Employment Counsel

About IonQ:

IonQ, Inc. [NYSE: IONQ] is the world's leading quantum platform and merchant supplier - delivering integrated quantum solutions across computing, networking, sensing, and security. IonQ's newest generation of quantum computers, the IonQ Tempo, is the latest in a line of cutting-edge systems that have been helping customers and partners including Amazon Web Services, and AstraZeneca achieve 20x performance results and accelerate innovation in drug discovery, materials science, financial modeling, logistics, cybersecurity, and defense. In 2025, the company achieved 99.99% two-qubit gate fidelity, setting a world record in quantum computing performance.

Headquartered in College Park, Maryland, IonQ has operations in California, Colorado, Massachusetts, Tennessee, Washington, Italy, South Korea, Sweden, Switzerland, Canada, and the United Kingdom. Our quantum computing services are available through all major cloud providers, while we also meet the needs of networking and sensing customers across land, sea, air, and space. IonQ is making quantum platforms more accessible and impactful than ever before.


Location: Remote, US
Travel: Up to 10% Job ID: 1823

The Role:

We are a rapidly scaling, publicly traded frontier-technology company, and our workforce is growing faster than the systems that support it. As Employment Counsel, you are the day-to-day legal engine of the Labor & Employment function - the first call for our People and Recruiting teams and the owner of the documentation, advice, and process that keep a fast-moving company compliant across a growing map of states and countries.


This is a builder's role, not a caretaker's one. You will inherit real ambiguity and turn it into order: standing up templates, playbooks, and self-serve resources where none exist today. You own the living, breathing employee lifecycle from hire to exit. If you are energized by handling complexity and want the reps that come with a company scaling in real time, this role is built for you.

Responsibilities :

• Employee lifecycle documentation. Own offer letter, severance and separation agreement, and related lifecycle document templates to allow for producing signature-ready work product at volume. Draft state by-state adaptations and bespoke terms.
• Daily advisory to People & Recruiting. Be the first line of response for HRBP and Recruiter questions on ADA interactive processes, FMLA and state leave overlaps, wage-and-hour classification, and everyday employee relations matters. Track and log recurring questions, and build FAQs, guidance and trainings to build team skills and confidence for handling repeated matters efficiently and directly.
• Performance management & exits. Partner with HR to advise on and mitigate risk, and manage the execution of standard, non-complex separations.
• Discovery, records & legal holds. Draft objection letters and responses to employment subpoenas; direct the compilation of personnel files for production; run initial privilege and confidentiality reviews; and draft and manage legal holds consistent with company policy.
• Contractor & consultant compliance. Standardize the risk-management onboarding and offboarding workflow for consultants, and lead classification, IP, regulatory, security, and tax compliance. • Multistate compliance & outside counsel coordination. Keep us current across our active jurisdictions (currently including California, Washington, Colorado, Maryland/Virginia, Minnesota, Florida and Texas among others) and serve as the point of contact who scopes questions for, and coordinates the work of, non-US outside counsel.

Requirements:

• JD and an active bar membership in good standing in any U.S. jurisdiction.
• Roughly 3-5 years of labor and employment experience, with a meaningful foundation built at a law firm - you have the basics down cold and can jump in without a runway.
• Strong command of federal and multi-state employment law (Title VII, ADA, ADEA, FMLA, FLSA, and state leave and wage-and-hour regimes); California experience is a plus.
• A genuinely strong drafter who produces clean, practical, signature-ready documents at speed. • Comfortable with ambiguity and self-directed - a grinder who builds structure where none exists rather than waiting for settled process.
• High business-partner EQ: you give plain-English, actionable advice that non-lawyers can act on, and you build trust with People and Recruiting quickly.
• You never lose sight of moving the business forward.

The total compensation package includes base, bonus, equity, and a range of benefit options found on our career site.

If this role has a commission structure, the compensation range below just reflects the base compensation range.

Wage Transparency:

$169,869-$242,612 USD

Compensation will vary based on individual factors such as education, qualifications, and experience of the final candidate(s), specific office location, and calibration against relevant market data and internal team equity. Posted base salary figures are subject to change as new market data becomes available. Our benefits include comprehensive medical, dental, and vision plans, matching 401(k), unlimited PTO and paid holidays, parental/adoption leave, legal insurance, and a home technology stipend. Details of participation in these benefit plans will be provided when a candidate receives an offer of employment.


At IonQ, we believe in fair treatment, access, opportunity, and advancement for all while striving to identify and eliminate barriers. We empower employees to thrive by fostering a culture of autonomy, productivity, and respect. We are dedicated to creating an environment where individuals can feel welcomed, respected, supported, and valued.


We are committed to equity and justice. We welcome different voices and viewpoints and do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, ancestry, physical and/or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, transgender status, age, sexual orientation, military or veteran status, or any other basis protected by law. We are proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity employer.

US Technical Jobs. The position you are applying for will require access to technology that is subject to U.S. export control and government contract restrictions. Employment with IonQ is contingent on either verifying "U.S. Person" (e.g., U.S. citizen, U.S. national, U.S. permanent resident, or lawfully admitted into the U.S. as a refugee or granted asylum) status for export controls and government contracts work, obtaining any necessary license, and/or confirming the availability of a license exception under U.S. export controls. Please note that in the absence of confirming you are a U.S. Person for export control and government contracts work purposes, IonQ may choose not to apply for a license or decline to use a license exception (if available) for you to access export-controlled technology that may require authorization, and similarly, you may not qualify for government contracts work that requires U.S. Persons, and IonQ may decline to proceed with your application on those bases alone. Accordingly, we will have some additional questions regarding your immigration status that will be used for export control and compliance purposes, and the answers will be reviewed by compliance personnel to ensure compliance with federal law.


US Non-Technical Jobs. Due to applicable export control laws and regulations, candidates must be a U.S. citizen or national, U.S. permanent resident (i.e., current Green Card holder), or lawfully admitted into the U.S. as a refugee or granted asylum. Accordingly, we will have some additional questions regarding your immigration status that will be used for export control and compliance purposes, and the answers will be reviewed by compliance personnel to ensure compliance with federal law.

If you are interested in being a part of our team and mission, we encourage you to apply!