Trade Compliance Counsel (AI)

TL;DR

Trade Compliance Counsel (AI): Building and operationalizing a global trade compliance function with an accent on sanctions, export controls, and national-security-adjacent regulatory regimes. Focus on designing compliance policies, review processes, and applying trade laws to frontier AI model development and open-weight strategies.

Location: New York, San Francisco, Washington, D.C., or Remote (Must be based in the US and hold a US bar membership)

Company

Developing open weight superintelligence models for individuals, agents, and enterprises to make advanced AI accessible to all.

What you will do

• Act as the primary legal expert for all trade, sanctions, and export control issues, focusing on EAR, OFAC, and ITAR.
• Advise cross-functional teams on the application of trade controls to model development, open-weight releases, and compute infrastructure.
• Design and mature the sanctions and export controls compliance program, including screening, diligence, and licensing workflows.
• Partner with Security, Infrastructure, and Finance teams to implement controls for secure model releases and restricted-party screening.
• Advise on trade compliance and national security considerations in commercial transactions, research partnerships, and strategic investments (CFIUS).
• Monitor global regulatory developments and translate them into practical guidance for leadership and operators.

Requirements

• J.D. and active bar membership (or in-house registration) in at least one U.S. jurisdiction.
• Approximately 10+ years of experience advising on U.S. sanctions, export controls, and trade compliance regimes.
• Deep familiarity with BIS, OFAC, DDTC regulatory frameworks, including licensing and classification.
• Experience advising technology companies in AI, cloud computing, semiconductors, or cybersecurity.
• Proven experience building or scaling compliance programs in high-growth, technically complex environments.
• Excellent cross-functional communication skills to explain legal requirements to technical and executive teams.

Nice to have

• Prior experience at an AI lab, cloud provider, or defense technology company.
• Experience working directly with BIS, OFAC, DDTC, CFIUS, or DOJ.
• Expertise in deemed export/reexport issues and technology-control plans.
• Familiarity with AI-specific regulatory developments regarding model weights and compute thresholds.

Culture & Benefits

• Top-tier compensation including salary and equity.
• Comprehensive medical, dental, vision, life, and disability insurance.
• Fully paid parental leave and financial support for family planning.
• Flexible paid time off and relocation support.
• Daily provided lunch and dinner, along with regular off-sites and team celebrations.