VP, Legal

GITAI•Los Angeles, CA

7d•$160,000 - $210,000•Onsite

About The Position

The VP, Legal will help build and operate the legal function supporting GITAI’s growth as a space robotics company. Reporting to the General Counsel, this role works closely with leadership, program management, engineering, finance, HR, security, and outside counsel. The position makes legal work a practical operating function by directly drafting, redlining, negotiating, organizing, escalating, and closing matters rather than serving only as an advisory role. The VP, Legal will handle legal issues involving U.S. government programs, commercial contracts, export-controlled technical data, suppliers, strategic partnerships, corporate governance, fundraising support, employment matters, and operational risks connected with space and defense hardware. The role requires making sound risk decisions under time pressure, communicating clearly, negotiating directly, and building legal processes suited to both government and defense work and an early-stage startup. This is a full-time onsite position at GITAI’s Torrance, California office, five days per week. Remote or hybrid work is not expected. Limited travel may be required for customer, partner, vendor, or company meetings. The expected base salary is $160,000–$210,000 per year. Final title, compensation, and equity depend on experience and other job-related factors. Applicants must be authorized to work in the U.S.; visa sponsorship is not available. U.S. citizenship is required for the role as stated in the qualifications, which may require eligibility to obtain and maintain a U.S. government security clearance.

Requirements

J.D. from an accredited U.S. law school.
Active license to practice law in at least one U.S. jurisdiction.
At least 5 years of legal experience in a law firm, in-house legal department, or both, with meaningful exposure to corporate, commercial, transactional, technology, or other business-facing legal matters.
At least 1 year of in-house legal experience at a venture-backed startup.
Strong contract judgment, including experience reviewing, interpreting, and advising on RFPs, purchase orders, customer terms, supplier terms, and other business-critical legal documents.
Ability to translate legal issues into practical business judgment, including deciding what to accept, negotiate, escalate, or when to stop a deal.
Clear communication and stakeholder-management skills, including the ability to work with executives, engineers, program managers, finance, HR, security, customers, suppliers, and outside counsel.
Ability to manage outside counsel efficiently while maintaining ownership of the business context inside the company.
High ownership and willingness to draft, redline, negotiate, organize, and close work directly.
U.S. citizenship is required for this role, which may require eligibility to obtain and maintain a U.S. government security clearance.
Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the U.S.; the role is not eligible for visa sponsorship.

Nice To Haves

Experience in technology, robotics, aerospace, defense, advanced manufacturing, government contracting, or another highly technical industry.
Experience reviewing RFPs, purchase orders, or contract documents from U.S. government agencies or defense-related customers.
Deep knowledge of U.S. foreign investment and export control rules, including ITAR, EAR, CFIUS-related issues, controlled technical data, foreign person restrictions, and technology access controls.
Experience with government contracts, commercial transactions, regulatory matters, litigation management, intellectual property, cybersecurity requirements, FAR/DFARS, data rights, or security obligations.
Experience owning or helping operate a compliance function where legal, security, export control, and business execution had to move together.

Responsibilities

Help the General Counsel build a legal function that enables the company to move quickly, close better deals, and take informed risks as it scales.
Review, interpret, and advise on RFPs, purchase orders, customer terms, supplier terms, contract documents, and agency requirements.
Support proposal, negotiation, and execution work for government, commercial, and strategic programs, identifying key business and legal terms early.
Draft, redline, and negotiate agreements with customers, suppliers, contractors, consultants, partners, and other third parties.
Translate legal issues into clear business choices, including what to accept, negotiate, escalate, or stop.
Coordinate with program management, engineering, procurement, finance, HR, security, and leadership to align contracts and obligations with internal execution.
Develop practical positions on deliverables, acceptance, payment, intellectual property and data rights, confidentiality, liability, indemnity, warranty, termination, cybersecurity, export control, and security requirements.
Build and improve contract templates, negotiation playbooks, approval paths, tracking systems, and internal guidance.
Support customer opportunities, supplier relationships, strategic partnerships, and new business initiatives from early review through negotiation and execution.
Manage outside counsel efficiently while retaining ownership of business context within GITAI.
Prepare risk summaries, deal recommendations, and decision materials for the General Counsel, senior management, board stakeholders, customers, auditors, and outside advisors as needed.

Benefits

Platinum medical plan with 100% company-paid medical, dental, and vision coverage for employees and 90% coverage for dependents.
401(k) plan with company match up to 3.5%, with traditional and Roth options.
Stock option eligibility depending on role.
Relocation support available for qualifying positions.
12 paid holidays per year, 12 days of paid vacation per year, and paid sick leave in accordance with applicable law.
Free snacks and drinks, plus regular team events.

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