Associate Internal Controls Jobs in Wheaton, IL (NOW HIRING)

Position Summary

Start your career at the intersection of assurance, technology, and emerging business challenges. 

Enterprise Assurance Services (EAS) Associates are responsible for delivering consulting, attestation, and audit services across a diverse portfolio of client engagements. Associates support organizations in strengthening governance, risk management, internal controls, regulatory compliance, and stakeholder reporting through a combination of business process analysis, technology risk assessment, controls testing, and assurance services.

Engagements may include:

• IT audits associated with financial statement audits and technology risk assessments, including evaluation of information technology general controls (ITGCs), application controls, cybersecurity controls, and technology-enabled business processes.
• SOC examinations, readiness assessments, and other attestation engagements focused on controls relevant to financial reporting, system reliability, security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality, and privacy. These engagements may include HITRUST, HIPAA, and Structured Products & Securitizations.
• Sustainability and ESG reporting engagements, including readiness assessments, limited assurance reviews, and examinations over environmental, social, and governance information.
• Employee Benefit Plan (EBP) audit engagements, including testing of plan transactions, participant data, operational controls, and compliance with applicable regulatory requirements.

Across all engagements, Associates collaborate with client personnel to identify risks, evaluate business and technology controls, analyze data, and support the delivery of high-quality client service. The role provides exposure to multiple industries, emerging assurance topics, evolving technologies, and innovative approaches to risk management and reporting.

The Team 

Enterprise Assurance Services brings together professionals across IT Audit, SOC and attestation services, sustainability and ESG reporting, and Employee Benefit Plan audits to help organizations build trust and confidence in the information they share with stakeholders. Our professionals work alongside business leaders, technology teams, and risk professionals to address complex challenges in a rapidly changing environment. 

As an EAS Associate, you'll gain hands-on experience from day one while working on meaningful client engagements across industries and service offerings. You'll collaborate with experienced professionals, leverage emerging technologies including data analytics and AI-enabled tools, and develop the technical, analytical, and leadership skills needed to succeed in a profession that continues to evolve. 

Whether you're evaluating technology controls, supporting assurance engagements, analyzing risks, or helping clients strengthen reporting processes, you'll contribute to work that helps organizations operate with greater transparency, accountability, and confidence.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Assist in planning and executing client engagements by understanding client objectives, processes, risks, and control environments.
• Evaluate and test business process controls, information technology controls, and automated controls to assess risk and support assurance objectives.
• Support IT audit, SOC reporting, sustainability reporting, and employee benefit plan audit engagements from planning through completion.
• Apply established audit, attestation, and consulting methodologies to identify control deficiencies, reporting risks, and opportunities for improvement.
• Analyze quantitative and qualitative data to support engagement conclusions and recommendations.
• Utilize data analytics tools and AI-enabled technologies to improve efficiency, enhance analysis, and identify meaningful insights.
• Perform walkthroughs, testing procedures, and evidence collection activities while documenting results in accordance with professional standards.
• Assist in assessing compliance with applicable reporting frameworks, regulatory requirements, and assurance standards.
• Draft workpapers, reports, client communications, and other deliverables with attention to quality and accuracy.
• Collaborate with engagement teams across multiple service lines and offices to deliver integrated solutions.
• Participate in client status meetings and contribute to effective communication throughout the engagement lifecycle.
• Manage multiple assignments concurrently while meeting deadlines, budget expectations, and quality standards.
• Gain a comprehensive understanding of client operations, business objectives, industry trends, and emerging risks.
• Contribute to recruiting, practice development, training initiatives, and knowledge-sharing activities.
• Stay informed regarding emerging technologies, assurance trends, sustainability reporting developments, regulatory changes, and evolving risk management practices.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Business Administration, Data Analytics, Information Systems, Management Information Systems (MIS), Information Technology, Finance, or a related field.
• Minimum overall GPA of 3.0/4.0.
• CPA eligibility preferred for Employee Benefit Plan, ESG, and certain assurance-focused roles.
• Interest in pursuing one or more professional certifications, including CPA, CISA, CIA, or other relevant credentials.
• Ability to work additional hours when required and travel as necessary.
• Authorized to work in the United States without sponsorship now or in the future.

Skill Requirements

• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and critical-thinking abilities.
• Ability to assess risks, evaluate controls, and interpret complex information.
• Experience or interest in data analytics, data visualization, and data-driven decision making.
• Familiarity with AI-enabled tools and emerging technologies and a desire to leverage these capabilities to enhance quality and efficiency.
• Effective verbal and written communication skills with the ability to communicate clearly across technical and non-technical audiences.
• Strong project management and organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines simultaneously.
• Demonstrated agility and adaptability in addressing evolving client challenges and changing business priorities.
• Ability to collaborate effectively within cross-functional and geographically diverse teams.
• Curiosity and commitment to continuous learning in areas such as technology risk, controls assurance, sustainability reporting, employee benefit plan auditing, cybersecurity, and emerging reporting frameworks.
• Exceptional client-service mindset with a commitment to building strong professional relationships.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, collaborative, and growth-oriented environment.

Recruiting and Deployment Considerations

The role is designed to support cross-service-line hiring and interview plans in markets with a significant presence across multiple solutions. Initial target markets include New York, Chicago, Dallas, Atlanta, Philadelphia, and Seattle. Hiring may continue in existing markets, with first-year deployment remaining IT Audit/SASS-specific where business needs and the current operating model require it.

The base salary for this position in the firm's Chicago, Illinois is $90,000 per year.

At Grant Thornton, we believe in making business more personal and building trust into every result - for our clients and you. Here, we go beyond your expectations of a career in professional services by offering a career path with more: more opportunity, more flexibility, and more support. It's what makes us different, and we think being different makes us better. 
In the U.S., Grant Thornton delivers professional services through two specialized entities: Grant Thornton LLP, a licensed, certified public accounting (CPA) firm that provides audit and assurance services - and Grant Thornton Advisors LLC (not a licensed CPA firm), which exclusively provides non-attest offerings, including tax and advisory services.
In 2025, Grant Thornton formed a multinational, multidisciplinary platform with Grant Thornton Ireland. The platform offers a premier Trans-Atlantic advisory and tax practice, as well as independent American and Irish audit practices. With $2.7 billion in revenues and more than 50 offices spanning the U.S., Ireland and other territories, the platform delivers a singular client experience that includes enhanced solutions and capabilities, backed by powerful technologies and a roster of 12,000 quality-driven professionals enjoying exceptional career-growth opportunities and a distinctive cross-border culture.
Grant Thornton is part of the Grant Thornton International Limited network, which provides access to its member firms in more than 150 global markets.The team you're about to join is ready to help you thrive. Here's how: