Specialty Tax Services Associate, Business Incentives Group - Summer 2025 (Grand Rapids)

Job Summary:

Our Specialized Tax Services (“STS”) Business Incentives Group (“BIG”) business has doubled in the last three years and tripled in the last six. STS BIG Associates have been key to our success, and they are central to our plans to continue as one of BDO’s premiere national consulting practices.

As an STS Tax Associate, Business Incentives Group, you will help achieve BDO’s core purpose—helping people thrive every day—by helping companies and individuals identify and claim government incentives designed to promote innovation, economic growth, and job creation in the U.S. You will also focus on credits available for companies investing in sustainability and green initiatives.

Our clients are leaders in innovation in virtually every industry, from technology, manufacturing, life sciences, and healthcare to retail, consumer products, and natural resources. As an STS BIG Associate, you will have the opportunity and charge to innovate as well, collaborating with BDO professionals in all of our business lines as well as with our clients’ innovation leaders, in tax, accounting, finance, and also in their engineering, software, manufacturing, scientific, medical, and other departments.

STS BIG’s short-term mission is to help our clients as efficiently and effectively as possible identify, document, and support on examination by tax authorities various incentives to which they are legally entitled. Our longer-term goal is to develop an understanding of them as people and of all aspects of their business so that we are well positioned as their trusted advisors, as professionals who understand both their business operations and business drivers as well as how BDO can help them realize their goals.

In pursuing this mission, we are also seeking to help our STS BIG Associates become trusted advisors, ensuring they have a clear sense of the importance and responsibilities of such a role, as well as the training and opportunities to fill it.

Toward that end, STS BIG Associates pursue opportunities to enable them to gain and improve their skills in every aspect of professional service, including technical, interpersonal, verbal, and written communication, project management, practice management, and business development.

Job Duties:

• Proactively assists in the execution of multiple client engagements
• Collaborates with other STS BIG professionals in all aspects of our business, e.g., innovating; developing and implementing better strategies and processes for our services, marketing, etc.
• Establishes effective working relationships directly with STS BIG professionals and our clients, internal—other BDO employees—and external
• Contributes to the development of your own technical acumen and STS BIG’s market prominence
• Keeps up to date with local and national business and economic issues
• Actively participates in business development activities to further develop a professional network, with BDO professionals and others, and helps to identify and research opportunities for new and existing clients
• Contributes to, supports, and enhances the culture of STS BIG, our local offices, and BDO as a globally leading professional services firm
Other duties as required

Supervisory Responsibilities:

Qualifications, Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

Education:

• Bachelor's degree, required; with a focus in Accounting, Finance, Computer Science, Engineering, Data Analytics, Communications, or Law, preferred

Experience:

• Leadership experience, preferred
• Accounting based internship, preferred

License/Certifications:

• N/A

Software:

• Proficient in the use of Microsoft Office Suite, specifically advanced knowledge of Microsoft Excel & intermediate knowledge of Word, preferred

Other Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Entrepreneurial spirit and leadership mentality
• Ability to interact effectively with people at all organizational levels of the firm
• Ability to work independently within a team environment and with a customer service focus
• Superior organizational skills and project management skills required with ability to multi-task in a fast- paced, deadline-driven environment
Strong initiative and drive to lead while seeking opportunities to enhance and grow the BIG practice

Individual salaries that are offered to a candidate are determined after consideration of numerous factors including but not limited to the candidate’s qualifications, experience, skills, and geography.

California Range: $78,000 - $120,000
Illinois Range: $74,000 - $100,000
Maryland Range: $75,000 - $100,000
Minnesota Range: $72,000 - $100,000
NYC/Long Island/Westchester Range: $82,000 - $120,000
Washington Range: $78,000 - $120,000
Washington DC Range: $75,000 - $100,000

Join us at BDO, where you will find more than a career, you’ll find a place where your work is impactful, and you are valued for your individuality. We offer flexibility and opportunities for advancement. Our culture is centered around making meaningful connections, approaching interactions with curiosity, and being true to yourself, all while making a positive difference in the world.

At BDO, our purpose of helping people thrive every day is at the heart of everything we do. Together, we are focused on delivering exceptional and sustainable outcomes and value for our people, our clients, and our communities. BDO is proud to be an ESOP company, reflecting a culture that puts people first, by sharing financially in our growth in value with our U.S. team. BDO professionals provide assurance, tax and advisory services for a diverse range of clients across the U.S. and in over 160 countries through our global organization.

BDO is the first large accounting and advisory organization to implement an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP). A qualified retirement plan, the ESOP offers participants a stake in the firm’s success through beneficial ownership and a unique opportunity to enhance their financial well-being. The ESOP stands as a compelling addition to our comprehensive compensation and Total Rewards benefits* offerings. The annual allocation to the ESOP is fully funded by BDO through investments in company stock and grants employees the chance to grow their wealth over time as their shares vest and grow in value with the firm’s success, with no employee contributions.

We are committed to delivering exceptional experiences to middle market leaders by sharing insight-driven perspectives, helping companies take business as usual to better than usual. With industry knowledge and experience, a breadth and depth of resources, and unwavering commitment to quality, we pride ourselves on:

• Welcoming diverse perspectives and understanding the experience of our professionals and clients
• Empowering team members to explore their full potential
• Our talented team who brings varying skills, knowledge and experience to proactively help our clients navigate an expanding array of complex challenges and opportunities
• Celebrating ingenuity and innovation to transform our business and help our clients transform theirs
• Focus on resilience and sustainability to positively impact our people, clients, and communities
• BDO Total Rewards that encompass so much more than traditional “benefits.” Click here to find out more!

• Benefits may be subject to eligibility requirements.

Equal Opportunity Employer, including disability/vets