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.
COUNSEL, GLOBAL TRADE COMPLIANCE
SpaceX’s rapid growth has created an opportunity to add a Global Trade Compliance Counsel to the Legal team. This person will serve as an attorney subject matter expert for export controls across SpaceX launch, satellite, and AI programs and provide critical support for various Global Trade Compliance matters including anti-corruption and anti-boycott compliance as needed. This attorney will also play a leading role on the Global Trade Compliance Team in liaising with internal and external stakeholders and helping to oversee and improve SpaceX’s global trade compliance policies and procedures.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Provide expert advice and guidance concerning the requirements and obligations for handling export-controlled commodities, material, software, technical data, and defense services under the International Traffic and Arms Regulations (ITAR) and Export Administrations Regulations (EAR)
- Drive continuous growth and improvement for SpaceX’s export compliance program under the ITAR and the EAR; draft and update policies and procedures, close control gaps and utilize technology tools (such as artificial intelligence) to optimize export compliance
- Partner with engineering teams on jurisdiction and classification determinations for hardware, software, and technology used in rocket and satellite systems
- Support engagement with the Departments of State and Commerce on regulator interpretations and required authorizations
- Prepare and manage export and sanctions licenses and use of license exceptions and exemptions as applicable
- Lead investigations into potential matters of non-compliance with trade regulations, including preparing investigation reports, implementing corrective actions, and determining reporting requirements
- Conduct and participate in internal compliance audits and support continuous improvements of policies and procedures to help streamline and simplify
- Develop strong, trusted advisor relationships with internal SpaceX business partners
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:
- JD from an ABA-accredited law school
- 3+ years of experience in a corporate legal department or law firm advising on U.S. federal regulatory matters, including export controls, sanctions, national-security or trade matters
PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:
- Comprehensive and up-to-date knowledge of U.S. export laws and regulations and U.S economic sanctions
- Experience advising on multiple trade compliance disciplines, including non-U.S. export control laws (e.g., EU/UK), anti-bribery/anti-corruption, or antiboycott laws and regulations
- Experience drafting advisory opinion or other legal opinion requests to the U.S. Department of State, U.S. Department of Commerce, U.S. Department of Treasury, and other federal agencies
- Experience conducting and reviewing due diligence and providing legal risk analysis.
- Experience leading or supporting internal compliance reviews and investigations
- Comfortable owning an ambiguous problem end-to end; takes initiative to find practical solutions
ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:
- Must be admitted to the bar, in good standing, in at least one U.S. State
- This position is based in Starbase, TX and requires being onsite - remote work not considered
- Must be able to work extended hours and weekends as needed
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
- Juris Doctor degree from an ABA-accredited law school
- At least 3 years of experience in a corporate legal department or law firm advising on U.S. federal regulatory matters, including export controls, sanctions, national security, or trade matters
- Admission to and good standing with the bar in at least one U.S. state
- Must be a U.S. citizen or national, lawful permanent resident, refugee, or asylee, or eligible to obtain required U.S. Department of State authorizations under ITAR
- Must work onsite in Starbase, Texas; remote work is not considered
- Ability to work extended hours and weekends as needed
- Comprehensive knowledge of U.S. export laws, regulations, and economic sanctions
- Experience with non-U.S. export controls, anti-bribery and anti-corruption, or antiboycott laws
- Experience drafting advisory opinion or legal opinion requests to federal agencies
- Experience conducting due diligence and providing legal risk analysis
- Experience leading or supporting internal compliance reviews and investigations
- Ability to independently solve ambiguous problems and develop practical solutions
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.
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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.
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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.
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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
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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