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Accounting Clerk - Payroll

San Francisco, CA

About the California Academy of Sciences

The California Academy of Sciences is a globally renowned scientific and cultural institution located in the heart of San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park. Home to a world-class planetarium, aquarium, research center, and natural history museum—all under one living roof—our mission is to regenerate the natural world through science, learning, and collaboration.

Our extensive collections span plants, animals, fossils, and cultural artifacts from across the globe and throughout history. We are a diverse team of leading biodiversity scientists, educators, storytellers, designers, and communicators who work collaboratively to advance knowledge and inspire action through science and storytelling.

When you join the California Academy of Sciences, you become part of a mission-driven community that values curiosity, collaboration, and innovation. Whether you're working behind the scenes in research or engaging the public on the museum floor, your work will help connect people to the natural world and empower them to protect it.

About the Opportunity

The Accounting Clerk – Payroll reports to the Payroll Senior Accountant and provides administrative and technical support for payroll processing. This role assists in ensuring accurate and timely payroll transactions, responds to employee payroll inquiries, and supports related accounting functions as assigned.

The California Academy of Sciences welcomes individuals of all backgrounds, identities, and beliefs to join us in advancing our mission to regenerate the natural world through science, learning, and collaboration. We place diversity, equity, and inclusion at the heart of our recruiting efforts and strive to foster a culture rooted in mutual respect, equal opportunity, and shared success.

Organizational Culture
Join a team dedicated to the Academy’s mission, vision and values! Currently, the Academy has a new strategic plan including three initiatives – Hope for Reefs, Thriving California, and Islands 2030 – that leverage biodiversity science, environmental learning, and collaborative engagement to regenerate fragile ecosystems around the world. Learn more at https://www.calacademy.org/about-us/major-initiatives.

We hope you are inspired by what we do and are excited to contribute to our mission. The mission of the California Academy of Sciences is to regenerate the natural world through science, learning, and collaboration. The Academy is looking for candidates who do great work, and we know they may come from a number of different backgrounds and experiences. We encourage you to apply even if you do not believe you meet every qualification for the position.

This position is based in San Francisco, California. This position is part of a bargaining unit represented by Cal Academy Workers United, and will be subject to the terms and conditions of that contract.

Key Responsibilities

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform these functions.

  • Prepare payroll transmittals and submit payroll reports to internal stakeholders and external partners.
  • Enter and maintain tax levies, garnishments, and other payroll-related deductions.
  • Collaborate with PACT and Finance teams to ensure the accuracy of employee data and pay information.
  • Research and resolve routine payroll inquiries from employees and external agencies.
  • Generate and process manual payroll checks as needed.
  • Verify and reconcile data transfers between Dayforce and Kronos to ensure system accuracy and completeness.
  • Submit work tickets to the payroll application support team for system issues or data corrections as directed.
  • Prepare and reconcile simple balance sheet accounts related to payroll.
  • Provide supporting documentation for financial statements and the annual Form 990.
  • Prepare standardized journal entries for routine payroll transactions and adjustments, ensuring proper account coding and authorization.
  • Serve as backup for other accounting clerk roles, including Accounts Receivable, Accounts Payable, and Cash Management.
  • Perform additional duties as assigned.

Qualifications: A successful candidate will have the following:

The qualifications listed below represent the knowledge, skills, and abilities required or preferred.

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE:

A qualified candidate will have a combination of the following education and/or equivalent experience:

  • High school diploma or equivalent required; business associate degree or coursework in business, accounting or finance preferred.
  • Minimum of 2+ years’ experience in a high-volume payroll or related accounting environment.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, & ABILITIES:

  • Strong working knowledge of payroll principles and practices.
  • Basic understanding of general ledger accounts, debits, and credits.
  • Intermediate Excel proficiency preferred.
  • Demonstrated ability to problem-solve 
  • Excellent interpersonal and customer service skills
  • Proven ability to work independently and as part of a team.

Compensation and Benefits:
The salary range for this position is $30.63 - $33.15. Actual compensation will be commensurate with the final candidate's qualifications and experience, including skills, knowledge, relevant education, certifications and aligned with the internal peer group. We believe in fair and equitable compensation practices and are committed to providing competitive salaries within the industry and market standards. The Academy offers a total compensation package that emphasizes both base salary and comprehensive benefits based on the hours per week worked. Further details regarding compensation and benefits will be discussed during the interview process.

Schedule: Full-Time, 40 hours per week

How to Apply:

Interested candidates should submit a resume and application through our Careers Page portal.

The California Academy of Sciences will give full consideration for employment to all qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with the requirements of the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance (SF Police Code, Article 49).

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