About You:

You are a business-minded government contracts attorney who moves comfortably between FAR/DFARS and commercial contract negotiation, and who appreciates that both are vital to our mission to create the Operating System of Record for autonomous flight. Partnering closely with Contracts Management, Program Management, Finance, Revenue and Supply Chain, you bring legal oversight to proposals and procurement, provide guidance to the teams executing existing agreements, and help shape the contracting strategy that lets the business grow with confidence. You have real experience structuring and negotiating complex government contract vehicles, but you are just as capable running a commercial NDA or technology license to signature without hand-holding. This is expected to be your primary area of expertise and the core of the role.

You understand what it means to work inside a small and growing legal department: the range of matters is broad, headcount is lean, and you will be expected to jump in outside your lane when the business needs it. You see gaps in your own experience as places to grow into, not reasons to say no, and you'd rather learn a new area on the job than sit it out until you master the theory.

You are energized by building things that do not exist yet: playbooks, templates, and intake processes that enable a small legal team to operate like a much larger one.

You crave the opportunity to operate with autonomy in a fast-paced, highly regulated environment, and are comfortable being the primary point of contact for a growing volume of inbound legal requests from the business.

Responsibilities:

• Own the legal side of Merlin's government contracts lifecycle: proposal review, procurement strategy, negotiations, contract structuring, and FAR/DFARS compliance.
• Own day-to-day commercial legal activities, serving as the primary point of contact for inbound contract requests from the business: independently draft and negotiate teaming agreements, technology licenses, NDAs, vendor and supply chain, and other commercial agreements.
• Help build the contracting templates, playbooks, and process infrastructure Merlin needs to scale.
• Grow into other legal matters across Merlin as the team's workload requires and as your experience develops, including foreign and allied government contracting (FMS/DCS), strategic partnership and joint development agreements, aviation regulatory questions, government ethics and lobbying compliance, employment-related questions, and litigation support.

Qualifications:

• J.D. and active bar membership in at least one U.S. state.
• 8+ years of substantive legal experience, ideally including significant time in an in-house corporate legal department.
• Real depth in U.S. government contracts law (FAR/DFARS), from the prime, subcontractor, or government/agency side.
• Real depth in commercial contracting, particularly supply chain, procurement, or vendor agreements.
• A resourceful, creative approach to legal problems, and genuine comfort with ambiguity and a fast pace.
• An independent interest in the law and policy related to our technology, not just a willingness to work in the space.
• A generalist mindset: you don't need prior experience in every area beyond your core strengths, but you should want it.
• Eligibility for a U.S. government security clearance.

Nice to Have:

• Experience with Foreign Military Sales (FMS), Direct Commercial Sales (DCS), or other international government contracting frameworks.
• Experience negotiating strategic partnerships, joint ventures, or joint development agreements, including IP allocation between parties.
• Experience with lobbying disclosure, PAC administration, or political law compliance.
• Familiarity with ITAR/EAR export controls.
• Background in IP licensing.

$220,000 - $290,000 a year

The compensation range provided is a good-faith estimate based on a wide range of factors, inclusive of base salary only. The actual offer will be determined by a variety of factors including the candidate's qualifications, skills, experience, education, and training. Highly competitive equity grants are considered part of Merlin's total compensation package. Additionally, Merlin offers top-tier benefits for full-time employees.

This position is based on-site at Merlin HQ in Boston, MA.

Once you're here, you'll enjoy a variety of on-site perks designed to make your workday enjoyable and convenient. These include catered lunches featuring a rotating menu of delicious options, an assortment of snacks to keep you fueled throughout the day, and a selection of beverages, including coffee, tea, and other drinks, to keep you refreshed.

Our goal is to create an environment where you can thrive both professionally and personally

Merlin Labs offers an innovative, entrepreneurial, and team-focused startup environment. We also offer a top-notch benefits package (health, dental, life, unlimited vacation, and 401k with match) and work/life integration. Being part of the Merlin team allows you to become part of a small team that supports professional development while working together to achieve our mission.