Senior Commercial Counsel

About the Job

About Us

Saildrone is a maritime defense and oceanographic survey company creating a paradigm shift in how navies, law enforcement, governments, and commercial organizations obtain the real-time, accurate data required to monitor the maritime domain. Powered primarily by renewable wind and solar energy, Saildrone’s fleet of unmanned surface vehicles (USVs) provides long-duration operations measured in months, not days. Saildrone USVs carry sophisticated sensors combined with proprietary AI algorithms to give a full picture of the maritime environment above and below the sea surface, supporting border protection, critical infrastructure security, and hydrographic survey. Saildrone has sailed more than 2,000,000 nautical miles from the High North to the Southern Ocean and spent over 50,000 days at sea in the harshest ocean conditions on the planet.

We are based in Alameda, CA, with offices in Washington DC and St. Petersburg, FL, and operate missions worldwide. This is an exciting opportunity with a fast-growing team at the cutting-edge intersection of big data services, autonomy, and AI. You will be part of a high-performing, multidisciplinary team delivering data, intelligence, and firepower for strategic superiority.

The Role

Saildrone is seeking a Senior Commercial Counsel to join its Legal Team. This role will report directly to the VP, Head of Legal and be the second hire on the Legal Team. The ideal hire will be a creative problem solver, interested in developing and expanding the reach of the legal function at a growing startup. This is a great opportunity for a candidate with a growth mindset, who is looking for a mission driven company and a place to grow their career.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with and provide strategic legal advice across the organization, including, but not limited to, Sales, Product, Finance, People, Engineering and Operations.
• Draft and negotiate complex commercial contracts with US and foreign government and commercial customers and prime contractors, in collaboration with Saildrone’s Director of Contracting.
• Draft and negotiate - or advise other Saildrone teams on – vendor contracts, including hardware purchases, software licenses, consulting, marketing and logistics, and NDAs.
• Prepare and further develop commercial templates for Saildrone’s mission-as-a-service offerings and new pricing models.
• Build internal company processes to improve the efficiency and scalability of the legal and cross-functional teams to support business growth, across Sales, Program Management and Legal.
• Assist with the development of Saildrone’s IP portfolio and advise on IP rights, ownership and licensing in commercial agreements.
  
  

Required Skills and Experience

• A Juris Doctorate and membership in good standing with the California state bar or qualified to practice in California as in-house counsel.
• 7+ years prior experience
• Business minded and execution driven, comfortable leading negotiations and capable of managing risk with creative solutions, with limited supervision.
• Capable of building relationships with teams across the organization and building trust with your clients.
• Significant experience structuring, drafting and negotiating complex commercial agreements for technology companies, including IP licenses, master purchase and service agreements and statements of work.
  
  

Desired Skills and Experience

• Previous experience as commercial counsel at a technology startup.
• Previous experience drafting and negotiating various types of contracts required for government contracting, including government funding/grant agreements, and familiarity with government contracting practices, including the FAR/DFARs.
• A passion to work in an entirely novel business.
• A maritime law background is not required, but helps!
  
  

Physical Requirements

• Work is performed on a computer and requires the ability to operate a keyboard and other peripheral devices.
  
  

Location: This position is in Alameda, CA. Our waterfront office offers beautiful views of San Francisco Bay in always sunny Alameda.

Benefits:

• Paid time off, including vacation, bereavement, jury duty, sick time and parental leave
• Comprehensive and competitive medical, dental and vision plans, and HSA with employer matching.
• Company sponsored life insurance
• Stock Options
• Annual stipend for continued learning and development
• Quarterly company BBQs at our Alameda HQ (bring your friends and family!)
• Free Bay Area Public Transportation via AlamedaTMA with the BayPass Clipper Card
• Plenty of snacks in our 3 office locations
• Dog-friendly work environment

Catch up on the latest news about us:

The British Engineer Behind the US Navy’s High-tech Ocean Drones – The Times of London

Denmark to Field Unmanned Vessels for Monitoring Busy Shipping Routes – Defense News

Counter-drug Sea Drones Utilized by Navy as Trump Ramps Up Military Resources at the Border

Saildrone, Palantir Partner to Use AI to Streamline USV Manufacturing, Operations – Breaking Defense

An Underwater Mountain was Newly Discovered off California Coast – San Francisco Chronicle

USVs Could Deter IUU Fishing – USNI Proceedings

TIME 100 Most Influential Companies 2024: Saildrone

Saildrone Featured Videos Playlist

Individual compensation packages are based on geographic location, scope of the role, relevant experience, and the ability to deal with complexity and problem solve within our organization, among other factors.

All employees are required to provide proof of authorization to work in the U.S. within their first 3 days of work. Please note that the Company does not sponsor employees for work visas or permanent resident cards to work in the U.S. If you need sponsorship for a work visa or green card, you will not be qualified for employment with Saildrone.

We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.

Any unsolicited resumes/candidate profiles submitted through our website or to personal email accounts of employees of Saildrone are considered property of Saildrone and are not subject to payment of agency fees.

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