Commercial Counsel

Job description

At Stoke, we believe a thriving space economy will enable a vibrant, sustainable, and equitable future here on Earth. That is why we’re building Nova, our fully and rapidly reusable launch vehicle. Designed for daily flight, Nova tackles the core challenges of space transportation by reducing cost, increasing availability, and improving reliability. By radically lowering launch costs and increasing flight cadence, we’re helping create a truly scalable space industry. Our team is mission-driven, collaborative, and empowered to take ownership of their work. If you want to work alongside some of the most dedicated and talented people on Earth, we’d love to have you join us. Description We are seeking a mid-level corporate attorney to join our in-house legal team, supporting the full lifecycle of our commercial contracting activities in a fast-paced, high-growth environment. This role will partner closely with business, engineering, and finance teams to enable rapid, compliant contract execution for our rocket launch company, while also supporting broader legal department functions. As part of a small, well-supported team, you will have the opportunity to boost your skills at a pace that can’t be matched in most other roles. You must be ready to stay focused, move fast, self-direct, and learn on the fly. Responsibilities Draft, review, and negotiate a broad range of routine and complex commercial agreements, including NDAs, launch services agreements, software and technology licenses, vendor and supplier agreements, master services agreements, and consulting agreements. Develop and maintain scalable contracting infrastructure, including standard contract templates, clause libraries, negotiation playbooks, approval processes, and other tools designed to increase consistency, efficiency, and contract velocity as the company grows. Own commercial contract negotiations from intake through execution, independently handling routine and moderately complex matters and exercising sound judgment regarding when to escalate novel, high-risk, or strategically significant issues. Advise and advocate on key contractual provisions, including intellectual property, confidentiality, indemnification, limitation of liability, insurance, data security, compliance, payment, termination, and other key commercial provisions, and help internal stakeholders understand and manage contractual obligations. Drive strategic alignment across the business by collaborating with business development, engineering, finance, IT/security, and executive teams to find compliant and business-enabling solutions. Partner with the legal team on broader corporate and operational matters and contribute to building a high-performing, business-oriented legal function in a fast-paced, highly innovative environment. Identify and drive opportunities to leverage technology and automation to improve legal processes and support for the business. Flexibility to assist with various legal matters outside your core expertise as business needs arise. Qualifications JD from an accredited law school with active bar membership 8+ years of experience in commercial or corporate practice, preferably in aerospace, defense, or hardware technology sectors Excellent analytical, negotiation, and drafting skills Ability to prioritize and balance multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment Consensus-builder among cross-functional teams to find solutions that fulfill both legal and business mandates Demonstrated ability to independently own and drive project management through completion Aerospace, defense or hardware technology industry experience highly desirable Familiarity and/or comfort understanding technically complex systems Excellent communication skills, with the ability to convey complex contractual information clearly to various stakeholder types Ability to adapt to rapidly changing circumstances Self-starter with demonstrated history of ownership and accountability Benefits Equity – We know that our employees are the reason we succeed. To give everyone a stake in our future, we are pleased to offer equity in the form of stock options to all regular, full-time employees. Comprehensive benefits program including subsidized medical, dental, and vision insurance Company-paid life and disability insurance 401(k) plan with employer match 4 weeks’ Paid Time Off Holidays – 10 days (including an end-of-year closure) Paid Family/Parental Leave On-site gym or monthly wellness stipend (depending on location) Dog friendly offices! Compensation $163,275 - $244,860 Our job posts are intentionally written to attract a wide variety of experience levels, and we make decisions about the right fit on a per-candidate basis. Your actual level and base salary will be decided based on your specific experience and skill level. #LI-SB1 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. (i.e., current Green Card holder), or protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3). Equal Opportunity The Company is an Equal Opportunity Employer, including with respect to disability and veteran status. It is committed to compliance with all equal opportunity laws, including the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) and Title VII. It does not discriminate on the basis of nationality, race, citizenship, immigration status, or any other protected class when it comes to employment practices, including hiring. Employment at the Company is contingent upon satisfactory completion of reference and background checks, and on your ability to prove your identity and authorization to work in the U.S. for the Company. Employees must comply with the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services employment verification requirements, and, therefore, they must complete an Employment Eligibility Verification Form I-9 at the start of employment and re-verify authorization to work periodically. Separate from this I-9 process, as noted above, this position entails access to certain technology and technical data that is restricted under U.S. export control laws and regulations. Employment or continued employment may be conditioned on your legal authorization to work with or have access to export control materials as necessary to perform your job. Candidate Rights & Accommodations If you require a reasonable accommodation to complete the application or participate in the interview process, please contact careers@stokespace.com . Requests will be handled in accordance with applicable laws. Please do not include medical or other confidential information in your initial request. For more information about your rights, please refer to the "Know Your Rights" notice here . E-Verify Stoke Space uses E-Verify to confirm the identity and employment eligibility of all new hires. For more information on the right to work, please refer to the poster here .