Back to jobs
New

Corporate Counsel, Defense & Aerospace

San Luis Obispo, California, United States

Join us at Zone 5 Technologies where innovation and cutting-edge technology drive pioneering advancements in unmanned aircraft systems (UAS). Based in the vibrant city of San Luis Obispo CA, we're seeking talented individuals to join and contribute to our growing team.

We thrive on pushing boundaries and inventing solutions to real-world challenges. Join a community of forward-thinkers who collaborate to create impactful products with a global reach. Our team, consisting of engineers and professionals, is prepared to overcome new frontiers and deliver innovative solutions in the field of unmanned aircraft systems.

We are seeking an experienced Corporate Counsel to serve as our first and only in-house legal leader as we scale operations and navigate the complexities of the defense industry and government contracting. Foundational role that will establish and lead our legal function, working directly with executive leadership to support existing operations and rapid growth while ensuring legal and risk management excellence, as well as regulatory compliance across all business activities.

Key Responsibilities

Legal Strategy & Leadership

  • Develop and implement comprehensive legal strategy aligned with business objectives and growth plans
  • Serve as primary legal advisor to the CEO and executive team
  • Build and scale the legal function from the ground up, establishing processes, policies, and frameworks
  • Manage or assist in management of outside counsel relationships (i.e., regulatory and corporate counsel) and legal budgets across multiple practice areas

Contracts & Commercial Transactions

  • Lead negotiation of complex government contracts, including prime and subcontractor agreements
  • Oversee vendor agreements, licensing deals, technology transfer arrangements, and NDAs
  • Review facility and operating leases
  • Review relevant equipment financing documents, as well as any third-party lender and banking agreements
  • Support business development, M&A activities, and any due diligence, as needed

Regulatory & Compliance

  • While the position does not require expert-level subject matter expertise, General Counsel should be expected to help navigate complex federal regulations with the assistance of outside regulatory counsel including ITAR, EAR, FAR, DFARS, DCAA, DOL regulations, and other defense-related compliance requirements
  • Develop and maintain robust export control and security clearance programs
  • Ensure compliance with industry standards and certifications (FAA & DoD requirements)
  • Maintain expertise in California state law and regulatory requirements, including employment law
  • Oversee data protection, cybersecurity compliance, and information security legal requirements in partnership with IT team

Corporate Governance, Risk Management & Oversight

  • Review and enhance corporate governance framework
  • Develop enterprise-wide risk management and compliance programs
  • Continuously analyze and assess the organization's largest legal risk factors and mitigation strategies
  • Handle employment law matters and HR legal support
  • Manage intellectual property portfolio strategy and protection
  • Oversee litigation management and dispute resolution
  • Establish document management system

Growth Support

  • Aid senior management in the expansion of the company’s operating capabilities, including establishment of production facilities in new states and internationally
  • Navigate domestic and international expansion legal requirements and cross-border transactions
  • Develop scalable legal processes to support rapid organizational growth

Required Qualifications

Education & Experience

  • Juris Doctor (JD) degree from an accredited law school and active membership in good standing with at least one U.S. state bar (preferably California)
  • 5+ years in senior legal roles with direct executive team interaction
  • Experience as sole or lead legal counsel preferred
  • Comfort in all facets of government contracting required
  • Defense industry experience expected

Industry Expertise

  • Knowledge of defense industry standards, certifications, and regulatory framework
  • Government contracting expertise as drafting and commenting on legal agreements is critical to the role
  • General familiarity with ITAR and export control regulations, as well as security clearance processes and requirements

Technical Skills

  • Strong contract negotiation and drafting capabilities
  • Expert-level legal agreement drafting and finalization across all business functions
  • Corporate governance experience
  • Strong familiarity with California employment law, corporate law, and regulatory environment
  • HR legal support experience
  • Intellectual property strategy and management
  • International business law and cross-border transactions

Preferred Qualifications

  • Big Law firm background with Defense focus and in-house Defense Contractor
  • Previous experience as General Counsel or Deputy General Counsel preferred
  • Experience with high-growth technology companies
  • Government contracting or procurement experience

Personal Attributes

  • Strategic mindset with ability to balance legal risk with business objectives
  • Strong communication skills to clearly explain and simplify complex legal concepts for diverse audiences
  • Collaborative leadership style with experience building and leading teams
  • High integrity and judgment with impeccable ethical standards
  • Adaptability and resilience thriving in fast-paced, evolving environments

Pay range for this role

$225,000 - $275,000 USD

What's in it for you:

Benefits: 

  • Competitive total compensation package 
  • Comprehensive benefit package options include medical, dental, vision, life, and more.
  • 401k with company-match 
  • 4 weeks of paid time off each year
  • 12 annual company holidays

Why Join Zone 5 Technologies?

