Director, Corporate Counsel (R5067)

Founded in 2015, Shield AI is a venture‑backed defense‑tech company. Job Description: Shield AI is seeking an experienced in‑house attorney to lead legal support for our supply chain and procurement function. This role will own the legal strategy and day‑to‑day execution across supplier contracting, procurement frameworks, subcontracts, and supply‑chain‑related regulatory support. This role sits close to some of Shield AI’s most important growth and product efforts, including next‑generation autonomy and aircraft programs such as X‑BAT. The right candidate will combine strong judgment with real fluency in government contracting and defense regulatory requirements, and will be energized by building systems, shaping operating approaches, and helping the business move with speed and discipline in a regulated environment. What you’ll do: Build and own the legal support model for Shield AI’s supply chain, procurement, and supplier operations. Design and refine the contracting infrastructure for the function, including templates, fallback language, playbooks, and training materials. Lead the drafting, review, and negotiation of long‑term agreements, master supplier agreements, purchase terms and conditions, statements of work, supplier NDAs, services agreements, logistics arrangements, and other vendor‑facing contracts. Structure, draft, review, and negotiate subcontracts and related agreements supporting US government and commercial programs. Advise on subcontracting structures, mandatory and strategic flow‑down requirements, representations and certifications, and other government contracting considerations that affect supplier and procurement activity. Partner with supply chain and procurement leaders on the legal strategy for scaling supplier relationships, improving cycle times, and enabling disciplined growth across critical programs. Provide practical legal advice on FAR/DFARS‑related supply chain issues, including sourcing restrictions, commercial item issues, record‑keeping expectations, cost and pricing sensitivities, and other regulatory requirements relevant to the business. Support supplier performance, change activity, claims, disputes, terminations, remedies, and other commercial and subcontracting issues that arise during execution. Work closely with compliance and trade‑related stakeholders on import/export, sanctions, customs, anti‑corruption, cybersecurity, security, and related regulatory requirements that intersect with procurement and supplier operations. Help shape the legal and commercial infrastructure supporting next‑generation autonomy, aircraft, and manufacturing programs across the company. Translate legal and regulatory risk into clear, business‑oriented recommendations for leadership and operational stakeholders. Serve as a trusted business partner to senior leaders making consequential decisions about supplier relationships, program execution, and scale. Required qualifications: J.D. from an accredited law school and active membership in at least one U.S. state bar. 7+ years of relevant legal experience, with a meaningful portion in‑house and/or at a top law firm advising companies on commercial contracting, procurement, supply chain, subcontracts, and government contracts. Significant experience drafting, reviewing, and negotiating complex supplier, vendor, procurement, and commercial agreements. Demonstrated experience advising on subcontracting and government contract‑related issues, including FAR/DFARS flow‑downs and other regulatory requirements relevant to defense or federally funded work. Strong business judgment and the ability to provide pragmatic, solutions‑oriented advice in a fast‑paced environment. Demonstrated ability to build processes, improve contracting systems, and create scalable legal infrastructure rather than simply review agreements on an ad‑hoc basis. Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to explain nuanced legal risk to non‑lawyers clearly and credibly. Proven ability to operate cross‑functionally and build trust with procurement, operations, finance, compliance, and business teams. High degree of ownership, sound judgment, and comfort working in ambiguity. Preferred qualifications: Experience supporting a defense technology or aerospace company. Experience with supplier‑facing legal issues in support of US government contracts or national security programs. Familiarity with import/export controls, sanctions, customs, anti‑corruption, cybersecurity, and related compliance frameworks affecting suppliers and supply chains. Experience with data rights, technical data, software licensing, or IP‑adjacent issues that arise in supplier and subcontractor relationships. Experience building legal templates, policies, and contracting processes in a scaling or high‑growth environment. Familiarity with manufacturing, quality, logistics, and program‑execution realities in a production environment. Why this role matters: Shield AI’s ability to field advanced autonomy and aircraft systems depends on a supplier and procurement engine that can move at speed while meeting defense contractual and regulatory requirements. This role will help design the legal operating model behind that scale: the agreement structures, supplier risk frameworks, subcontracting approach, and decision mechanisms that support critical programs, including next‑generation efforts such as X‑BAT. This is an opportunity for an attorney who wants to do more than provide legal review. It is a chance to build durable infrastructure, influence real business decisions, and help shape how Shield AI buys, builds, and delivers in support of its autonomy roadmap. Work cross‑functionally with: Supply Chain Procurement and Strategic Sourcing Finance Compliance and Trade/Regulatory stakeholders Operations and Manufacturing Quality Engineering and Program teams Security and other business functions as needed Salary: $220,000 – $330,000 per year. Full‑time regular employee offer: Salary within the above range, bonus, benefits, equity. Temporary employee offer: Salary within the above range plus temporary benefits after 60 days. Salary compensation is influenced by a wide array of factors including skill set, level of experience, licenses and certifications, and specific work location. All offers are contingent on a cleared background and possible reference check. Military fellows and part‑time employees are not eligible for benefits. Shield AI is proud to be an equal‑opportunity workplace and is an affirmative action employer. We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability, gender identity or veteran status. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation, please let us know. #J-18808-Ljbffr Shield AI