Senior Counsel & Contracts Manager - Energy & Environment

Amentum is a global leader in advanced engineering and innovative technology solutions, trusted by the United States and its allies to address their most significant and complex challenges in science, security and sustainability. Our people apply undaunted curiosity, relentless ambition and boundless imagination to challenge convention and drive progress. Our commitments are underpinned by the belief that safety, collaboration and well-being are integral to success. Headquartered in Chantilly, Virginia, we have approximately 50,000 employees in more than 70 countries across all 7 continents.

Amentum’s Energy & Environment Business Group is actively seeking a highly motivated and skilled Senior Counsel & Contracts Manager to play a dual-role in managing the legal and contractual needs of a rapidly growing portfolio. This individual will play a pivotal role in supporting nuclear project pursuits, performance, and closeouts , as well as non-nuclear commercial business pursuits . Reporting to the Business Unit General Counsel and Contracts VP , this position will serve as both a trusted legal advisor and an expert in contract negotiation and administration, contributing directly to the success of the business unit’s strategic initiatives. This is a unique opportunity to combine legal expertise with hands-on contracts management in a highly dynamic work environment within a $14B+ global enterprise. This is a Hybrid role local to our Reston, VA or Oak Ridge, TN Amentum offices. Working 3 days a week in the office. US Citizenship is required.

Primary Responsibilities

Legal Counsel Responsibilities

• Strategic Legal Advice: Provide legal counsel to senior leaders to enable the successful execution of business strategies, including offerings for federal and commercial energy projects across nuclear and non-nuclear sectors.
• Transactional Expertise: Draft, negotiate, and review a range of agreements, including:
  • Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) contracts, services agreements, NDAs, MOUs, IP licenses, teaming and joint venture agreements, subcontracts, and project finance agreements.
  • International nuclear projects
  • Joint ventures
• Regulatory Compliance: Advise on compliance with federal regulations, including FAR/DFARS , DOE , NRC , FCPA , ITAR , EAR , and other international or environmental laws impacting project execution and business development initiatives.
• Risk Management: Identify, mitigate, and manage legal and contractual risks in bid opportunities, project execution, and contract closeout activities. Collaborate with internal teams and external counsel as needed to address complex regulatory, ethics, and compliance issues.
• Dispute Resolution and Claims Management: Support early identification and resolution of potential disputes and claims. Represent the company in negotiation and mediation efforts, and oversee litigation as necessary in collaboration with external counsel.

Contracts Management Responsibilities

• Contract Lifecycle Management: Lead all aspects of the contract lifecycle, including development, negotiation, administration, performance tracking, amendments, and closeouts for nuclear and non-nuclear commercial and federal projects.
• Pre-Award Support:
  • Collaborate with proposal teams and pricing specialists to identify contractual risks and opportunities in new business pursuits, ensuring alignment with organizational goals.
  • Participate in reviewing and responding to government solicitations, RFPs, RFQs, and other bids.
• Post-Award Administration:
  • Implement mechanisms to monitor contractual compliance, deliverables, milestones, change orders, and claims across multiple projects.
  • Negotiate subcontractor and vendor agreements to ensure alignment with client obligations.
  • Ensure compliance with flow-down terms and conditions on federally funded and commercial projects.
• Training and Process Optimization: Develop, implement, and continuously improve standard operating procedures (SOPs) , templates, and tools for contract management. Conduct training for project management, finance, and other operational teams on contractual and legal best practices.

Skills and Competencies

• Exceptional contract drafting and negotiation skills.
• Strong knowledge of U.S. government contracting regulations and commercial procurement principles.
• Proficiency in managing regulatory compliance (NRC licensing, DOE grants, international controls, environmental, etc.).
• Proven ability to assess and mitigate legal, operational, and reputational risks effectively.

Key Attributes for Success

• A business-oriented, practical problem solver who effectively balances legal, contractual, and operational risks.
• Adaptability in handling a hybrid role, with strong prioritization skills to seamlessly shift between legal counsel and contracts management functions.
• A proactive and collaborative partner who thrives in dynamic, high-growth environments.

Key Qualifications:

• Typically 10+ years of combined legal and contracts management experience , with at least 3–5 years in a government contractor or energy-related environment. with a Juris Doctor (JD) degree from an ABA-accredited law school.
• Active membership in good standing with at least one U.S. State Bar. Additional certifications in contracts management (e.g., CFCM , CPCM , or equivalent) strongly preferred.
• Extensive expertise in drafting and negotiating EPC contracts , government contracts (FAR/DFARS, NRC/DOE-driven projects), and commercial energy sector agreements.
• Demonstrated experience supporting nuclear project development, performance, licensing , and/or compliance requirements.
• Proven ability to manage competing priorities while supporting both deal-making and ongoing contract performance.

• Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills. Ability to distill complex legal and contractual issues into concise, actionable advice for senior leaders and cross-functional teams.
• Strong attention to detail and commitment to accurate, timely work product.
• US Citizenship is required.

Preferred Attributes

• Familiarity with energy-related industries, including renewable energy, nuclear power, and environmental remediation .
• Ability to work collaboratively across multi-disciplinary teams in a matrixed organization.
• Experience supporting joint ventures, consortiums or other multi-party collaborations.

Compensation Details:

The compensation range or hourly rate listed for this position is provided as a good-faith estimate of what the company intends to offer for this role at the time this posting was issued. Actual compensation may vary based on factors such as job responsibilities, education, experience, skills, internal equity, market data, applicable collective bargaining agreements, and relevant laws.

Benefits Overview:

Our health and welfare benefits are designed to support you and your priorities. Offerings include:

• Health, dental, and vision insurance

• Paid time off and holidays

• Retirement benefits (including 401(k) matching)

• Educational reimbursement

• Parental leave

• Employee stock purchase plan

• Tax-saving options

• Disability and life insurance

• Pet insurance

Note: Benefits may vary based on employment type, location, and applicable agreements. Positions governed by a Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), the McNamara-O'Hara Service Contract Act (SCA), or other employment contracts may include different provisions/benefits.

Original Posting:

Amentum anticipates this job requisition will remain open for at least three days, with a closing date no earlier than three days after the original posting. This timeline may change based on business needs.

Amentum is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. Our hiring practices provide equal opportunity for employment without regard to race, sex, sexual orientation, pregnancy (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, or medical conditions related to pregnancy, childbirth, or breastfeeding), age, ancestry, United States military or veteran status, color, religion, creed, marital or domestic partner status, medical condition, genetic information, national origin, citizenship status, low-income status, or mental or physical disability so long as the essential functions of the job can be performed with or without reasonable accommodation, or any other protected category under federal, state, or local law. Learn more about your rights under Federal laws and supplemental language at Labor Laws Posters.