VP, Legal

GITAI • Los Angeles, CA

7d • $160,000 - $210,000 • Onsite

About The Position

GITAI is a space robotics company focused on reducing the cost of work in space. The company develops robotic systems for orbital, lunar, and defense applications, handling tasks like assembly, inspection, maintenance, construction, and surface operations. GITAI emphasizes keeping hardware, software, testing, and integration close together to accelerate learning and shorten development cycles. The company is in its early stages, with systems, the company, and the market all being developed concurrently. This role is for an individual who is driven by challenging work and wants to actively contribute to moving the company forward.

Requirements

• J.D. from an accredited U.S. law school and an active license to practice law in at least one U.S. jurisdiction.
• 5+ years of legal experience at 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 what to accept, what to negotiate, what to escalate, and when to stop a deal.
• Clear communication and strong stakeholder management skills, including the ability to work directly with executives, engineers, program managers, finance, HR, security, customers, suppliers, and outside counsel.
• Ability to manage outside counsel efficiently while keeping 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, as this role may require eligibility to obtain and maintain a U.S. government security clearance.
• Must be able to participate in the full hiring process, including a one-month onsite temporary employment period.

Nice To Haves

• Experience with 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 in a company where legal, security, export control, and business execution had to move together.

Responsibilities

• Help the General Counsel build a legal function that enables GITAI to move faster, close better deals, and take smart risks as the company 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 by 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: what we can accept, what we should negotiate, what needs escalation, and what should stop the deal.
• Work closely with program management, engineering, procurement, finance, HR, security, and leadership to keep contracts, customer obligations, supplier commitments, and internal execution aligned.
• Help structure practical positions on deliverables, acceptance terms, payment terms, IP rights, 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 so the company can move with speed and discipline.
• Support new customer opportunities, supplier relationships, strategic partnerships, and new business initiatives from early review through negotiation and execution.
• Manage outside counsel efficiently, using them for specialized judgment while keeping ownership of the business context inside GITAI.
• Prepare clear risk summaries, deal recommendations, and decision materials for the General Counsel, senior management, board stakeholders, customers, auditors, and outside advisors as needed.

Benefits

• Health Insurance – Platinum medical plan with 100% company-paid medical, dental, and vision coverage for employees; 90% for dependents
• 401(k) Plan – Company match up to 3.5%, with traditional and Roth options
• Equity – Stock option eligibility depending on role
• Relocation Support – Available for qualifying positions
• Time Off – 12 paid holidays per year, 12 days of paid vacation per year, and paid sick leave (in accordance with applicable law)
• Office Perks – Free snacks and drinks, plus regular team events

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Executive
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree