Bookkeeper - Part Time Contract

**Welcome to Backburner Labs** Backburner Labs is an engineering consultancy in St. Paul that designs and builds products our clients can't build alone: medical devices, industrial systems, robotics, things that often don't exist until we make them. That's the engineering side. None of it works without the business behind it. We've doubled revenue every year for five years and are preparing to move into a new headquarters to match. Growth like that doesn't happen without finance, operations, and salespeople who are just as sharp and just as accountable as the engineers down the hall. We're still small enough that your work is visible, not buried in a process nobody remembers building. You'll help create the systems this company runs on as it scales, not just maintain ones someone else already figured out. If you'd rather build something than babysit it, you'll fit in here. Help build the company that's building what's next. **THE OPPORTUNITY** As Backburner Labs continues to scale, our finance function needs additional horsepower. We are looking for a detail\-oriented, self\-sufficient bookkeeper to own our core transactional accounting work, freeing our CFO to focus on new strategic finance initiatives. This is a six\-month independent contractor engagement (1099\) working alongside our CFO on Thursdays and Fridays. For the right person, this role offers an opportunity to grow with us over time and take on more complex accounting work as the company expands. **RESPONSIBILITIES** * Manage daily transaction entry and ensure accurate, timely syncing between our corporate card platform (Brex) and existing accounting system (Xero) * Audit and clean up transaction descriptions and expense classifications; follow up with team members on missing or incomplete coding * Allocate expenses to the correct projects within Xero; maintain accurate project\-level records throughout the month * Process and reconcile hardware \& materials invoices in Xero; generate draft invoices for CFO review and perform materials tie\-out at month\-end * Perform monthly balance sheet reconciliations, ensuring all accounts are properly supported and discrepancies are resolved before close * Load and audit contractor payable invoices at month\-end; verify against time\-tracking data and follow up on any discrepancies * Maintain and update month\-end Excel trackers for engineering time, contractor activity, and related financial data * Classify and post daily non\-card transactions to Xero; ensure consistent coding across the general ledger * Generate draft client invoices from engineering time data for CFO review * Support an accurate and timely monthly close process in collaboration with the CFO **QUALIFICATIONS** Required: * 3\+ years of hands\-on bookkeeping or transactional accounting experience * Proficiency with Xero (our primary accounting platform) * Experience with Brex or similar corporate card and spend management platforms * Strong attention to de