Deputy General Counsel

Zeno Power•Washington, DC

137d•$240,000 - $275,000•Hybrid

About The Position

Zeno Power is seeking an experienced Deputy General Counsel to serve as a key legal partner as the company grows its government and commercial business. Reporting to the Chief Regulatory & Legal Officer (CRLO), this attorney will provide broad legal counsel on government and commercial contracts, corporate governance and fundraising, export controls, trade secret management, personnel matters, and other compliance issues. The role supports the company’s federal government programs and commercial growth, and offers opportunities to expand into regulatory and intellectual property work. The Deputy General Counsel will partner with the CEO and Executive Team and teams across Engineering, Finance, Business Development, Supply Chain, Radiological Operations, People & Culture, and Program Management. The attorney will advise on significant agreements and legal and regulatory matters, manage disputes and compliance obligations, and help build the legal team and infrastructure needed for continued growth and commercialization. Responsibilities include leading counsel for government and commercial contracting; drafting, reviewing, negotiating, and advising on a wide range of agreements; developing contract processes, playbooks, policies, and compliance frameworks; supporting fundraising, investor negotiations, CFIUS considerations, and governance; leading export-control compliance; supporting trade secret and CUI compliance; advising on personnel and employment matters; and contributing to strategic development of the Legal function. The position requires in-office presence in Washington, D.C. on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, with remote work optional Mondays and Fridays. Travel is required at less than 10%.

Requirements

Juris Doctor (J.D.) from an accredited law school.
Active membership in at least one U.S. state bar.
10 or more years of relevant legal experience.
Experience drafting and negotiating U.S. government and commercial contracts, including application of FAR and/or DFARS.
Experience managing corporate governance for a private-sector company.
Experience developing scalable legal processes, including for procurements, regulatory compliance, export controls, trade secrets, and CUI.
Ability to advise business leaders on legal risk while maintaining commercial objectives.
Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to translate legal risks for technical and non-technical stakeholders.
Ability to operate independently with limited supervision in a dynamic startup environment.
Strong judgment, attention to detail, and practical problem-solving abilities.
Must be a U.S. person, as defined in the posting.

Nice To Haves

Experience supporting defense technology, aerospace, energy, nuclear, space, maritime, or other highly technical or regulated industries.
Experience with the Department of War, Department of Energy, NASA, National Nuclear Security Administration, DARPA, or related federal agencies.
Familiarity with OTA agreements and non-traditional defense acquisition pathways.
Experience advising emerging technology companies transitioning from R&D into commercial deployment.
Experience supporting intellectual property strategy and technology commercialization, particularly trade secret management.
Active security clearance or ability to obtain one.
Experience developing and scaling procurement processes in government contracting.
Exposure to nuclear regulation at state or federal levels.
Science or engineering background or experience.

Responsibilities

Serve as lead counsel for federal government and commercial contracting matters and develop related legal strategies.
Draft, review, negotiate, and provide strategic counsel on government and commercial agreements, including prime and subcontractor contracts, teaming agreements, partnerships, NDAs, procurement contracts, CRADAs, technology transfer agreements, OTAs, and SBIR/STTR agreements.
Work with a paralegal and outside counsel to create processes and playbooks for common contract types that procurement and paralegal support can implement.
Design and maintain scalable government contracting policies, procedures, and compliance frameworks.
Support fundraising activities, investor negotiations, CFIUS considerations, and corporate governance documentation.
Lead long-term governance improvements, including Board engagement, entity formation and management, and legal matters related to growth and capitalization.
Serve as Export Control Lead and develop and maintain ITAR and EAR compliance policies, training, licensing, cybersecurity, and internal controls.
Manage trade secret management, CUI compliance, and related policies.
Assist the CRLO with intellectual property protection efforts and updated trade secret management policies.
Advise People & Culture and leadership on ad-hoc personnel and employment matters.
Work with the CRLO on strategic development of the Legal function.
Advise on legal and regulatory matters, manage disputes and compliance obligations, and help build the legal team and infrastructure.