Corporate Counsel, IP

True Anomaly, Inc.; Long Beach (CA); On-site; USD 140,000 - 205,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Healthcare coverage

PTO & holidays

Lunch provided

401(k) retirement plan

Fitness reimbursement

Equity

Dog Fridays

Job summary

True Anomaly, Inc. in Long Beach, CA, seeks a Corporate Counsel, IP to own the maturation and execution of the company's IP strategy across hardware and software. You will partner with engineering, product, and business teams to identify innovations and implement protections.

You will draft and negotiate licenses, manage patent and trademark portfolios, and advise on data rights and government contracts. This is a hands-on role in a lean in-house team with location options near Long Beach,

Qualifications

• J.D. from an accredited law school and active bar membership in at least one U.S. jurisdiction.
• 3–7 years of legal experience, preferably including both law firm and in-house experience.
• Experience advising on patents, trade secrets, software, technology transactions, licensing, and IP ownership.
• Experience drafting, reviewing, and negotiating commercial contracts and license agreements independently.
• Ability to work effectively with technical teams and translate complex legal information into practical guidance.

Responsibilities

• Develop and own True Anomaly's IP strategy across hardware and software.
• Identify proprietary innovations and implement protections the company’s IP portfolios.
• Draft, negotiate, and manage inbound and outbound IP licenses.
• Maintain systems for tracking license terms, obligations, renewals, and other key requirements.
• Advise engineering, product, and program teams on IP ownership and data rights.
• Support general corporate legal functions and contracts as part of a lean in-house team.

Skills

IP licensing

Contract negotiation

Cross-functional collaboration

Technical understanding

Education

J.D. from an accredited law school

Job description

Space is a warfighting domain. True Anomaly seeks those with the talent and ambition to build the technology that secures it.

OUR MISSION

True Anomaly delivers decisive capabilities for space superiority. We build autonomous spacecraft, advanced payloads, mission software, and space-based interceptors — enabling the U.S. and its Allies to secure the space environment and counter threats from the ultimate high ground.

OUR VALUES

• Be the offset. We create asymmetric advantages with creativity and ingenuity.


• What would it take? We challenge assumptions to deliver ambitious results.


• It’s the people. Our team is our competitive advantage and we are better together.

BENEFITS & PERKS*

• Best-in-class healthcare: 100% company-paid medical, dental, and vision coverage for you and your dependents, with HSA/HRA options


• Generous time off: Flexible Time Off (FTO) for exempt employees, accrued PTO of up to 25 days for non-exempt employees, plus 12 paid holidays; Parental Leave; Sick Leave


• Fuel for your day: Daily catered lunch and unlimited snacks for in-office employees


• And more: 401(k) retirement plan, fitness reimbursement, and Dog Fridays


• Equity participation: Equity is included as part of our total compensation package, giving you an opportunity to share in the company’s success.


• Do not apply to fixed term and temporary roles

YOUR MISSION

The Corporate Counsel, IP will serve as True Anomaly's primary in-house legal authority on intellectual property, owning the maturation and execution of the company's IP strategy — including how we identify, capture, protect, and leverage technology across both our hardware and software. This role reports to the Managing Counsel and is a key member of a small, collaborative legal department.

Intellectual property is the core of this role. You will lead the company's IP program, partnering closely with engineering, marketing, product, program management, business development, and mission teams to identify proprietary innovations and implement appropriate protections the company’s IP portfolios, negotiate and manage licenses, establish the practical processes that turn day-to-day engineering into defensible IP, and serve as the go-to resource for stakeholders across the company on strategy, ownership, and risk.

Beyond IP, you will support general corporate legal functions — reviewing and negotiating contracts, supporting transactional and financing needs, advising internal clients, and contributing to the legal department’s broader workload. The ideal candidate is energized by the opportunity to own and mature a specialized strategic function while also operating as a versatile member of a lean legal team.

INTELLIGENT PROPERTY

• Develop and own True Anomaly's IP strategy, including how the company identifies, captures, protects, and leverages inventions, patents, trade secrets, software, data, trademarks, and other proprietary technology.


• Build and manage the practical infrastructure for IP: invention mining and disclosure processes, patent and trade secret decision-making, trade secret protection practices, including identification, access controls, and documentation, and clear guidance for engineers and software teams on protecting what they create.


• Manage the full lifecycle of the company’s patent and trademark portfolios, working with outside counsel on prosecution, prioritization, and budget.


• Draft, negotiate, and manage inbound and outbound technology, software, data, and other IP license agreements.


• Maintain systems for tracking license terms, obligations, renewals, and other key requirements.


• Manage IP terms for employees, contractors, consultants, and other personnel, including proprietary information and invention assignment agreements (PIIAs) and prior-invention disclosures.


• Manage open-source and third-party software licensing compliance, including copyleft and other licensing obligations.


• Advise engineering, product, and program teams on IP ownership, third-party rights, publication, invention disclosures, and other related matters.


• Advise on IP and data rights in government contracts, including data rights assertions and markings and Bahy-Doyle obligations.


• Partner with the export compliance on issues involving IP, technical data, and ITAR/EAR controls.


• Monitor developments in IP law and policy that may affect the company's IP posture and proactively advise stakeholders.

GENERAL CORPORATE LEGAL SUPPORT

• Draft, review, and negotiate a wide variety of agreements, including customer, partnership, and technology agreements, vendor and supplier contracts, program subcontracts, teaming agreements, NDAs, and consulting agreements.


• Advise internal stakeholders across program management, systems engineering, communications and IT, mission operations, facilities management, security, finance, and supply chain on legal matters as they arise.


• Coordinate with other Legal Department functions, including export compliance, on matters of overlapping regulatory concern.


• Contribute to legal department process improvements, templates, playbooks, and other shared resources.


• Support additional projects and initiatives as needed under the direction of the Managing Counsel.

QUALIFICATIONS

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• J.D. from an accredited law school and active bar membership in at least one U.S. jurisdiction.


• 3–7 years of legal experience, preferably including both law firm and in-house experience.


• Experience advising on patents, trade secrets, software, technology transactions, licensing, and IP ownership.


• Experience drafting, reviewing, and negotiating commercial contracts and license agreements independently.


• Experience advising on IP ownership, data rights, and licensing matters in a technology or product-development environment.


• Ability to work effectively with technical teams and translate complex legal information and technical concepts into practical guidance.


• Strong written communication skills, with the ability to produce precise, well-organized legal documents.


• Strong presentation skills and ability to distill complex legal concepts into clear, accessible reports and briefings for internal audiences.


• High attention to detail and ability to manage multiple projects and competing deadlines simultaneously.


• A generalist's range and instinct — comfort operating across multiple areas of law and picking up unfamiliar issues quickly.

PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

• Experience in the commercial space, aerospace, defense, or other deep-technology industry.


• Experience in-house at a technology or aerospace company, ideally a startup or high-growth environment.


• Familiarity with government IP and data-rights frameworks (FAR/DFARS, Bayh-Dole, SBIR/STTR).


• Experience with open-source software compliance and software licensing.


• Familiarity with export controls.

COMPENSATION

• Base Salary: $140,000 - $205,000

Your actual level and base salary will be determined on a case-by-case basis and may vary based on the following considerations: job-related knowledge and skills, education, location, and experience.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS

• Work Location—Successful candidates will be located near Denver, CO, Long Beach, CA, or Washington DC.

This position will be open until it is successfully filled.

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.

True Anomaly is committed to equal employment opportunity on any basis protected by applicable state and federal laws. If you have a disability or additional need that requires accommodation, please do not hesitate to let us know.

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