Commercial Counsel, Starlink Government Contracts

Posted 6 Days Ago
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Washington, DC, USA
In-Office
190K-245K Annually
Mid level
Aerospace • Other
The Role
Provide legal review and strategic counseling on complex U.S. and international government contracting and commercial matters for Starlink. Draft, negotiate, and manage government, intergovernmental, NGO, and commercial agreements; lead engagements with foreign governments and multilateral institutions; advise on procurement, telecom, export control, and consumer protection law; mitigate legal and regulatory risk; improve contract templates and processes; and support business teams on compliance and geopolitical risk.
Summary Generated by Built In

SpaceX was founded under the belief that a future where humanity is out exploring the stars is fundamentally more exciting than one where we are not. Today SpaceX is actively developing the technologies to make this possible, with the ultimate goal of enabling human life on Mars.

COMMERCIAL COUNSEL, STARLINK GOVERNMENT CONTRACTS

Starlink, our revolutionary satellite constellation, is delivering low-latency broadband internet worldwide. As Commercial Counsel, you will provide high-impact legal review and strategic counseling on complex government contracting, international, and commercial matters in the United States and globally.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

  • Draft, negotiate, and review a broad range of government contracts, intergovernmental agreements, NGO/international organization arrangements and commercial agreements, including revenue-generating contracts, service terms, and complex commercial agreements related to the sale of satellite internet and satellite-to-mobile connectivity, including backhaul, enterprise, retail, resale, aviation, and maritime business verticals
  • Lead Starlink’s engagements with foreign governments, foreign Ministries of Defense (MODs), foreign non-governmental agencies and organizations, and multilateral institutions
  • Provide expert legal analyses of applicable laws and regulations, including  foreign procurement regulations, telecommunications laws, and consumer protection
  • Identify and mitigate relevant legal and regulatory risk by implementing processes, trainings, and controls
  • Support continuous improvement of contract templates, policies, and processes to streamline U.S. and foreign government contracting cycles
  • Serve as a trusted advisor to business teams, analyzing legal, compliance, and geopolitical risks, and developing creative yet compliant solutions for government and institutional opportunities

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:

  • JD or foreign equivalent from an accredited law school
  • 4+ years of legal experience

PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:

  • Experience drafting, negotiating, and administering government contracts with foreign government agencies, including foreign Ministries of Defense (MODs), and/or with international organizations
  • Familiarity with U.S. and/or international government procurement regulations/processes, including compliance requirements, representations and certifications, flow-down clauses, and subcontract management
  • Experience at a well-regarded law firm or as in-house counsel supporting contracting in the technology, aerospace, satellite, or telecommunications sectors, ideally to include contracts with government entities
  • Strong background negotiating complex agreements with foreign government agencies, including foreign MODs, NGOs, and multilateral institutions
  • Experience providing legal advice on commercial technology transactions while bridging U.S. and foreign government contracting requirements with commercial needs
  • Demonstrated success managing legal issues for a high-growth multinational company operating in regulated government markets
  • Experience building and maintaining strong relationships with government customers, procurement officials, and internal stakeholders across various geographies and levels of management
  • Knowledge of export controls, sanctions, telecommunications law, and consumer protection issues
  • Ability to communicate effectively and translate complex regulatory concepts for business, technical, and government audiences
  • The ideal candidate is comfortable operating in fast-paced, ambiguous environments with rapid change, and demonstrates excellent legal, business, and strategic judgment

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:

  • Must be admitted to the bar, in good standing, in at least one U.S. State
  • This position is based in Washington, DC and requires being onsite — remote work not considered
  • Must be able to work extended hours and weekends as needed

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS:
Pay Range:
Counsel: $190,000.00 - $245,000.00

Your actual level and base salary will be determined on a case-by-case basis and may vary based on the following considerations: job-related knowledge and skills, education, and experience.

