Corporate Counsel – Contracts

Description

About OKSI

Opto-Knowledge Systems, Inc. (OKSI) is an aerospace and defense contractor delivering advanced engineering solutions across electro-optical/infrared systems, autonomy, and airborne platforms. We partner with the Department of Defense and prime contractors on programs that push the boundaries of what's technically possible. We're growing fast and building the infrastructure to match.

The Role

OKSI is seeking a hands-on Corporate Counsel – Contracts to provide day-to-day legal support for our contracts and broader business operations. You'll own a high volume of NDAs/MNDAs and routine-to-moderate commercial and government-facing agreements, applying OKSI's templates, playbooks, and risk positions with independent judgment — and escalating novel or high-risk matters to the fractional General Counsel. This role reports administratively to the Manager, Regulatory Compliance and Contracts, and works closely with the Contracts Administrator and teams across compliance, program management, procurement, finance, HR, engineering, and BD.

What You'll Do

• Draft, review, revise, and negotiate customer, vendor, and supplier agreements, services and consulting agreements, teaming agreements, subcontracts, licensing agreements, SOWs, and amendments
• Serve as primary point of contact for NDAs/MNDAs — manage matters from intake through signature using approved forms and fallback positions
• Manage assigned legal matters from intake through execution; maintain and improve templates, fallback language, and playbooks
• Provide day-to-day legal support on routine corporate governance, employment questions, IP and data rights, data privacy, vendor disputes, internal policy, and proposal review
• Identify terms outside OKSI's standard positions and escalate novel, high-value, or high-risk matters to the fractional General Counsel with a recommended position
• Review routine government subcontract terms and flowdowns, flagging issues involving FAR/DFARS, SBIR/STTR, technical data/software rights, IP ownership, export controls, CUI, or cybersecurity for coordination with the compliance and contracts team
  
  

Requirements

Required Qualifications

• Meaningful hands-on experience drafting, revising, and negotiating commercial agreements, including working directly in counterparty paper
• Strong contract drafting, legal research, analytical, and issue-spotting skills
• Pragmatic, business-oriented judgment; ability to explain legal risk in plain English
• Ability to manage a high volume of agreements and competing priorities with independence
• Strong attention to detail and sound judgment on when to decide, ask, or escalate
• Typically 3–7 years of relevant legal experience (in-house or law firm), with hands-on contracts/commercial transaction work
  
  

Preferred Qualifications

• J.D. from an ABA-accredited law school and active bar membership in good standing in at least one U.S. jurisdiction (attorneys not admitted in California must be eligible and willing to register as California Registered In-House Counsel)
• In-house experience, particularly at a small/mid-size, growth-stage, or engineering-driven company
• Experience with federal government contracts, FAR/DFARS, or the defense industry
• Familiarity with IP and data rights, SBIR/STTR, CUI, cybersecurity, or export-related terms
• Experience with contract lifecycle management, e-signature, or legal ops tools
  
  

Compensation And Benefits

• Salary range: $130,000 – $160,000 annually. New hires are typically brought into the organization at a salary between the range minimum and the salary range midpoint depending on qualifications, internal equity, and the budget allocated for this role.
• Medical, dental, and vision coverage fully paid by the employer for employees
• Three weeks of vacation to start
• Automatic company contribution to 401K – 5% of earned wages (no matching required)
• Educational assistance and professional development opportunities
  
  

Additional Requirements

• You must have, or be eligible to obtain, a U.S. Department of Defense Secret security clearance. You will be subject to government security investigations and must be able to access classified information. The inability to obtain a security clearance will result in you being ineligible for the position.
  
  

We are an equal employment opportunity and affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, protected veteran status, or any other status protected by law. We provide reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities in the application and hiring process.

The person hired will have access to information and items subject to U.S. export controls, and therefore, must either be a “U.S. person” as defined by 22 C.F.R.

This employer participates in E-Verify.