Head of Legal

Job description

ABOUT BEACON AI We’re a fast-moving team of aviators, engineers, and operators building an AI platform to make flying safer, more efficient, and more capable. Backed by top investors, we’ve secured a dozen Department of Defense contracts and partnered with major airlines to deliver mission-critical systems. We operate without silos or heavy processes. Small, focused teams own what they build, ship quickly, and learn fast, pushing the boundaries of how humans and AI work together in aviation. WHY THIS ROLE EXISTS We’re a defense tech / dual-use company. We need a Head of Legal who can keep the company moving by owning the day-to-day legal workflow (contracts, coordination with outside counsel, basic corporate and employment admin) while also taking on practical business operations that reduce founder thrash. You don’t need to be an expert in everything. You do need strong judgment, excellent organization, and the ability to push work to completion. WHAT YOU’LL OWN 1) CONTRACTS AND DEAL FLOW (DAILY WORK) - Run intake, drafting, review, negotiation support, signature, and filing for NDAs, vendor agreements, consulting agreements, partnership/pilot agreements, MSAs/SOWs, and basic data/security addenda. - Maintain templates and “fallback positions” that match our risk tolerance. - Keep deals moving by driving timelines, nudging reviewers, and making decisions about what to escalate. 2) GOVERNMENT / DEFENSE CONTRACTING SUPPORT (WITH ESCALATION PATHS) - Coordinate reviews of government and prime/sub agreements (and flowdowns) with outside counsel as needed. - Track key contract obligations and deliverables (reporting requirements, security requirements, data handling, publication restrictions). - Help internal teams understand “what we signed up for” in plain English. 3) IP AND INFORMATION HYGIENE (PROCESS, NOT SOLO HEROICS) - Maintain invention assignment and contractor IP paperwork; keep clean records. - Coordinate with outside counsel on patent filings or trademark basics if/when needed. - Partner with engineering on lightweight open-source software hygiene (tracking, approvals, basic notices). 4) PEOPLE-RELATED AGREEMENTS AND BASICS - Own offer letter / contractor agreement workflows, confidentiality + invention assignment, and separation paperwork coordination with counsel. - Keep an organized approach to sensitive issues (routing to counsel, documenting, protecting confidentiality). 5) BUSINESS OPERATIONS (YOUR “SECOND HAT”) - Own a set of recurring operational workflows that keep the company running (examples: vendor onboarding, insurance renewals coordination, corporate filing coordination, document retention, signature authority matrix, tooling admin related to the above). - Build simple systems: trackers, playbooks, checklists, and a clean source of truth. 6) OUTSIDE COUNSEL MANAGEMENT - Be the front door: scope, intake, first drafts, budget discipline, and translating legal advice into next steps. - Ensure the business gets answers that are actionable, not memos. WHAT SUCCESS LOOKS LIKE (FIRST 90 DAYS) - A working contract intake + approval process that doesn’t live in email. - Core templates in place (at minimum: NDA, consulting agreement, basic MSA/SOW, vendor agreement, pilot/POC agreement). - A simple “obligations tracker” for key contracts and renewal dates. - Outside counsel relationships and escalation rules are clear (what you handle vs what goes out). - Founders spend meaningfully less time on routine legal/ops churn. WHO YOU ARE MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS (EITHER BACKGROUND CAN FIT) Option A: Senior Paralegal / Contracts & Ops - 5+ years supporting legal work in-house or at a firm (contracts, corporate records, deal coordination). - Excellent organization, writing, and the ability to run a process end-to-end. - Comfort reading agreements, spotting issues, and escalating appropriately. Option B: Juris Doctor / Former Lawyer - Juris Doctor (and ideally experience practicing, in-house and/or firm). - Hands-on experience negotiating and managing commercial contracts. - Strong operational instinct: you build systems, not just redlines. WHAT WE CARE ABOUT MOST - You close loops. You don’t let open items sit. - You can prioritize. You know what’s a real risk vs legal noise. - You can communicate tradeoffs in plain English and recommend a path. - You’re comfortable working directly with execs and cross-functional partners. NICE-TO-HAVES (NOT REQUIRED) - Government contracting exposure (FAR/DFARS basics, primes/subs, flowdowns). - Export controls familiarity (knowing when to raise a flag and who to call). - IP workflow experience (invention intake, patent counsel coordination, OSS compliance basics). - Startup experience (speed, ambiguity, messy inputs). Work Location This is a hybrid role based in San Carlos, CA, with 3+ days per week onsite and the option to work remotely on remaining days. Perks & Benefits (Full-Time Employees) - Healthcare: 100%* of employee medical premiums covered; 25% for dependents - Time Off: 3 weeks PTO plus 13+ paid company holidays - Stipends: Monthly phone and wellness benefits - 401(k): Offered (no current employer match, but we are committed to enhancing this benefit in the future). Due to U.S. export control regulations, we can only hire U.S. Persons (U.S. citizens, Green Card holders, lawful permanent residents, or individuals granted asylum or refugee status). We are unable to provide visa sponsorship or support visa transfers. All work must be performed in the United States. Beacon AI is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate based on race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, genetic information, disability, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic. We prohibit harassment or discrimination of any kind in the workplace and comply with all applicable federal, state, and local employment laws.