Assistant General Counsel – Commercial

Fusion Energy Base; Harvard (MA); On-site; USD 250,000 - 300,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity

13 Company-wide Holidays

Flexible vacation time

Health insurance

401(k) with employer matching

Job summary

Commonwealth Fusion Systems is seeking an Assistant General Counsel – Commercial in Devens, MA, hybrid. You will build and scale the commercial legal function, create scalable contract workflows, templates, and negotiation playbooks, and partner with business teams to accelerate deal velocity.

You will lead complex negotiations, support procurement and supply chain, advise senior leadership, and mentor a growing legal team as the company transitions from R&D to commercial scale in the fusion

Qualifications

• J.D. from an accredited law school and bar admission in good standing in at least one U.S. jurisdiction (MA in-house eligibility).
• 12+ years of legal experience in fast-growing tech, energy, or industrial sectors.
• Deep background drafting and negotiating complex commercial contracts and strategic partnerships.
• Familiarity with governance, entity structuring, and corporate transactions.
• Proven ability to build and operationalize commercial legal systems and playbooks.

Responsibilities

• Lead the scale and evolution of the Commercial Legal Function.
• Structure, draft, and negotiate high-value commercial and partnership agreements.
• Drive corporate development and strategic partnerships initiatives.
• Advise procurement and global supply chain teams on risk.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to align legal with business goals.
• Mentor and grow a legal team as the function expands.
• Provide pragmatic, business-minded legal guidance to senior leadership.

Skills

Contract negotiations

Leadership

In-house counsel

Commercial contracts

Risk management

Education

J.D. from accredited law school

MA In-House Counsel eligibility

Tools

Contract lifecycle management (CLM) tools

Job description

Assistant General Counsel – CommercialDevens, MALegal – Counsel & Operations /Full-time /HybridAbout Commonwealth Fusion Systems:

Commonwealth Fusion Systems is on a mission to deliver the urgent transition to fusion energy. Combining decades of research, top talent, and new technologies, we’re designing and building commercially viable fusion power plants. And we're working with policymakers, suppliers, and many others to build the energy industry of the future. We’re in the best position to make it happen. Since 2018, we’ve raised $4 billion of capital, making us the largest and leading fusion company in the world. Now we’re looking for more thinkers, doers, builders, and makers to join us. People who’ll bring new perspectives, solve tough problems, and thrive as part of a team. If that’s you and this role fits, we want to hear from you. Join the power movement as Assistant General Counsel – Commercial

Why This Role Matters:

CFS is at an inflection point, moving from R&D to commercial execution. The deals, structures, and legal foundation this person builds now will directly shape how CFS contracts, partners, and scales for years to come. This is not a maintenance role — it is a builder role, for someone who wants outsized ownership over both the substance of high-stakes deals and the systems that make the whole commercial legal function work.

What You'll Do

Build & Scale the Commercial Legal Function. Serve as the architect of CFS's commercial legal capability — building on and improving existing processes to create scalable contract workflows, tools, standard templates, negotiation playbooks, and training that empower business teams and accelerate deal velocity. Lay the groundwork for, and ultimately recruit and lead, a team as the function grows. Lead High-Stakes Commercial and Partnership Negotiations. Structure, draft, and negotiate complex, high-value commercial and partnership agreements, including key customer, supplier, and vendor deals, long-term procurement contracts, joint developments, strategic alliances, and partnerships. Drive Corporate Development & Strategic Partnerships. Serve as a core legal partner on corporate development initiatives — strategic partnerships, joint ventures, strategic investments, technology transfers, licensing, and other complex transactions central to scaling commercial fusion. Partner closely with corporate development and open innovation teams to structure and close deals that advance CFS's strategic position. Support Core Corporate Legal Matters. Provide legal support on corporate, subsidiary and entity management, and corporate transactions as they relate to commercial, corporate development, or strategic partnership transactions and agreements, serving as a trusted resource to the CLO, CFO, and CCO on corporate-adjacent legal needs beyond commercial deal work. Advise Supply Chain & Operations. Serve as the primary legal advisor to procurement and global supply chain teams, mitigating risk across complex, multi-tiered international supply chains for advanced hardware, specialized materials, and manufacturing. Drive Pragmatic Risk Management. Provide business-minded, creative, and actionable legal guidance that balances risk mitigation with the urgency and agility required to hit CFS's commercial milestones. Cross-Functional Leadership & Collaboration. Partner closely with commercial, corporate development, supply chain, engineering, global affairs, finance, and compliance teams to ensure alignment and seamless execution across all commercial and corporate development activity — and act as a visible legal leader within the broader organization.

