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Merlin Labs (NASDAQ: MRLN) is a publicly traded aerospace and defense company developing autonomous flight systems—a non-human pilot delivering full-stack autonomy for aircraft from takeoff to touchdown. The Merlin Pilot autonomy system has been proven through hundreds of autonomous flights from global test facilities and is advancing certification and commercialization across commercial and defense aviation.
As Assistant General Counsel, you will be a business-minded government contracts attorney serving as a core member of a lean, growing legal department. You will own the legal side of Merlin's government contracts lifecycle—proposal review, procurement strategy, negotiations, contract structuring, and FAR/DFARS compliance. You will also own day-to-day commercial legal activities, serving as the primary point of contact for inbound contract requests from the business: independently drafting and negotiating teaming agreements, technology licenses, NDAs, vendor and supply chain agreements, and other commercial contracts.
Working closely with Contracts Management, Program Management, Finance, Revenue, and Supply Chain, you will provide legal oversight to proposals and procurement, guide teams executing existing agreements, and help shape contracting strategy. You will help build the contracting templates, playbooks, and process infrastructure Merlin needs to scale. As the team's workload requires and your experience develops, you will grow into other legal matters including foreign and allied government contracting (FMS/DCS), strategic partnerships and joint development agreements, aviation regulatory questions, government ethics and lobbying compliance, employment-related matters, and litigation support.
This role requires someone energized by building things that do not exist yet, comfortable operating with autonomy in a fast-paced, highly regulated environment, and willing to jump in outside their lane when the business needs it. You see gaps in your own experience as places to grow into, not reasons to say no. The position is based on-site at Merlin HQ in Boston, MA.
REQUIREMENTS:
- 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 autonomous flight 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
- Authorization to work in the United States without visa sponsorship
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
