SlipstreamJobs tracks this role from the company's public career site. Apply directly on the employer's site.
Salary: USD 200,000 - 225,000 / annual
Chainguard is seeking its first IP/Product Counsel to protect, monetize, and scale the company's intellectual property portfolio and product offerings. The role sits at the intersection of IP law and product development, requiring deep expertise in open source licensing, trademark, copyright, and technology transactions.
Key responsibilities include:
- Owning and growing Chainguard's international IP portfolio
- Leading IP enforcement efforts, including cease-and-desist actions for licensing violations
- Serving as the primary legal resource for open source licensing questions from engineering teams
- Advising product teams on licensing, IP, and terms of service across concurrent product launches
- Drafting and reviewing product terms and terms of service for new launches
- Advising on licensing considerations in partner and joint development agreements
- Partnering with product and engineering teams early in development to identify legal considerations before launch
- Building scalable IP processes, templates, and resources as the function grows
The ideal candidate brings 5+ years of legal experience with strong foundations in IP law, particularly open source licensing (MIT, Apache 2.0, BSD, GPL, LGPL, MPL, and dual licensing models). Experience advising on product launches, product roadmaps, and terms of service is valued. The role is structured as an individual contributor position today with clear opportunity to lead and build out the function over time as Chainguard scales.
This is a high-impact role at a venture-backed company serving Fortune 500 enterprises and industry leaders including OpenAI, Snap Inc., and Snowflake. The company is experiencing rapid product launch velocity, making IP and licensing questions a daily operational priority rather than occasional requests.
About Chainguard
AI / Data / Infrastructure; Legal / Compliance / Risk — software supply-chain security and trusted container images.