What You'll Bring

Education & Bar: J.D. from an accredited law school and active bar admission in good standing in at least one U.S. jurisdiction (eligible for MA In-House Counsel registration)

Experience: 12+ years of legal experience, ideally starting at a top-tier law firm followed by significant in-house experience at a fast-growing, complex technology, energy, advanced manufacturing, or industrial company

Commercial Expertise: Deep background in drafting and negotiating complex commercial contracts, strategic partnerships, global supply chain agreements, and corporate development transactions (JVs, strategic investments, licensing, tech transfer)

Corporate Legal Exposure: Familiarity with core corporate legal matters — governance, entity structuring, and general corporate transaction support — sufficient to advise confidently alongside commercial work

0-to-1 Process Builder: Proven track record of creating, operationalizing, and/or improving commercial legal systems, contract management tools (CLM), and negotiation playbooks from the ground up

Leadership Trajectory: Experience mentoring, managing, or building legal teams, or a clear readiness to do so — this role is expected to grow into a team lead position

Business Acumen & Pragmatism: Exceptional judgment and the ability to synthesize complex technical, operational, and legal concepts into clear, actionable advice for non-lawyers

Executive Presence: Comfort advising senior leadership and acting as a trusted strategic partner to the CLO and business unit executives

Adaptability & Drive: A proactive, self-starter mentality comfortable operating in a fast-changing, high-ambiguity environment where innovation happens daily

Mission Alignment: A genuine passion for clean energy, deep technology, science-based product commercialization, and CFS's mission to bring fusion to the grid

Must-have requirements:

• Dedication to safety to mitigate hazards that may include heat, cold, noise, fumes, strong magnets, lead, high voltage, and cryogenics
• Willingness to occasionally travel or work required nights/weekends/on-call

$250,000 - $300,000 a year Salary range for this full-time position + equity + benefits. The actual salary will depend on level, location, qualifications, and experience. The range displayed on each job posting reflects new hire salaries for the position across all US locations.

Benefits include:

• Competitive compensation with equity
• 13 Company-wide Holidays
• Flexible vacation days
• 10 sick days
• Generous parental leave policy
• Health, dental, and vision insurance
• 401(k) with employer matching
• Professional growth opportunities
• Team-building activities

Why Join CFS?

At CFS, you won't just be managing contracts — you will be laying the legal and commercial operational foundation for an entirely new global industry, with the opportunity to build and eventually lead the team that carries it forward. We offer competitive compensation, comprehensive health and wellness benefits, a collaborative environment, and the opportunity to work alongside world-class experts dedicated to solving one of humanity's greatest challenges. At CFS, we excel in fast-paced environments, driven by our values of integrity, execution, impact, and self-critique. As we grow, we’re eager to bring on mission-driven folks who offer diverse perspectives and fresh ways to tackle challenges. We value diversity deeply and are proud to be an equal opportunity employer by choice. We consider all qualified applicants equally, regardless of race, color, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, protected veteran status, religion, physical or mental disability, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, or any other basis protected by law.

This role requires compliance with U.S. laws concerning the export of controlled or protected technologies or information (collectively, “Export Control Laws”). Any offer of employment will be contingent on the need for compliance with such Export Control Laws.