Legal Counsel (EU)

DroneShield; Amsterdam; On-site; EUR 90,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

DroneShield’s Amsterdam office seeks an experienced, Amsterdam-based Legal Counsel with strong common law training to join its growing global legal function. The role reports directly to the General Counsel and collaborates with colleagues in Australia, the US, Europe, and the Middle East.

As part of a fast-paced tech and defence environment, you will safeguard the company’s interests, ensure compliance across a complex international operating framework, and enable innovation while managing

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 across multiple time zones.
• Excellent written and verbal English.

Responsibilities

• Draft, review, and negotiate commercial agreements including tech supply, distribution, tenders, and NDAs.
• Support governance, compliance registrations, and subsidiary management.
• Advise on EU, UK, and Australian dual-use and defence export controls.
• Assist with licenses, end-user documents, sanctions screening, and cross-border compliance.
• Support public-sector procurement across Europe.
• Provide guidance on regulatory frameworks for defence, security, and critical infra.
• Contribute to internal compliance frameworks across NATO, privacy, cybersecurity, and trade.
• Develop internal legal policies, templates, and training materials.
• Manage external counsel for disputes or local regulatory issues.
• Support IP protection, licensing, and enforcement with engineering and product teams.

Skills

Common law qualification

EU regulatory frameworks

Commercial contracts drafting

Multi-timezone work

English communication

Independent thinker

Job description

Work with cutting edge AI technology, making the world a safer and more secure place. DroneShield (ASX:DRO) offers an opportunity to solve some of world’s most challenging technical problems in the rapidly growing counter-drone sector.

Our customers operate in some of the most challenging and high-stakes environments in the world, including military organisations, government agencies, airports, critical infrastructure operators, and law enforcement. Protecting airspace in these settings requires technology that performs under pressure and teams that understand what’s at stake. At DroneShield, employees work at the leading edge of counter-drone innovation, helping to address real-world security challenges as drone threats continue to evolve globally.

With one of the largest listed defence company market capitalisations in Australia, now part of the ASX200 index, DroneShield is experiencing a period of hypergrowth. Revenue has surged from A$57 million in 2024 to over A$217 million in 2025, representing growth of more than 400% year-on-year, with record profitability and cashflow. The total addressable global market for counter-drone is assessed at approximately $100 billion, and is currently at the nascent stage with much of the growth still to come, with DroneShield well positioned as a global market leader, and the only public listed pure‑play business in this sector.

The company has grown from 11 employees in 2017 to over 450 staff globally today, and is on track to reach around 550 by the end of 2026. This expansion includes investment of over A$50 million annually in R&D, a global pipeline exceeding A$2.5 billion, and continuous scaling of production capacity to meet accelerating demand.

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.