Senior Employment Counsel

San Mateo, California, United States - Full‑time Skydio is the leading U.S. drone company and the world leader in autonomous flight, the key technology for the future of drones and aerial mobility. The Skydio team blends deep expertise in artificial intelligence, hardware and software product development, operational excellence, and customer obsession to empower a diverse audience of drone users, from utility inspectors to first responders and beyond. How You’ll Make an Impact Serve as the primary legal partner for People Operations, owning day‑to‑day employment counseling and managing outside counsel on specialized, high‑risk, or international matters. Anticipate employment‑law risks early and address them pragmatically. Provide clear, scalable guidance on recruitment/pre‑hire issues, leaves of absence, reasonable accommodations, investigations, wage‑and‑hour, performance management, HR policy, and separations. Ensure manufacturing, field operations, and corporate employment practices are consistent, compliant, safe, and operationally realistic. Handle administrative agency (e.g., EEOC and DOL) matters and pre‑litigation employment issues. Draft and comment on training materials and provide selective training to people leaders. Assist in the development and documentation of sales commission and other incentive compensation plans. Manage OFCCP compliance reports and similar filings. Advise Benefits on compliance with relevant law and review and comment on contracts for company benefits. Own employment aspects of establishing foreign subsidiaries. Negotiate contracts (including DPAs) with contractors, recruiting organizations, HR vendors, and similar organizations. Assist in drafting and updating the Employee Handbook. Assist in administering and managing employee equity. Oversee HR and payroll audits as needed. Manage other projects as required or assigned. What Makes You a Great Fit JD with admission to practice in California. 10+ years of in‑house experience (or comparable law firm experience advising startups). Experience advising companies with hourly employees, especially in California manufacturing. Ability to work onsite at least 3 days per week: at least 2 days at the Hayward manufacturing site and at least 1 day at HQ in San Mateo. Strong triage and prioritization skills. Capacity to manage multiple competing projects with ownership and accuracy. Collaboration mindset and ability to build strong cross‑department relationships. Comfort with ambiguity, proactive problem solving, and initiative to drive project completion. Compensation: The annual base salary range for this position is $225,000–$275,000, with competitive base salaries, equity in the form of stock options, and comprehensive benefits. Relocation assistance may be provided for eligible roles. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or other characteristics protected by federal, state, or local anti‑discrimination laws. For positions located in the United States, Skydio, Inc. uses E‑Verify to confirm employment eligibility. #J-18808-Ljbffr Skydio, Inc.