  • Innovative Environment: Work on cutting-edge technology that is shaping the future of defense and aerospace.
  • Collaborative Culture: Join a team of passionate professionals dedicated to pushing the boundaries of what’s possible.
  • Career Growth: Opportunities for professional development and career advancement.

If you are passionate about unmanned aircraft technology and want to be a part of a dynamic and growing company, we would love to hear from you. Apply today and join the Zone 5 Technologies team! 

In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete the required employment eligibility verification form upon hire.

Zone 5 Technologies is a federal contractor and participates in E-Verify to confirm employment eligibility. As required by law, we will verify the identity and employment authorization of all new employees using the E-Verify system. Learn more about your rights and responsibilities under E-Verify: https://www.e-verify.gov.

Create a Job Alert

Interested in building your career at Zone 5 Technologies? Get future opportunities sent straight to your email.

Apply for this job

*

indicates a required field

Resume/CV*

Accepted file types: pdf, doc, docx, txt, rtf

Cover Letter

Accepted file types: pdf, doc, docx, txt, rtf

Education

Select...
Select...
Select...

Voluntary Self-Identification

For government reporting purposes, we ask candidates to respond to the below self-identification survey. Completion of the form is entirely voluntary. Whatever your decision, it will not be considered in the hiring process or thereafter. Any information that you do provide will be recorded and maintained in a confidential file.

As set forth in Zone 5 Technologies’s Equal Employment Opportunity policy, we do not discriminate on the basis of any protected group status under any applicable law.

Select...
Select...
Race & Ethnicity Definitions

If you believe you belong to any of the categories of protected veterans listed below, please indicate by making the appropriate selection. As a government contractor subject to the Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA), we request this information in order to measure the effectiveness of the outreach and positive recruitment efforts we undertake pursuant to VEVRAA. Classification of protected categories is as follows:

A "disabled veteran" is one of the following: a veteran of the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service who is entitled to compensation (or who but for the receipt of military retired pay would be entitled to compensation) under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs; or a person who was discharged or released from active duty because of a service-connected disability.

A "recently separated veteran" means any veteran during the three-year period beginning on the date of such veteran's discharge or release from active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval, or air service.

An "active duty wartime or campaign badge veteran" means a veteran who served on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service during a war, or in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge has been authorized under the laws administered by the Department of Defense.

An "Armed forces service medal veteran" means a veteran who, while serving on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service, participated in a United States military operation for which an Armed Forces service medal was awarded pursuant to Executive Order 12985.

Select...

Voluntary Self-Identification of Disability

Form CC-305
Page 1 of 1
OMB Control Number 1250-0005
Expires 04/30/2026

Why are you being asked to complete this form?

We are a federal contractor or subcontractor. The law requires us to provide equal employment opportunity to qualified people with disabilities. We have a goal of having at least 7% of our workers as people with disabilities. The law says we must measure our progress towards this goal. To do this, we must ask applicants and employees if they have a disability or have ever had one. People can become disabled, so we need to ask this question at least every five years.

Completing this form is voluntary, and we hope that you will choose to do so. Your answer is confidential. No one who makes hiring decisions will see it. Your decision to complete the form and your answer will not harm you in any way. If you want to learn more about the law or this form, visit the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) website at www.dol.gov/ofccp.

How do you know if you have a disability?

A disability is a condition that substantially limits one or more of your “major life activities.” If you have or have ever had such a condition, you are a person with a disability. Disabilities include, but are not limited to:

  • Alcohol or other substance use disorder (not currently using drugs illegally)
  • Autoimmune disorder, for example, lupus, fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, HIV/AIDS
  • Blind or low vision
  • Cancer (past or present)
  • Cardiovascular or heart disease
  • Celiac disease
  • Cerebral palsy
  • Deaf or serious difficulty hearing
  • Diabetes
  • Disfigurement, for example, disfigurement caused by burns, wounds, accidents, or congenital disorders
  • Epilepsy or other seizure disorder
  • Gastrointestinal disorders, for example, Crohn's Disease, irritable bowel syndrome
  • Intellectual or developmental disability
  • Mental health conditions, for example, depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorder, schizophrenia, PTSD
  • Missing limbs or partially missing limbs
  • Mobility impairment, benefiting from the use of a wheelchair, scooter, walker, leg brace(s) and/or other supports
  • Nervous system condition, for example, migraine headaches, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis (MS)
  • Neurodivergence, for example, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorder, dyslexia, dyspraxia, other learning disabilities
  • Partial or complete paralysis (any cause)
  • Pulmonary or respiratory conditions, for example, tuberculosis, asthma, emphysema
  • Short stature (dwarfism)
  • Traumatic brain injury
Select...

PUBLIC BURDEN STATEMENT: According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless such collection displays a valid OMB control number. This survey should take about 5 minutes to complete.