--- title: 'Financial Analyst at Hermeus' canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/financial-analyst-hermeus-los-angeles-84ycrtyg88j6' type: 'job' last_seen: '2026-09-13' --- # Financial Analyst at Hermeus - **Company:** Hermeus - **Location:** Los Angeles, CA - **Compensation:** $98k–$133k - **Employment:** full-time - **Work type:** onsite - **Posted:** 2026-08-11 - **Last confirmed live:** 2026-09-13 - **Apply:** https://jobs.lever.co/hermeus/67ef654e-ca7c-4dce-8084-5bf57a8bebea ## Job description Hermeus is a venture-backed defense aviation company reclaiming the lost art of rapid iterative prototyping to build the fastest aircraft in the world today. By prioritizing relentless hardware iteration, we deliver high-speed systems at the pace of the modern battlefield. We work with the Department of War to provide the high-speed capabilities our nation and its allies need to maintain a durable, asymmetric advantage. About the role: We’re looking for a Financial Analyst to join our Finance team and help drive financial decision-making across a fast-growing aerospace and defense technology company. This role sits at the intersection of finance, engineering, operations, and strategy. You’ll partner directly with business leaders to own budgets and forecasts, analyze program and operating performance, build financial models, and provide the insights needed to make better investment and resource allocation decisions. This is an opportunity for an analytically strong, detail-oriented finance professional who wants to go beyond traditional reporting and develop a deep understanding of how engineering programs, hardware development, manufacturing, and business operations translate into financial performance. Responsibilities: - Own budgets and forecasts for assigned business functions, partnering directly with functional leaders to understand spending, headcount, program requirements, and financial risks and opportunities. - Analyze monthly financial performance against budget and forecast, independently investigate key variances, and communicate clear takeaways and recommended actions to Finance and business leadership. - Build and maintain financial models supporting long-term planning, program economics, capital investments, hiring decisions, and strategic scenarios. - Partner with Engineering, Operations, Supply Chain, and other teams to understand program costs, schedules, resource requirements, and their financial implications. - Track and analyze R&D spend, capital expenditures, headcount, vendor commitments, and other key cost drivers. - Support monthly and quarterly financial reporting, management reviews, and executive and investor materials. - Develop financial analyses supporting investment decisions, unit economics, resource allocation, and company growth. - Improve the accuracy, scalability, and efficiency of our forecasting and reporting processes through better models, automation, and financial systems. - Develop a strong understanding of the programs and functions you support and become a trusted finance partner to business leaders. ## Requirements - 2–4 years of experience in FP&A, strategic finance, product finance, investment banking, consulting, or a related analytical finance role. - Advanced Excel and financial modeling skills, with the ability to independently build and maintain financial analyses. - Strong understanding of budgeting, forecasting, financial statements, variance analysis, and management reporting. - Exceptional attention to detail and a demonstrated ability to deliver accurate, thoroughly self-reviewed work. - Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to identify the key drivers behind financial performance. - Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to translate complex financial information into clear, concise insights for technical and non-technical stakeholders. - High degree of ownership, intellectual curiosity, and willingness to learn the technical and operational details behind the business. - Ability to prioritize effectively and operate independently in a fast-paced, evolving environment. - Genuine interest in aerospace, hardware, manufacturing, or national defense technology. ## Preferred Skills and Experience - Experience with Workday Adaptive Planning, NetSuite, Power BI, or similar financial planning and ERP systems. - Experience supporting engineering, manufacturing, hardware development, or R&D organizations. - Exposure to program finance, unit economics, cost accounting, capital planning, or long-range financial modeling. - Experience with government contracts or the aerospace and defense industry. - Experience improving or automating financial reporting and planning processes. - U.S. citizenship and eligibility for a security clearance, where required by program needs. The salary range listed for this role is intended as a general guideline. Final compensation will be determined based on a variety of factors, including role scope and responsibilities, relevant experience, education and training, key skills, market data, and business needs. At Hermeus, compensation is only one part of our total rewards package. We offer competitive pay, equity, and a range of benefits designed to support our team. Benefits: Health & Wellness: 100% employer-paid healthcare and pet insurance Financial: Competitive pay, stock options, 401(k) retirement plan, and potential year-end bonuses Time Off: Paid parental leave, 12 federal holidays, unlimited PTO for exempt employees, and generous accrued PTO for non-exempt employees Office Perks: Weekly paid office lunches and fully stocked breakrooms ## U.S. EXPORT CONTROL COMPLIANCE STATUS The person hired will have access