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.
Key responsibilities include:
- Building and owning the legal support model for Shield AI's supply chain, procurement, and supplier operations.
- Designing and refining the contracting infrastructure for the function, including templates, fallback language, playbooks, and training materials.
- Leading 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.
- Structuring, drafting, reviewing, and negotiating subcontracts and related agreements supporting US government and commercial programs.
- Advising on subcontracting structures, mandatory and strategic flow-down requirements, representations and certifications, and other government contracting considerations that affect supplier and procurement activity.
- Partnering with supply chain and procurement leaders on the legal strategy for scaling supplier relationships, improving cycle times, and enabling disciplined growth across critical programs.
The ideal candidate will have:
- A 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 include experience supporting a defense technology or aerospace company, familiarity with import/export controls, sanctions, customs, anti-corruption, cybersecurity, and related compliance frameworks affecting suppliers and supply chains.