Director of Legal (AI)

TL;DR

Director of Legal (AI): Building and leading the legal function for a non-profit developing an autonomous AI Physicist with an accent on AI governance, intellectual property, and cross-border nonprofit compliance. Focus on structuring data licensing agreements, establishing global regulatory frameworks, and managing corporate governance for Canadian and US entities.

Location: Remote (Must be based in Canada)

Company

A non-profit organization building an autonomous AI Physicist to understand the nature of reality and the fundamental laws of the universe.

What you will do

• Develop and oversee AI governance frameworks and responsible AI policies across multiple jurisdictions.
• Advise on IP strategy, including patents, trade secrets, and ownership of AI-generated research outputs.
• Manage corporate governance and regulatory filings for Canadian and US nonprofit entities.
• Structure and negotiate global data acquisition and licensing agreements with academic and research institutions.
• Lead legal structuring for international research collaborations and joint agreements.
• Design legal frameworks for global talent programs, including fellowships and visiting researcher arrangements.

Requirements

• Juris Doctor (JD) or equivalent with active bar membership in a Canadian jurisdiction.
• 8+ years of relevant legal experience, ideally combining law firm and in-house backgrounds.
• Strong expertise in commercial contracts, data licensing, and technology-related agreements.
• Demonstrated experience advising on emerging AI regulatory frameworks.
• Experience with Canadian and U.S. employment law basics.
• Must be based in Canada.

Nice to have

• Experience working with nonprofits, research institutions, or universities.
• Interest in or curiosity about physics, AI, or fundamental scientific research.

Culture & Benefits

• High-trust position acting as the primary legal partner for a global organization.
• Opportunity to build the legal function from scratch in a fast-moving research environment.
• Work at the frontier of AI and fundamental science.
• Collaboration with executive leadership to shape organizational structure and operations.