Deputy General Counsel, Corporate and Employment

Summary

Join PsiQuantum as their Deputy General Counsel, Corporate and Employment, a mission-critical role for a late-stage startup preparing for an IPO. Lead legal strategy for IPO readiness, overseeing venture investor rights, board governance, and equity plan design. Provide legal counsel on corporate finance, employment law, and workforce compliance, particularly in a national security and export-controlled environment. Advise on U.S. and international employment laws, managing classified workforce and security clearance issues. Collaborate cross-functionally with various departments to align legal strategy with business objectives. Manage outside counsel and support junior legal team members. Drive legal operations efficiencies to support rapid business scaling.

Requirements

• 6+ years of experience serving an in-house legal leadership position at a venture-backed or public hardware technology company
• J.D. from an ABA-accredited law school; active bar license in good standing (California preferred)
• 10+ years of combined legal experience (firm and in-house) across corporate, securities, and employment law
• Deep knowledge of U.S. employment law and global workforce compliance issues
• Experience advising on employment legal issues for defense contractors or national security programs
• Experience with equity compensation strategy, including 409A compliance and public company transition planning
• Familiarity with security clearance adjudication and classified employee relations
• Knowledge of international employment laws in jurisdictions such as the UK, EU, or Australia

Responsibilities

• Lead legal strategy for IPO readiness, including SEC and investor disclosures, Rule 701 compliance, and pre-IPO liquidity programs
• Oversee venture investor rights, board governance, equity plan design, and due diligence for financing and corporate transactions
• Advise on corporate finance matters including debt, equity, and secondary transactions
• Support investor relations, ESG reporting, and public company governance transition
• Advise on U.S. and international employment laws, especially in California and other key jurisdictions
• Lead internal employment law audits and develop scalable policies for a maturing company
• Provide legal counsel on employee relations, internal investigations, wage/hour, pay equity, and executive matters
• Support the HR function in managing classified workforce, global mobility, and post-IPO readiness
• Advise on labor and employment issues related to ITAR/EAR export controls, including deemed export risks and foreign national employment eligibility
• Provide guidance on managing security clearance issues and workforce suitability in classified environments
• Interpret FAR/DFARS labor clauses and support compliance with federal contractor workforce obligations
• Partner with FSOs and program managers on alignment between HR practices and national security requirements
• Collaborate cross-functionally with Finance, HR, Engineering, and Operations to align legal strategy with business objectives
• Manage outside counsel and support junior legal team members
• Drive legal operations efficiencies in support of rapid business scaling

Preferred Qualifications

Background in legal operations, contract lifecycle management, or compliance technology solutions

Benefits

Full time roles are eligible for equity and benefits