Legal Operations and Contracts Paralegal

A deep-tech company is developing advanced power systems for highly regulated commercial, civil, and national security markets. The client is seeking a part-time Legal Operations & Contracts Paralegal to support the legal operations and contracts function as the business scales.

Location: Washington, DC Metro Area (Hybrid preferred)

Duration: Part-time, approximately 20 hours per week

Compensation : $45 to $65 per hour

Benefits: Flexible part-time schedule with hours that adjust to workload and business needs.

Work Authorization: U.S. work authorization required. No sponsorship at this time.

SUMMARY:

• This is a build-from-scratch legal operations role for a paralegal who likes creating systems and processes inside a scaling, heavily regulated startup.
• Works directly with the company's senior legal and regulatory leader to mature contract management and stand up scalable legal operations.
• Suits someone highly organized and self-directed who can own routine commercial agreements end to end with minimal oversight.
• Sits at the intersection of contracts, document management, and process design as the legal function grows.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Own review, preparation, and negotiation of routine agreements using approved templates and playbooks, including standard NDAs.
• Coordinate contract execution and maintain accurate, accessible records of executed agreements.
• Track agreement status, renewals, and key obligations so nothing slips.
• Build and maintain the legal team's Confluence knowledge repository, including templates, policies, and guidance materials.
• Manage legal requests and workflows through Jira and related systems, and improve document and contract-tracking processes.
• Support implementation of a contract lifecycle management (CLM) platform, including process design, workflow creation, document migration, and user adoption.
• Consolidate legal records currently spread across multiple systems into a single source of truth.
• Coordinate with internal stakeholders on contract requests and approvals, support outside counsel engagement, and assist with special projects as the function grows.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• 3+ years in a paralegal, contracts administration, legal operations, or comparable role.
• Hands-on experience reviewing and negotiating routine NDAs and commercial agreements.
• Demonstrated experience managing legal documents and contract repositories.
• Strong organizational skills and close attention to detail.
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.

NICE TO HAVE:

• Experience supporting in-house legal teams.
• Experience implementing or administering CLM platforms such as Ironclad, DocuSign CLM, ContractWorks, Agiloft, or similar.
• Familiarity with Confluence, Jira, DocuSign, or comparable workflow systems.
• Experience supporting government contractors or companies in aerospace, defense, energy, technology, or other regulated industries.
• Bachelor's degree and/or Paralegal Certificate.

About Hansell Tierney:

Hansell Tierney is one of the premier staffing and recruiting companies in the Pacific Northwest. Launched in 2001, we are a woman-owned business that serves and staffs Northwest organizations by doing things the right way, not just the easiest way. Hansell Tierney partners with candidates and clients to match the best candidates with interesting local opportunities. We navigate every relationship with the highest level of discretion and service while holding ourselves accountable to our promises. Our business thrives on our deep understanding of the job market and our ability to skillfully tailor our recruitment process to meet our clients' unique needs.

This Organization Participates in E-Verify

This employer participates in E-Verify and will provide the federal government with your Form I-9 information to confirm that you are authorized to work in the U.S. If E-Verify cannot confirm that you are authorized to work, this employer is required to give you written instructions and an opportunity to contact the Department of Homeland Security or Social Security Administration so you can begin to resolve the issue before the employer can take any action against you, including terminating your employment. Employers can only use E-Verify once you have accepted a job offer and completed the Form I-9.

Compensation and Benefits Disclosure

The compensation range listed above represents the expected range for this position. Actual compensation may vary based on factors including experience, skills, internal equity, and geographic location. Benefits available to eligible employees or consultants may include medical, dental, and vision insurance, paid sick leave, retirement savings plans, paid time off, and other employer-sponsored programs.