Compliance Counsel

Hadrian; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 185,000 - 220,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision, and life insurance plans

401(k)

Flexible vacation policy

Relocation support

Job summary

A forward-focused manufacturing company in Washington, D.C. is seeking a Compliance Counsel to enhance its growing Legal team. This role will be essential in supporting various legal tasks including contracts and compliance initiatives in a regulated environment. Candidates should have a JD, active bar membership, and at least three years of legal experience. This position offers a competitive salary ranging from $185,000 to $220,000, alongside benefits like health insurance and a flexible vacation policy.

Qualifications

• 3+ years of legal experience, including law firm or in-house.
• Self-starter comfortable tackling complex legal questions.
• Interested in government contracts and compliance.

Responsibilities

• Support the review of commercial agreements.
• Assist with government-related contracts.
• Conduct legal research and draft memos.

Skills

Strong written and verbal communication skills

Detail-oriented

Strong organizational skills

Ability to manage multiple tasks

Curious and coachable

Education

JD from an accredited law school

Active bar membership

Job description

Hadrian - Manufacturing the Future

Hadrian is building autonomous factories that help aerospace and defense companies manufacture rockets, satellites, jets, and ships up to 10× faster and up to 2× cheaper. By combining advanced software, robotics, and full‑stack manufacturing, we are reinventing how America produces its most critical parts.

Valued at $1.6 B, we’re accelerating our mission with the launch of Factory 3 in Mesa, Arizona, a 290,000‑square‑foot facility creating 350 new jobs. We are expanding rapidly to support thousands of future hires, launching Hadrian Maritime to expand into naval production, and introducing a Factory‑as‑a‑Service model that delivers complete systems instead of individual parts.

Hadrian is backed by leading investors including T. Rowe Price, Lux Capital, Founders Fund, and Andreessen Horowitz; our fast‑growing team is united around reindustrializing American manufacturing for the 21st century and beyond.

Role

Hadrian is seeking a Compliance Counsel to join our growing Legal team. This is a broad exposure role designed for an attorney who is eager to learn, build foundational in‑house legal skills, and grow alongside a rapidly scaling advanced manufacturing company.

You will work closely with senior members of the Legal team and support a wide range of day‑to‑day legal matters across the business. This role offers hands‑on experience across commercial and government contracts, employment support, intellectual property, ITAR and export controls, real estate and permitting, and other compliance areas in a highly regulated manufacturing environment.

What You’ll Do

• Support the review and administration of a variety of commercial agreements, including NDAs, vendor agreements, customer contracts, and statements of work
• Assist with government‑related and government‑adjacent contracts and subcontracts
• Help support employment‑related legal needs, including questions related to non‑exempt manufacturing employees
• Assist with compliance initiatives related to ITAR, export controls, and cybersecurity
• Conduct legal research and draft memos or guidance for internal stakeholders
• Help maintain contract records and legal documentation
• Support audits, diligence requests, and internal reviews
• Collaborate with cross‑functional partners in People, Operations, Finance, and Supply Chain
• Contribute to building templates, playbooks, and scalable legal processes as the company grows

What We’re Looking For

• JD from an accredited law school and active bar membership in at least one U.S. jurisdiction
• 3+ years of legal experience (law firm, clerkship, and/or in‑house)
• Strong interest in developing a broad in‑house legal skill set
• Self‑starter and comfortable tackling questions of first impression across a variety of areas, assessing risk, engaging outside counsel, and making preliminary recommendations under supervision
• Ability to manage multiple tasks and prioritize effectively with guidance
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Detail‑oriented with strong organizational skills
• Curious, coachable, and comfortable working in a fast‑paced environment

What Will Set You Apart

• Prior exposure to government, contracts, employment law, and/or compliance work
• Experience or interest in regulated industries (manufacturing, aerospace, defense, energy, or similar)
• Familiarity with government contracts or working with government customers (a plus, not required)
• Interest in supporting an hourly or non‑exempt workforce
• Desire to grow and help build a Legal team over time

Compensation

For this role, the target salary range is $185,000 – $220,000 (actual range may vary based on experience). This is the lowest to highest salary we reasonably and in good faith believe we would pay for this role at the time of this posting. We may ultimately pay more or less than the posted range, and the range may be modified in the future. An employee’s pay position within the salary range will be based on several factors, including, but not limited to, relevant education, qualifications, certifications, experience, skills, geographic location, performance, and business or organizational needs.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, vision, and life insurance plans for employees
• 401(k)
• Relocation support may be provided for certain situations, based on business need.
• Flexible vacation policy

ITAR Requirements

To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) you must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State. Learn more about the ITAR here.

Hadrian Is An Equal Opportunity Employer

It is the Company’s policy to provide equal employment opportunity for all applicants and employees. The Company does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of race inclusive of traits historically associated with race (including, but not limited to, hair texture and protective hairstyles, such as braids, locks and twists), color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), gender identity, gender expression, transgender status, national origin (including, in California, possession of a drivers license), ancestry, citizenship, age, physical or mental disability, height or weight, medical condition, family care status, military or veteran status, marital status, domestic partner status, sexual orientation, genetic information, exercise of reproductive rights, any other basis protected by local, state, or federal laws, or any combination of the above characteristics. When necessary, the Company also makes reasonable accommodations for disabled candidates and employees, including for candidates or employees who are disabled by pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions.