Government Contracts Attorney

This is a fully remote position, open to applicants in Tennessee.

📋 Description

• Provide guidance to executive leadership, business development, engineering, finance, and program teams regarding federal contracting opportunities, risks, obligations, and negotiation strategies.

• Assess proposed government opportunities and offer advice on whether and how to pursue them.

• Draft, review, and negotiate prime contracts, subcontracts, teaming agreements, NDAs, supplier agreements, and other relevant government contracting documents.

• Counsel on contract formation, administration, modifications, amendments, extensions, and closeout processes.

• Negotiate terms with government agencies, prime contractors, subcontractors, and strategic partners.

• Advise on contract risk allocation, commercial terms, data rights, liability, and compliance obligations.

• Provide practical insights into FAR, DFARS, SBIR, and STTR requirements, including DoD contracting and marking guidelines.

• Interpret government contract clauses, identify FAR/DFARS flowdowns, and keep track of regulatory changes.

• Collaborate with IP counsel and technical teams on government data rights, technical data, software, proprietary information, and restrictive markings.

• Perform audits on government contract portfolios and maintain a centralized tracking system for contractual obligations.

• Create matrices for contract obligations, compliance, and flowdowns.

• Work alongside engineering, program management, finance, security, and operations teams to ensure compliance.

• Develop scalable processes for contract administration and compliance.

• Identify compliance issues and formulate mitigation strategies with leadership.

• Advise on OTA agreements and alternative or emerging government contracting frameworks.

• Construct a scalable framework for government contracts, including standardized agreement templates, flowdown processes, and SBIR/STTR data rights practices.

⛳️ Requirements

• Juris Doctor (J.D.) from an accredited law school.

• Active membership in the bar.

• Over 5 years of experience in government contracts.

• Extensive knowledge of FAR and DFARS, with a strong preference for deep DFARS experience.

• Significant experience with DoD government contracts.

• Familiarity with SBIR/STTR programs and contracting.

• Strong understanding of government contract compliance and administration.

• Experience in drafting and negotiating government contracts, subcontracts, teaming agreements, and related documents.

• In-depth understanding of government data rights issues.

• Ability to convert complex government contracting requirements into practical advice for non-lawyers.

• Strongly preferred: experience in negotiating and structuring OTA agreements.

• Strongly preferred: experience with government data rights and technical data/software marking requirements.

• Strongly preferred: experience with both prime and subcontractor relationships.

• Strongly preferred: experience in developing FAR/DFARS flowdown and compliance matrices.

• Strongly preferred: experience with SBIR/STTR Phase III contracting.

• Strongly preferred: experience in a hardware or deep tech startup environment.

• Strongly preferred: enthusiasm for aviation.

• Must be able to collaborate effectively with executives, engineers, program managers, finance, and business development teams.

• Must demonstrate the ability to make sound recommendations in ambiguous situations and proactively identify contractual and compliance challenges.

• Must participate in employment authorization verification through Form I-9 and E-Verify processes.

🏝️ Benefits

• Comprehensive employee-first benefits package with a minimum of 90% employer-paid plans for employees and their dependents.

• Optional HSA/FSA account offerings.

• Starting with four weeks of paid time off for vacation, sick leave, and personal days.

• Value-based compensation.

• Enjoy Tennessee’s no-income-tax lifestyle.

• End-of-year bonuses for eligible employees.

• Access to beverages and snacks throughout the day.

• Paid team meals based on office needs.

• 401(k) plan.

• Relocation assistance available.

• Professional development stipend provided.