Senior Legal Counsel – Major Projects and Construction (m/w/d)

Vulcan Energie Ressourcen GmbH; Karlsruhe; On-site; EUR 110,000 - 170,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible working hours

30 days vacation

Vulcan Starter Days onboarding

Company pension scheme

Corporate benefits platform

Job summary

Vulcan Energie Ressourcen GmbH, based in Karlsruhe, seeks a Senior Legal Counsel to lead construction and procurement contracts, project development, operations, and claims management for major projects. The role spans origination through operations, with interaction with governmental authorities, landowners, and strategic partners.

The ideal candidate has 5-10 years post-qualification experience, strong expertise in project delivery, and fluency in German and English.

Qualifications

• 5-10 years of post-qualification experience in a leading law firm and/or multinational in-house legal team.
• Experience advising on project development, construction law, procurement matters, and drafting/negotiation of complex contracts.
• Experience managing large-scale projects in renewable energy, industrial, utilities, mining, or similar sectors.

Responsibilities

• Draft, review, and negotiate EPCM, EPC, D&C, framework, consultancy, and other contracts.
• Provide practical legal support across the full project lifecycle from origination to operations.
• Develop contracting strategies with Supply Chain for operational activities.
• Lead claims management of construction, procurement, and commercial contracts.

Skills

German language

English language

Contract negotiations

Risk management

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

German Staatsexamen

Tools

VOB/B

FIDIC

Job description

We want you for...

Vulcan Energie Ressourcen GmbH is an innovative, fast-growing company in the field of sustainable lithium extraction and renewable energies. With our lithium plant, we are making a decisive contribution to the decarbonization of European industry and to securing a sustainable supply of lithium in Europe. Support our dedicated team in making our vision of a climate-neutral future a reality.
We are looking for you to join our growing team in Karlsruhe either full-time (40 hours per week) or part-time with a minimum of 32 hours per week as Senior Legal Counsel – Major Projects and Construction (m/f/d).

Your mission

Construction & Procurement Contracts

• You draft, review, and negotiate a broad range of project agreements, including EPCM, EPC, D&C, framework, consultancy, and other commercial contracts.
• You advise on contractual rights, obligations, claims prevention, and effective risk mitigation strategies.
• You support sourcing, tendering, and contracting activities, including commercial negotiations with contractors, suppliers, and strategic partners.
• You drive contractual consistency across projects, contribute to standard contract development, and participate in project governance and risk reviews.

Project Development

• You provide practical, business-oriented legal support across the full project lifecycle, from origination and development through construction and operations.
• You support land acquisition activities, permitting processes, and the securing of regulatory approvals.
• You advise on contract structures, commercial arrangements, and risk allocation strategies to support successful project delivery.
• You engage with governmental authorities, landowners, contractors, strategic partners, and other key stakeholders.

Operations

• You collaborate with the Supply Chain team to develop and implement contracting strategies that support operational activities.
• You draft, review, and negotiate maintenance, service, works, hire, and other operational agreements.
• You provide practical legal guidance on operational contract management and ongoing commercial relationships.
• You support business stakeholders in managing contractual risks throughout the operational phase.

Claims Management

• You lead the legal management of claims arising from construction, procurement, and commercial contracts.
• You assess contractual entitlements, liabilities, and potential exposure while developing effective claims strategies with cross-functional teams.
• You prepare and review notices, claims submissions, responses, and supporting documentation to protect the company's interests.
• You coordinate external legal counsel and technical experts in litigation, arbitration, adjudication, and settlement negotiations.

Your profile

• You have 5-10 years of post-qualification experience gained in a leading law firm and/or within a multinational in-house legal team and have achieved at least satisfactory results in both German State Examinations.
• You have extensive experience advising on project development, construction law, procurement matters, and the drafting and negotiation of complex commercial contracts.
• You have supported large-scale projects in sectors such as renewable energy, industrial, chemicals, utilities, mining, or comparable industries.
• You have knowledge of project delivery and construction frameworks, including VOB/B, FIDIC, permitting processes, regulatory requirements, and public law matters.
• You have experience managing contractual claims, disputes, and risk-related matters throughout the project lifecycle.
• You work effectively with cross-functional teams and diverse stakeholders across multiple jurisdictions and business functions.
• You demonstrate strong commercial judgment, a pragmatic approach to problem-solving, and the confidence to engage with senior leadership and project executives.
• You are highly organized, resilient, and adaptable, act with integrity and discretion, communicate effectively, and are fluent in German and English, both written and spoken.

We offer

• Flexible working hours and the option of mobile working.
• 30 days of vacation (based on a 5-day week).
• Onboarding program “Vulcan Starter Days.” Includes a visit to the power plant and a tour of our laboratory.
• Company pension scheme.
• Corporate benefits platform with many attractive discounts offers.