Blue Origin

Principal Legal Counsel, TeraWave

Blue Origin$230K — $323K *
Telecommunications & Hardware
11 - 15 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • J.D. from an accredited law school and active bar membership in at least one U.S. jurisdiction.
  • 12+ years of relevant legal experience, preferably in-house or in a technology-focused law firm.
  • Expertise in drafting and negotiating complex commercial and technology agreements for satellite communications.
  • Familiarity with regulatory frameworks for satellite and telecom operations, including FCC compliance and spectrum use.
  • Strong ability to manage risk and provide practical legal counsel across various business functions.
  • Effective project management skills with a track record of driving matters to closure under tight timelines.
  • Excellent communication skills for both technical and executive audiences.

Responsibilities

  • Advise TeraWave business unit on commercial transactions and operational legal issues.
  • Draft, review, and negotiate a variety of complex agreements, including service level and procurement contracts.
  • Coordinate with regulatory counsel on compliance and licensing for satellite and telecom operations.
  • Collaborate with cross-functional teams to effectively manage legal risks in a business context.
  • Develop scalable legal templates and processes to support operational needs and growth.
  • Monitor developments in satellite communications and advise on their implications.
  • Guide teams on evolving regulatory landscapes and associated compliance requirements.

Benefits

  • Medical, dental, vision, and life insurance options along with paid parental leave.
  • Short and long-term disability coverage and a 401(k) plan with a company match.
  • Paid time off of up to four weeks per year plus up to 14 holidays.
  • Stock options for regular employees working 20 hours or more per week.
  • An Education Support Program for ongoing personal and professional development.
Full Job Description
Application close date:
Applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis until the requisition is closed.

This role is part of Blue Origin corporate functions, providing centralized support across Blue Origin business unit teams, functions, and locations.

Position Summary

Blue Origin is seeking a Principal Legal Counsel to join its Legal & Compliance department as the senior legal advisor for the TeraWave business unit. This role will serve as a trusted partner to TeraWave's engineering, product, and operations teams, providing expert legal counsel on complex commercial transactions, regulatory compliance, and risk management in the satellite communications and connectivity services space. The ideal candidate brings deep subject matter expertise, strong business judgment, and the ability to manage complex, high-stakes matters in a fast-moving environment.

Key Responsibilities
  • Serve as the primary legal advisor to the TeraWave business unit, providing day-to-day counsel on commercial transactions, regulatory matters, and operational legal issues
  • Draft, review, and negotiate complex commercial and technology agreements, including customer master services agreements, service level agreements, capacity and throughput agreements, ground station services agreements, network services agreements, electronic hardware procurement and supply contracts, and licensing arrangements
  • Coordinate with regulatory counsel on regulatory frameworks applicable to satellite, telecom, and space operations, including FCC licensing and compliance, spectrum use and coordination, ITU-related considerations, export controls (ITAR/EAR), and data privacy and security requirements for network services
  • Partner cross-functionally with engineering, product, sales, operations, regulatory, and government affairs teams to identify and manage legal risk in a practical, business-focused manner
  • Develop and maintain scalable contract templates, playbooks, and legal processes to support TeraWave's growth and operational needs
  • Monitor and advise on evolving developments affecting satellite communications, connectivity services, and space operations


Qualifications

Required:
  • J.D. from an accredited law school and active bar membership in good standing in at least one U.S. jurisdiction, with the ability to obtain and maintain in-house counsel registration where applicable
  • 12+ years of relevant legal experience, including significant time in-house or in a technology-focused law firm practice supporting complex commercial transactions for technology, network, or communications services
  • Demonstrated expertise drafting and negotiating complex commercial and technology agreements relevant to satellite communications and connectivity services, including customer master services agreements, service level agreements, capacity or throughput agreements, network services, electronic hardware procurement and supply contracts, and licensing arrangements
  • Familiarity with regulatory frameworks applicable to satellite, telecom, and space operations, including FCC licensing and compliance, spectrum use and coordination, ITU-related considerations, export controls (ITAR/EAR), and data privacy and security considerations for network services
  • Proven ability to provide cross-functional advice and translate legal risk for engineering, product, sales, operations, regulatory, and government affairs teams
  • Strong risk-spotting, practical counseling, and problem-solving skills, with the judgment to balance legal risk against business objectives
  • Effective project management skills with the ability to drive matters to closure, manage outside counsel, and coordinate across stakeholders
  • Ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment, handle multiple priorities, and deliver clear, concise work product under tight timelines
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills tailored to technical and executive audiences

Preferred:
  • Prior in-house experience in satellite, telecommunications, or network infrastructure sectors
  • Direct experience supporting LEO/MEO constellation programs, ground segment operations, teleport or gateway services, or managed network/connectivity services
  • Experience with government contracts or public sector customers, including familiarity with FAR/DFARS and related flow-downs and compliance obligations
  • Advanced degree or technical background in engineering, computer science, or telecommunications, or demonstrated ability to partner effectively with highly technical teams
  • Experience supporting international operations, cross-border contracting, and global regulatory considerations, including export/sanctions screening and data transfer issues
  • Experience with product counseling for network services, including service architecture, uptime/availability commitments, disaster recovery, and resilience obligations
  • Comfort with ambiguity and evolving regulatory landscapes, with a track record of building scalable templates, playbooks, and processes


Base Pay Range for:
WA applicants is $230,773.00 - $323,081.85

Other site ranges may differ

Benefits
  • Benefits include: Medical, dental, vision, basic and supplemental life insurance, paid parental leave, short and long-term disability, 401(k) with a company match of up to 5%, and an Education Support Program.
  • Stock Options for all regular employees (working at least 20 hours/week)
  • Paid Time Off: Up to four (4) weeks per year based on weekly scheduled hours, and up to 14 company-paid holidays.
  • Dependent on role type and job level, employees may be eligible for benefits and bonuses based on the company's intent to reward individual contributions and enable them to share in the company's results, or other factors at the company's sole discretion. Bonus amounts and eligibility are not guaranteed and subject to change and cancellation. Please check with your recruiter for more details.


About Blue Origin

Blue Origin is an aerospace company that develops rockets and spacecraft for commercial and government customers. The company's products include the New Shepard suborbital vehicle and the New Glenn orbital rocket. Blue Origin was founded in 2000 by Jeff Bezos and is headquartered in Kent, Washington.
Learn more about Blue Origin
Size
3,000 employees
Industry
Founded
2000

Similar Jobs

More Jobs at Blue Origin

More Telecommunications & Hardware Jobs

Find similar Principal Legal Counsel, TeraWave jobs: