer. All employment practices are based on qualification and merit, without regard to protected categories such as race, color, national origin, ancestry, religion, age, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital status or spousal affiliation, physical or mental disability, medical conditions, pregnancy, status as a protected veteran, genetic information, or citizenship within the limits imposed by federal, state, and local laws and regulations. The Laboratory is also committed to making our workplace accessible to individuals with disabilities and will provide reasonable accommodations, upon request, for individuals to participate in the application and hiring process. To request such an accommodation, please send an email to applyhelp@lanl.gov or call (505)-664-6947.