Associate Tax Accountant in Cheshire, Warrington

Knight R&D are looking for an Associate R&D Tax Consultant to join their ambitious, highly motivated, and collaborative team of R&D Tax Incentive specialists, all of whom have a wealth of diverse experience in the Software, IT, Science and Engineering fields. The role is for candidates with a technical background in science, engineering or technology with strong analytical and problem solving skills who are looking to build a career in R&D tax incentives and professional services. The role does not involve performing R&D itself. Instead, Associate Consultants work with companies to:

• Understand their technological development activities and projects;
• Analyse projects and supporting expenditure against UK R&D tax legislation and guidance;
• Support the preparation of high-quality R&D tax claims aligned with UK R&D tax legislation.

Associate Consultants work closely with Consultants, Senior Consultants and Engagement Managers and will be supported through structured on-the-job training, mentoring, and direct involvement in live client projects. Early exposure to client meetings and a wide range of industries is a key part of the role.

Knight enjoys an enviable position as a leader in its field, as evidenced by its client base, consisting of large and market leading corporations. Knight's position is strengthened considerably as part of the wider K3 Capital Group, allowing Knight to benefit from partner relationships and introductions from other subsidiaries within the Group, leveraging existing relationships to secure new business. Our employees also benefit from having the opportunity to thrive and develop their career within Knight.

Key aspects of the job include:

• Client & Project Support
  • Participate in client workshops alongside the engagement team to understand client activities, technical projects and qualifying criteria.
  • Take clear, structured, and relevant notes to support technical reporting and claim preparation.
  • Build effective working relationships with colleagues, clients, and external advisers under guidance from senior team members.
• Technical & Legislative Analysis
  • Develop a comprehensive understanding of clients' projects and assist the client in identifying how aspects of the projects and activities may meet the UK R&D tax legislation and DSIT guidelines with support from senior engagement team members.
  • Develop an understanding of the differences between R&D incentives (ERIS, Merged RDEC, RDA) and how they apply to different business scenarios.
• Technical Reporting & Claim Quantification
  • Draft relevant R&D claim documentation and costing summary schedules to a high quality while ensuring risk for the client is managed. This includes:
  • Supporting technical project descriptions, under review from senior engagement team members.
  • Support the preparation of R&D cost calculations, and summary schedules under review from senior engagement team members.
• Compliance & Enquiries
  • Assist senior engagement team with responding to HMRC queries or enquiries where required, contributing to analysis and supporting documentation under supervision.
  • Learn how to evidence and defend R&D claims in line with UK R&D tax legislation.
• Professional Development
  • Actively develop technical and legislative knowledge through training and hands-on client delivery.
  • Build skills in professional services including communication, teamwork, technical writing, and structured problem solving.
  • Progress towards increased ownership of projects and responsibility, with a clear pathway to Consultant.
• Training & Support
  • Knight places strong emphasis on employee development. Consultants receive:
  • Hands-on training from Senior Consultants and Managers;
  • Mentoring through working directly on live client projects;
  • Exposure to a wide range of industries and technologies;
  • This role is intended as a foundation for long-term progression within Knight R&D.

Required Qualifications & Skills

• Degree-level qualification in Science, technology or engineering fields.
• Strong analytical and problem solving skills and attention to detail.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Proficiency in Microsoft suite.
• Ability to learn quickly and work both independently and as a team member while taking direction and feedback from senior team members.
• Genuine interest in science, technology and engineering fields.

What we offer:

• Basic salary up to £35,000 depending on experience, + bonuses
• Hybrid working, 2 days per week based in a Liverpool office
• Clear progression opportunities to Consultant roles and beyond
• Exposure to medium & large sized business
• We offer a hybrid working environment, where we expect London and Northern based candidates to come into our central offices twice a week.