Legal Counsel

DroneShield; Amsterdam; On-site; EUR 120,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

DroneShield seeks an Amsterdam‑based Legal Counsel to join its global legal function. You will advise on EU, UK and Australian export controls, govern compliance programmes, and coordinate with teams across Australia, the US, Europe, and the Middle East.

The role requires independent work across time zones and a proactive, business‑facing approach. You will handle a broad spectrum of commercial contracts, licensing, sanctions screening, and regulatory matters in a fast‑paced defence/tech

Qualifications

• Qualified lawyer in a common law jurisdiction.
• Experience with EU regulatory frameworks.
• 5–7+ years post‑qualification experience.
• Strong contract drafting and negotiation skills.
• Ability to work independently across multiple time zones and units.
• Excellent written and verbal English.
• Experience in defense, security, or technology sectors.
• Familiarity with international trade compliance and export controls.

Responsibilities

• Draft, review, and negotiate a wide range of commercial agreements.
• Advise on EU/UK/Australian dual-use and defence export controls.
• Support governance, compliance registrations, and subsidiary management.
• Manage external counsel for disputes and regulatory issues.
• Contribute to internal policies, templates, and training materials.
• Ensure regulatory compliance across NATO, privacy, cybersecurity, and trade.

Skills

Common law qualification

EU regulatory knowledge

Contract drafting

Multi time‑zone work

Defense/tech experience

English proficiency

Trade compliance

Regulatory governance

Job description

Amsterdam

Work with cutting-edge AI technology that helps make the world a safer and more secure place. DroneShield (ASX:DRO) develops market-leading counter-drone solutions used by military organisations, government agencies, airports, critical infrastructure operators, and law enforcement operating in some of the most challenging and high-stakes environments in the world. Employees work at the forefront of innovation, solving complex technical problems and delivering mission-critical capabilities where performance, reliability, and speed matter.

As an ASX200-listed company and the world's only publicly listed pure-play counter-drone business, DroneShield is experiencing rapid growth. Revenue increased from A$57 million in 2024 to more than A$217 million in 2025, supported by record profitability, a global sales pipeline exceeding A$2.5 billion, and annual R&D investment of over A$50 million.

Since 2017, DroneShield has grown from 11 employees to more than 550 globally, with operations across Australia, the United States, Europe, and the Middle East, supporting customers in over 70 countries.

About The Role

DroneShield’s European operations are anchored in Amsterdam, serving as a strategic hub supporting customers across the EU and broader region. The Amsterdam office plays a key role in strengthening regional partnerships, supporting customer engagements, and advancing DroneShield’s presence across European defence, security, and critical infrastructure markets. As demand for counter-drone capabilities continues to grow across Europe, the office supports localised engagement while contributing to the company’s broader global strategy.

We are seeking an Amsterdam‑based Legal Counsel with strong common law training to join our growing global legal function. The role reports directly to the General Counsel and will work closely with colleagues in Australia, the US, Europe, and the Middle East.

As DroneShield continues its rapid global expansion, this role is essential to ensure our legal frameworks keep pace with growth. You will play a key role in safeguarding the company’s interests, supporting strategic initiatives, and ensuring compliance across a complex international operating environment. Working closely with the business, you will enable innovation while managing legal risk.

This is a hands‑on, business‑facing role designed for someone who enjoys autonomy, problem‑solving, and working across a wide spectrum of legal matters in a fast‑paced tech and defence environment.

Responsibilities, Duties And Expectations

• Draft, review, and negotiate a wide range of commercial agreements, including: technology supply contracts, distribution and reseller agreements, government procurement tenders, confidentiality and collaboration agreements
• Support international corporate governance, compliance registrations, and subsidiary management
• Advise on EU, UK, and Australian dual-use and defence export controls, working with internal compliance teams
• Assist with licenses, end‑user documentation, sanctions screening, and cross‑border compliance processes
• Support public‑sector procurement processes across Europe
• Provide guidance on regulatory frameworks applicable to defence, security, and critical‑infrastructure deployments
• Contribute to internal compliance frameworks across NATO, privacy, cybersecurity, trade compliance, and other emerging regulatory domains
• Assist in developing internal legal policies, templates, and training materials
• Manage external counsel where required for disputes, employment matters, or local regulatory issues
• Support IP protection, licensing, and enforcement in collaboration with engineering and product teams

Qualifications, Experience And Skills

• Qualified lawyer in a common law jurisdiction (Australia, Ireland, England, Wales, Northern Ireland, New Zealand, etc.).
• Understanding of and experience with EU regulatory frameworks.
• 5 –7+ years post‑qualification experience, ideally with a mix of law firm and in‑house work.
• Strong experience drafting and negotiating commercial contracts.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently across multiple time zones and business units.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English. Highly Desirable
• Experience in defence, security, aerospace, technology, or other government‑facing industries.
• Familiarity with international trade compliance or government contracting.
• Ability to manage workload across varying priorities in a scale‑up environment.

Note for recruitment agencies: We do not accept unsolicited candidates from external recruiters unless specifically instructed.

Data Privacy

DroneShield Group Pty Ltd collects and processes personal information for recruitment and hiring purposes. Where applicable, personal information is processed on the basis of DroneShield's legitimate interests in assessing and selecting candidates for employment. For further information regarding how we collect, use, disclose, store and retain personal information, including your privacy rights, please refer to our Privacy Policy: https://www.droneshield.com/privacy-policy