Senior Legal Counsel
VASTAbout the role
At Vast, our mission is to contribute to a future where billions of people are living and thriving in space. Vast is developing next-generation space stations to ensure a continuous human presence in space for America and its allies, enabling advanced microgravity research and manufacturing, and unlocking a new space economy for government, corporate, and private customers. Using an incremental, hardware-rich and low-cost approach, Vast is rapidly developing its multi-module Haven Station. Haven Demo’s 2025 success made Vast the only operational commercial space station company to fly and operate its own spacecraft. Next, Haven-1 is expected to become the world’s first commercial space station when it launches, followed by additional Haven modules to enable permanent human presence by 2030. Our team is all-in, committed to executing our mission safely and on time. If you want to work with the most talented people on Earth furthering space exploration for humanity, come join us.
Vast is seeking a Senior Legal Counsel to join our growing legal team, reporting directly to the General Counsel. This role will focus primarily on commercial contracts (approximately 50%)—particularly within supply chain and manufacturing; data privacy and intellectual property support (approximately 30%); as well as other critical legal matters supporting the design and construction of next-generation human-rated space stations. The remaining 20% will be focused on special projects.
This will be a full-time, exempt position located in our Long Beach location.
Responsibilities:
- Commercial Contracts – Supply Chain & Manufacturing
- Draft, negotiate, and manage commercial agreements, with a focus on supply chain, and manufacturing.
- Support sourcing, engineering, and operations teams in structuring processes and contracts that balance legal protection and operational efficiency.
- Provide guidance in coordination with subject matter experts on key legal terms, including IP rights, indemnities, warranties, and regulatory compliance.
- Build and scale robust internal processes and partner with others on implementation and improvement of business systems.
- Data Privacy & Intellectual Property Support
- Support the development and management of data privacy programs, including compliance with applicable privacy laws and regulations.
- Advise on the protection, licensing, and enforcement of intellectual property assets.
- Enhance internal processes and coordination across departments to safeguard proprietary information and trade secrets.
- Leverage knowledge of related areas such as supply chain, ethics & compliance, and technology transactions.
- Strategic Legal Advisory & Cross-Functional Support
- Provide timely, business-oriented legal advice to stakeholders across multiple departments.
- Identify and manage legal risks while enabling innovation and execution speed.
- Support sensitive legal matters such as claims, investigations, compliance concerns, and dispute resolution.
- Collaborate on special projects.
Minimum Qualifications:
- JD with active admission to a U.S. state bar in good standing; eligible to practice in-house in California.
- 5+ years of experience in a legal role within a law firm, private company, or government agency.
- Subject matter expertise in commercial contracting.
- Experience supporting supply chain and manufacturing legal operations.
- Strong verbal and written communication skills; excellent judgment and problem-solving abilities.
- Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a fast-paced, mission-driven environment.
Preferred Skills & Experience:
- Deep understanding of aerospace industry legal frameworks, especially related to government and technology contracts.
- Strong relationship-building skills with both internal teams and external partners.
- Proactive and pragmatic approach to legal counseling and risk management.
- Demonstrated ability to manage shifting priorities and take initiative in unfamiliar legal areas.
- Familiarity with internal policy development and enforcement in a highly regulated environment.
Additional Requirements:
- Ability to travel up to 15% of the time.
- Willingness to work evenings and/or weekends.
- Specific certifications, as appropriate.
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