Corporate Counsel, IP (Aerospace)

Location: Hybrid; successful candidates must be located near Denver, CO, Long Beach, CA, or Washington, DC. U.S. citizenship, lawful permanent residence, protected-individual status, or eligibility to obtain required U.S. government authorizations is required for ITAR compliance.

Base salary: $140,000–$205,000 per year, with equity participation.

Company

hirify.global develops autonomous spacecraft, advanced payloads, mission software, and space-based interceptors for space security and defense.

What you will do

• Own and mature the company’s intellectual property strategy across hardware, software, data, patents, trade secrets, trademarks, and other proprietary technology.
• Build invention disclosure, patent, trade secret, access-control, documentation, and IP protection processes for engineering and software teams.
• Manage patent and trademark portfolios, outside counsel, prosecution priorities, budgets, and technology licensing agreements.
• Advise engineering, product, program, and mission teams on IP ownership, third-party rights, publication, open-source compliance, and data rights.
• Advise on government-contract IP matters, including data-rights assertions, markings, Bayh-Dole obligations, and export-control issues involving technical data.
• Support broader corporate legal work, including customer, partnership, vendor, supplier, subcontract, teaming, NDA, consulting, and financing agreements.

Requirements

• J.D. from an accredited law school and active bar membership in at least one U.S. jurisdiction.
• 3–7 years of legal experience, preferably combining law-firm and in-house experience.
• Experience with patents, trade secrets, software, technology transactions, licensing, IP ownership, data rights, and commercial contracts.
• Ability to work effectively with technical teams and translate complex legal and technical concepts into practical guidance.
• Strong written and presentation skills, attention to detail, and ability to manage multiple projects and competing deadlines.
• Must be located near Denver, Long Beach, or Washington, DC, and meet U.S. government export-control eligibility requirements.

Nice to have

• Experience in the commercial space, aerospace, defense, deep-technology, startup, or high-growth sectors.
• Familiarity with FAR/DFARS, Bayh-Dole, SBIR/STTR, open-source software compliance, software licensing, and export controls.

Culture & Benefits

• Small, collaborative legal department with cross-functional work alongside engineering, product, program, mission, and business development teams.
• Company-paid medical, dental, and vision coverage with HSA/HRA options.
• Flexible Time Off for exempt employees, accrued PTO for non-exempt employees, paid holidays, parental leave, and sick leave.
• 401(k) retirement plan, fitness reimbursement, catered lunches, snacks, and equity participation.