General Counsel

Hadrian is building autonomous factories that help aerospace and defense companies manufacture rockets, satellites, jets, and ships up to 10x faster and up to 2x cheaper. By combining advanced software, robotics, and full-stack manufacturing, we are reinventing how America produces its most critical parts.

We recently raised $260 million dollar Series C to accelerate this mission. We are excited to be launching a new Factory in Mesa, Arizona, a 270,000 square foot facility that will create 350 new jobs immediately. We are opening a new headquarters to support thousands of future hires, launching Hadrian Maritime to serve naval production, and introducing a Factory-as-a-Service model that delivers complete systems instead of individual parts.

Hadrian works with startups, Tier 1 and Tier 2 suppliers, and major defense contractors across space, shipbuilding, and aviation to scale production, reduce costs, and accelerate delivery on mission-critical programs. We are backed by leading investors including Lux Capital, Founders Fund, and Andreessen Horowitz. Our fast-growing team is united by a shared mission to reindustrialize American manufacturing for the 21st century and beyond!

The Role

Hadrian is seeking a mission-driven General Counsel to establish and lead our in-house Legal, Contracting, and Compliance function as we scale from a fast-moving Series C startup to a cornerstone supplier for critical DoD programs. You will serve as the company’s legal officer and a strategic member of the Executive Leadership Team, partnering closely with Finance, Engineering, Operations, Supply Chain, and Government Programs to support Hadrian’s commercial and national security objectives.

What You’ll Do

Corporate Governance & Strategic Advisory

• Lead all corporate governance matters, including board and committee operations, and entity management.

• Advise the CEO and Board on enterprise risk, including litigation, compliance failures, labor issues, and reputational exposure.

• Support fundraising, M&A, joint ventures, and strategic transactions, including oversight of legal structuring and execution.

• Optimize engagement with outside counsel—balancing quality, cost-efficiency, and specialization across disciplines.

• Act as strategic legal advisor on geopolitical and regulatory developments relevant to defense industrial base positioning.

• Serve as the legal face of the company to investors, government partners, and industry consortia.

Commercial, Revenue & Vendor Agreements

• Lead end-to-end drafting, negotiation, and lifecycle management of commercial contracts, customer agreements, licensing deals, and strategic revenue arrangements.

• Develop scalable contract templates, negotiation playbooks, and approval workflows to ensure velocity with consistency and risk alignment.

• Oversee key third-party agreements including software, supply chain, logistics, and services contracts.

• Support capital expenditures and facility expansion by executing equipment purchases, leases, and real estate transactions.

Government Contracting & Regulatory Compliance

• Negotiate and manage federal agreements including FAR/DFARS-based contracts, OTAs, CRADAs, SBIR/STTRs, and DD-254s for classified programs.

• Ensure organization-wide compliance with DoD regulatory frameworks (FAR, DFARS, ITAR, CMMC 2.0, NIST SP 800-171).

• Oversee DCAA/DCMA audit readiness and compliance with small business subcontracting, socioeconomic goals, and government ethics rules.

• Serve as or advise the Facility Security Officer (FSO), supporting NISPOM and classified contract requirements.

Export & Trade Controls

• Act as Empowered Official under ITAR/EAR; manage DDTC registration, license submissions, and Technology Control Plans.

• Lead global export compliance training and enforce procedures to mitigate trade and re-export risks across the supply chain.

Intellectual Property, AI & Data Governance

• Develop and execute IP strategy to protect Hadrian’s software, automation, and proprietary processes.

• Implement AI/ML governance and data privacy policies aligned with DoD and NIST frameworks, covering factory data, customer information, and third-party integrations.

• Ensure protection of trade secrets, customer data, and CUI across internal systems and partner networks.

Ethics, Investigations & Risk Oversight

• Design and implement an enterprise ethics and compliance architecture covering FCA, Anti-Kickback Act, OFAC/FCPA, and whistleblower protections.

• Lead internal investigations and develop remediation plans for incidents or regulatory breaches.

• Manage all litigation (IP, employment, liability, regulatory), coordinate insurer engagement, and oversee breach response under federal and commercial frameworks.

People, Culture & Legal Operations

• Advise on labor & employment law, including EEO/OFCCP, wage & hour, and immigration matters.

• Build and mentor a lean, high-performance legal, contracts, and compliance team.

• Implement legal operations best practices (metrics, technology, budgeting) to enable scalability and transparency.

• Champion a culture of ethical leadership, strategic risk management, and national security mission alignment.

What We’re Looking For

• J.D. from an accredited law school and active bar membership in at least one U.S. jurisdiction.

• 15+ years of legal experience (law firm + in-house), including 5+ years supporting aerospace, defense, advanced manufacturing, or critical infrastructure.

• Demonstrated success scaling legal and compliance functions in high-growth or regulation.

• Deep expertise in government contracts, federal acquisition regulations (FAR/DFARS), export controls (ITAR/EAR), and cybersecurity frameworks (NIST 800-171, CMMC 2.0).

• Track record of managing DCAA/DCMA audits, internal investigations, and resolving FCA matters.

• Proven ability to lead complex commercial and government deal negotiations, and operate as a business-aligned strategic advisor.

• U.S. Citizenship required; must be eligible for DoD security clearance (Secret or higher).

Benefits

• 100% coverage of medical, dental, vision, and life insurance plans for employees

• 401k

• Relocation stipend if you’re moving from outside of LA

• Flexible vacation policy

ITAR Requirements

To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) you must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State. Learn more about the ITAR here

Equality Opportunity Employment

It is the Company’s policy to provide equal employment opportunity for all applicants and employees. The Company does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of race inclusive of traits historically associated with race (including, but not limited to, hair texture and protective hairstyles, such as braids, locks and twists), color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), gender identity, gender expression, transgender status, national origin (including, in California, possession of a drivers license), ancestry, citizenship, age, physical or mental disability, height or weight, medical condition, family care status, military or veteran status, marital status, domestic partner status, sexual orientation, genetic information, exercise of reproductive rights, any other basis protected by local, state, or federal laws, or any combination of the above characteristics. When necessary, the Company also makes reasonable accommodations for disabled candidates and employees, including for candidates or employees who are disabled by pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions.