Your Mission

The VP, Legal will help build and operate the legal function behind GITAI's next stage of growth as a space robotics company. This role reports to GITAI's General Counsel and works closely with leadership, program management, engineering, finance, HR, security, and outside counsel. The mission is to make legal work a practical operating function for the business, not a slow approval layer. This is not a pure advisory role. You will draft, redline, negotiate, organize, escalate, and close. You will handle legal issues close to the actual work: U.S. government programs, commercial contracts, export-controlled technical data, suppliers, strategic partnerships, corporate governance, fundraising support, employment matters, and the operating risks that come with building real hardware for space and defense applications. GITAI needs a legal leader who can protect the company without stopping the company. The right person can make sound risk calls under time pressure, write clearly, negotiate directly, and build legal systems that are strong enough for government and defense work but light enough for an early-stage startup.

What You'll Drive

• 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.

What We're Looking For

We are looking for a business-minded legal professional who can work close to the company's actual execution. The right person is not only a legal reviewer, but someone who can help structure deals, clarify risk, and support fast decision-making in a technical, high-growth environment.

You should have:

• 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.

Strong plus:

• 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.

Hiring Process

Our hiring process is designed to evaluate whether there is a real working fit before making a full-time offer.

The process will generally include:

1. Remote interview with the Head of HR
2. Take-home assignment
3. Remote interview with hiring managers
4. Onsite interviews at GITAI's office in Torrance, CA
5. One-month onsite temporary employment period
6. Full-time hiring decision

The one-month temporary employment period is a required part of the process. During this period, you will work onsite with the team as a paid temporary employee so both sides can evaluate fit in a real working environment. Full-time employment is not guaranteed before the temporary employment period. A full-time offer may be made only after GITAI completes its evaluation during this period.

Please apply only if you are able to participate in the full hiring process, including the one-month onsite temporary employment period. If you are unable to leave your current role, take time away from your current employment, or otherwise make yourself available for this required onsite temporary employment period, this position will not be a fit.

Location & Employment Details

• Torrance, CA / Full-time
• This is a full-time onsite role based at GITAI's office in Torrance, CA. This position requires working onsite five days per week. Remote or hybrid work is not expected for this role.
• Limited travel may be required based on business needs, including customer, partner, vendor, or company-related meetings.

Compensation

Base salary for this role is expected to range from $160,000 to $210,000 per year. Final title, compensation, and equity will depend on the candidate's experience, legal judgment, startup operating experience, and ability to help GITAI move quickly while managing legal and business risk.

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

No agency submissions, please.

Compensation may include base salary or hourly pay and, depending on the position, equity. Actual compensation will be determined based on experience, skillset, and other job-related factors.

LA salary range

$160,000-$210,000 USD