Base salary is just one part of your total rewards package at SpaceX. You may also be eligible for long-term incentives, in the form of company stock or long-term cash awards, as well as potential discretionary bonuses and the ability to purchase additional stock at a discount through an Employee Stock Purchase Plan. You will also receive access to comprehensive medical, vision, and dental coverage, access to a 401(k) retirement plan, short and long-term disability insurance, life insurance, paid parental leave, and various other discounts and perks. You may also accrue 3 weeks of paid vacation and will be eligible for 10 or more paid holidays per year. Employees accrue paid sick leave pursuant to Company policy which satisfies or exceeds the accrual, carryover, and use requirements of the law.

ITAR REQUIREMENTS:

  • To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicant must be a (i) U.S. citizen or national, (ii) U.S. lawful, permanent resident (aka green card holder), (iii) Refugee under 8 U.S.C. § 1157, or (iv) Asylee under 8 U.S.C. § 1158, or be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State. Learn more about the ITAR here.  

SpaceX is an Equal Opportunity Employer; employment with SpaceX is governed on the basis of merit, competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status.

Applicants wishing to view a copy of SpaceX’s Affirmative Action Plan for veterans and individuals with disabilities, or applicants requiring reasonable accommodation to the application/interview process should reach out to [email protected]

Skills Required

  • JD or foreign equivalent from an accredited law school
  • 4+ years of legal experience
  • Admitted to the bar, in good standing, in at least one U.S. State
  • Position based in Washington, DC and requires being onsite (remote not considered)
  • Must be able to work extended hours and weekends as needed
  • Must be a U.S. citizen or national, U.S. lawful permanent resident, Refugee, Asylee, or be eligible to obtain required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State (ITAR requirements)
  • Experience drafting, negotiating, and administering government contracts with foreign government agencies, including foreign Ministries of Defense, and/or with international organizations
  • Familiarity with U.S. and/or international government procurement regulations/processes, including compliance requirements, representations and certifications, flow-down clauses, and subcontract management
  • Experience at a well-regarded law firm or as in-house counsel supporting contracting in technology, aerospace, satellite, or telecommunications sectors
  • Strong background negotiating complex agreements with foreign government agencies, NGOs, and multilateral institutions
  • Experience providing legal advice on commercial technology transactions while bridging U.S. and foreign government contracting requirements
  • Demonstrated success managing legal issues for a high-growth multinational company operating in regulated government markets
  • Experience building and maintaining relationships with government customers, procurement officials, and internal stakeholders across geographies
  • Knowledge of export controls, sanctions, telecommunications law, and consumer protection issues
  • Ability to communicate effectively and translate complex regulatory concepts for business, technical, and government audiences
  • Comfortable operating in fast-paced, ambiguous environments with rapid change and demonstrates excellent legal, business, and strategic judgment

SpaceX Compensation & Benefits Highlights

The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about SpaceX and has not been reviewed or approved by SpaceX.

  • Equity Value & Accessibility Equity grants are a core part of total compensation, with periodic company-run tender offers that create liquidity before any public listing. These mechanisms can make the equity component feel materially valuable in practice.
  • Healthcare Strength The package includes comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage, with on-site clinics and health resources at major sites. This breadth of coverage is presented as a strong element of the offering.
  • Wellbeing & Lifestyle Benefits Major locations feature on-site amenities such as fitness facilities, food/coffee, clinics, and other conveniences. These lifestyle perks enhance day-to-day value alongside cash and equity.

SpaceX Insights

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The Company
Austin, Texas
8,879 Employees
Year Founded: 2002

What We Do

SpaceX designs, manufactures and launches the world’s most advanced rockets and spacecraft. The company was founded in 2002 by Elon Musk to revolutionize space transportation, with the ultimate goal of making life multiplanetary. SpaceX has gained worldwide attention for a series of historic milestones. It is the only private company ever to return a spacecraft from low-Earth orbit, which it first accomplished in December 2010. The company made history again in May 2012 when its Dragon spacecraft attached to the International Space Station, exchanged cargo payloads, and returned safely to Earth — a technically challenging feat previously accomplished only by governments. Since then Dragon has delivered cargo to and from the space station multiple times, providing regular cargo resupply missions for NASA.

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