Associate General Counsel

Nkarta, Inc.•South San Francisco, CA

5h•$240,000 - $300,000•Hybrid

About The Position

Nkarta is seeking a hands-on, business-minded attorney to support its commercial, compliance, promotional review, employment, and corporate needs. Reporting to the VP, General Counsel and Special Operations, the Associate General Counsel will help lead the legal function and partner closely with leaders throughout the company. The role supports Nkarta’s obligations as a public company, including SEC reporting, Board and committee support, and broader compliance. The successful candidate will provide clear, practical advice in a fast-paced, clinical-stage biotechnology environment and help the company manage its legal risks.

Requirements

Active state bar membership in good standing and eligibility to practice as in-house counsel in California; California bar membership is preferred.
Minimum 7 years of legal experience.
Strong transactional experience negotiating complex commercial agreements.
Working knowledge of SEC reporting, corporate governance, and public company compliance.
J.D. from an ABA-accredited law school.
Sound, risk-calibrated judgment that enables the business.
Ability to work independently, manage competing priorities, meet tight deadlines, and maintain strong attention to detail.
Comfort with ambiguity in a lean, evolving organization.
Strong communication skills, including the ability to present effectively to senior leadership, the Board, and outside counsel.
Collaborative, low-ego approach and ability to build trust across functions.
Comfort adopting technology and AI tools to work efficiently and scale the legal function.

Nice To Haves

Legal experience at a public biotech or life sciences company.
Transactional experience in a life sciences setting.
Employment law experience.
Experience with FDA advertising and promotion review.
Experience with trademark and brand matters.
Experience managing outside counsel and supervising or mentoring others.
Location in the Greater San Francisco area and ability to work a hybrid schedule in the South San Francisco office.
Embodies Nkarta’s culture of empowerment, diversity, and inclusion.

Responsibilities

Oversee the contracts function and serve as the escalation point for non-standard terms, negotiation positions, and risk allocation.
Advise on complex and high-value agreements, including license, collaboration, and strategic vendor agreements.
Maintain and update corporate policies, deliver compliance training, and support programs covering conflicts of interest, HCP engagement, and data privacy.
Review promotional, scientific, and corporate communications—including press releases, investor and conference presentations, website and social media content, and disease awareness materials—for compliance with FDA, SEC, and other applicable requirements.
Advise on pre-approval communications and help prepare the company for future product launch and commercialization.
Manage outside counsel relationships, engagements, and budgets.
Coordinate intellectual property matters with outside counsel, including patent, trademark, and brand protection matters.
Support litigation, disputes, and regulatory or governmental inquiries as needed.
Help build scalable legal processes and tools, including supporting rollout of the company’s AI-enabled contract lifecycle management platform.
Advise on employment matters, including employment agreements, equity awards, severance, workplace policies, investigations, and HR compliance.
Manage the company’s immigration program in partnership with outside immigration counsel.
Support preparation of SEC filings, including Forms 10-K, 10-Q, and 8-K, the proxy statement, and Section 16 filings.
Support Board and committee meetings, including preparation of materials, minutes, and resolutions, as well as the annual stockholder meeting.
Support capital markets, financing, and strategic transactions, including due diligence and transaction documents.