to information and items subject to U.S. export controls, and therefore, must either be a “U.S. person” as defined by 22 C.F.R. § 120.62 or otherwise eligible for deemed export licensing. US persons include U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals, lawful permanent residents (green card holders), and asylees and refugees with such status granted, not pending. ## EQUAL OPPORTUNITY Hermeus is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Employment decisions at Hermeus are based solely on merit, competence, and qualifications, without regard to race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability, or any other legally protected status. ## #LI-JC3 ## About Hermeus ## Company Overview - **One-liner**: Hermeus is an aerospace and defense company building the world’s fastest aircraft through rapid iterative prototyping, targeting high-Mach and hypersonic flight for national security and commercial applications. - **Entity Type**: Private (Series C, ~$350M raised in latest round) - **Headquarters**: Hawthorne, California, USA (primary HQ at 3401 Jack Northrop Ave; additional offices in Los Angeles/El Segundo, Atlanta, Jacksonville, and Washington, D.C.) - **Founded**: 2018 - **Founders**: AJ Piplica, Glenn Case, Skyler Shuford, Michael Smayda ## Core Business - **Primary industry**: Aviation and Aerospace Component Manufacturing; Defense Technology - **Target customers**: B2G (primarily U.S. Department of Defense and allied nations), with future potential in commercial high-speed travel - **Mission**: Build the world’s fastest aircraft by reclaiming the lost art of rapid iterative prototyping, delivering high-speed systems that provide an asymmetric advantage for the nation and its allies. ## Products & Services - **Quarterhorse Program**: A series of four purpose-built unmanned aircraft, each designed to unlock a specific technical challenge and incrementally de-risk hypersonic technology. The first aircraft flew in 2025, and the company reached supersonic flight just 364 days later—the fastest time from founding to supersonic flight in aviation history. - **High-Speed Propulsion Systems**: Development of air-breathing engines, including testing at the High Enthalpy Airbreathing Test (HEAT) facility in Jacksonville, FL, using Pratt & Whitney F100 engines as a baseline. - **Hypersonic Aircraft Platforms**: Future planned vehicles aimed at affordable, reusable hypersonic flight for defense and eventually commercial passengers. ## Market Standing - **Valuation**: Not publicly disclosed (conflicting reports; PitchBook lists latest Series C at $350M, total funding ~$566M) - **Key Metric**: Total Funding ~$566M (9 rounds); Annual Revenue estimated at $5.6M (LinkedIn data, likely early-stage). - **Notable Investors/Partners**: Sam Altman (led Series B), Khosla Ventures (led Seed), United States Air Force ($60M grant), NASA (Non-Equity Assistance), and other defense-focused investors. - **Growth Signals**: 286 employees (+42% YoY); 122,889 LinkedIn followers (+58.2% yearly); rapid expansion from concept to supersonic flight in under 7 years; multiple open positions across engineering, manufacturing, and operations. ## Competitive Advantages - **Speed of Iteration**: Hermeus is the fastest company in aviation history to go from founding to supersonic flight (364 days after first flight), using a hardware-rich, test-early approach reminiscent of the Skunk Works era. - **First-Principles Engineering**: Small, cross-disciplinary teams that own problems end-to-end, enabling rapid decision-making and prototyping. - **Government & Strategic Relationships**: Deep ties with DoD, USAF, and NASA, providing both funding and clear mission requirements. - **Facilities & Infrastructure**: Four locations covering design, manufacturing, propulsion testing, and policy engagement, including a 110,000 sq ft facility in Atlanta and a dedicated test site in Jacksonville. ## Strategic Focus - **Current priorities**: Scaling the Quarterhorse program to achieve hypersonic flight; maturing engine and airframe integration; expanding manufacturing capacity; hiring top engineering and operations talent; deepening partnerships with defense customers. - **Direction for growth**: Move from unmanned demonstrators to operational hypersonic aircraft for defense, and eventually develop a commercial high-speed air transport capability. ## Why Work Here - **Culture**: Described as "rapid, relentless iteration" with a "total disregard for what others say can't be done." Emphasizes extreme ownership, stubborn focus, and a small-team, high-impact environment. - **Remote/Hybrid/Office Policy**: On-site roles required at Hawthorne (LA), Atlanta, Jacksonville, or D.C. (multiple open positions are on-site). - **Notable Perks**: - 100% premium coverage for health, dental, and vision for employees and dependents - 3 months paid parental leave (100% pay) plus optional additional unpaid month - Stock options for all full-time offers with equity refresher program - 401k & retirement plans - Unlimited PTO for exempt employees (generous accrued PTO for non-exempt) plus 12 federal holidays - Free weekly lunches, dog-friendly offices, commuter benefits - **Engineering Culture**: Hands-on, cross-functional teams; opportunities to work on flight hardware, propulsion, avionics, software, and test operations; fast promotion cycles for high performers. ## Sources 1. [Hermeus Careers](https://www.hermeus.com/careers) 2. [Hermeus Company Page](https://www.hermeus.com/company) 3. [LinkedIn Company Profile](https://linkedin.com/company/hermeus) 4. [PitchBook Profile](https://pitchbook.com/profiles/company/267414-22) 5. 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