Legal Counsel (Commercial)

At Vast, our mission is to contribute to a future where billions of people are living and thriving in space. Vast is developing next-generation space stations to ensure a continuous human presence in space for America and its allies, enabling advanced microgravity research and manufacturing, and unlocking a new space economy for government, corporate, and private customers. Using an incremental, hardware-rich and low-cost approach, Vast is rapidly developing its multi-module Haven Station. Haven Demo’s 2025 success made Vast the only operational commercial space station company to fly and operate its own spacecraft. Next, Haven-1 is expected to become the world’s first commercial space station when it launches, followed by additional Haven modules to enable permanent human presence by 2030. Our team is all-in, committed to executing our mission safely and on time. If you want to work with the most talented people on Earth furthering space exploration for humanity, come join us.Vast is looking for a Legal Counsel, reporting to the General Counsel, to support the development of the systems that will be required for the design and build of human-rated space stations.This will be a full-time, exempt position located in our Long Beach location. Responsibilities: Commercial Contracts: Structure, negotiate, and execute transactions ranging from standard agreements to highly complex deals, ensuring alignment with business objectives and regulatory requirementsBusiness Enablement: Provide practical, business-oriented legal guidance that enables teams to move quickly while maintaining appropriate risk controls. Act as a key resource for navigating legal challenges and ensuring Vast’s success with customers–in the U.S. and around the worldSpecial Projects: Support our General Counsel and Associate General Counsel on special projects, as requested, and work independently with our internal legal support staff and other internal partnersIntellectual Property Management: Oversee and manage Vast’s intellectual property portfolio, including coordination of patent, trademark, and trade secret matters; support IP strategy, filings, maintenance, enforcement, licensing, and related risk mitigation in alignment with business objectives and technology developmentProcess & Template Development: Help build and improve contract templates, playbooks, intake processes, and approval workflows to support faster, more consistent customer contracting across the businessRisk & Compliance: Identify and manage legal, regulatory, and operational risks related to commercial transactions, including supply chain, intellectual property, confidentiality, data privacy, export controls, and compliance obligationsMinimum Qualifications:2+ years of experience in a legal role at a private company or law firmSubject matter expertise in commercial contracts and intellectual property JD with admission to practice law in a state bar in good standing and able to practice in-house in California Strong problem-solving experience and skills Strong verbal and writing skillsProcess-oriented and team playerGood judgment and the ability to balance risk and productivity in a business environmentAbility to work independently or collaboratively in a fast-pace environment Preferred Skills & Experience:A strong ability to inspire trust, forge relationships quickly, and earn the confidence and cooperation of business stakeholdersDiligent and proactive, you have demonstrated excellent legal and business judgment, technical acumen, communication skills and strategic thinking, along with the ability to work independently and cross-functionally with excellent time management and prioritization skillsComfortable with and responsive to rapid developments and changes in direction; eager to learn new tech, products, and substantive legal areas to support multiple roles within the legal departmentFamiliarity with the aerospace industry and its unique legal challenges Ability to identify and mitigate legal risks while enabling business objectivesAdditional Requirements:Ability to travel up to 25% of the timeWillingness to work evenings and/or weekends to support critical mission milestonesPay Range: California$155,000—$221,000 USDCOMPENSATION AND BENEFITSBase salary will vary depending on job-related knowledge, education, skills, experience, business needs, and market demand. Salary is just one component of our comprehensive compensation package. Full-time employees also receive company equity, as well as access to a full suite of compelling benefits and perks, including: medical, dental, and vision coverage for employees and dependents, generous paid time off; up to 20+ days of vacation for exempt staff and up to 10+ days of vacation for non-exempt staff with the ability to cash-out unused vacation annually, paid parental leave, short and long-term disability insurance, life insurance, access to a 401(k) retirement plan, ClassPass credits, personalized mental healthcare through Spring Health, and other discounts and perks. We also take pride in offering exceptional food perks, with snacks, drip coffee & onsite barista, cold drinks, and dinner meals remaining free of charge, and lunch subsidized as part of Vast’s ongoing commitment to providing high-quality meals for employees.U.S. EXPORT CONTROL COMPLIANCE STATUSThe 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. This status includes U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals, lawful permanent residents (green card holders), and asylees and refugees with such status granted, not pending.EQUAL OPPORTUNITYVast is an Equal Opportunity Employer; employment with Vast is governed on the basis of merit, competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by 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.