Director, Legal – Critical Infra (US) Data Centers

Nscale; Houston (TX); On-site; USD 210,000 - 340,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision coverage

Flexible paid time off

Retirement plan participation

Job summary

Nscale is seeking a Director, Legal – Critical Infrastructure (US) to lead end-to-end contracting for US data center campuses. You will negotiate high-stakes EPC, design-build, and supply agreements, manage external counsel, and align positions across regulatory and commercial teams to accelerate project delivery.

Role requires 7+ years in construction/infrastructure law, strong negotiation skills, and the ability to communicate complex risk to senior stakeholders.

Qualifications

• 7+ years of construction and infrastructure legal experience in-house or at a top-tier firm.
• Proven track record negotiating major EPC, design-build, professional services, and equipment supply agreements for large-scale projects.
• Fluency in construction risk allocation including pricing, delay remedies, warranties, defects, indemnity, insurance, liability, and dispute provisions.
• Confident first-chair negotiator able to run multiple high-value contracts in parallel to signature.
• Ability to explain complex legal/commercial risk to non-lawyers and senior stakeholders.
• Comfortable collaborating with project finance, power, insurance, and regulatory teams.
• Licensed attorney admitted in at least one US state and in good standing.

Responsibilities

• Lead negotiation of owner-contractor, EPC, and design-build agreements for data center campus construction across the US.
• Draft and negotiate design and consultancy agreements with architects, engineers, and consultants, including framework agreements and work orders, ownership of deliverables, and professional liability.
• Negotiate supply, installation, and O&M agreements for on-site power generation and critical equipment, including performance guarantees, warranties, and service levels.
• Support site acquisition, development arrangements, and ground leases, plus power procurement and interconnection in coordination with regulators.
• Maintain and improve Nscale's infrastructure contract templates and playbooks.
• Run counterparty comment rounds and drive consistent house positions across projects, adapting for local law.
• Manage contracts through delivery and closeout, including change orders, cost/schedule claims, payments, retention, and defect correction.
• Coordinate insurance and bonding requirements with the insurance team, and partner with Debt Capital Markets Legal on lender requirements for project-financed sites.
• Manage US outside counsel, including scope, budgets, and quality of advice.
• Partner with construction, procurement, finance, real estate, energy, and operations teams to support rapid project delivery.

Skills

Construction & infra law

Contract negotiation

Risk allocation & dispute resolution

First-chair negotiation

Stakeholder communication

Education

US-qualified attorney (bar admission)

Job description

Nscale is seeking a Director, Legal – Critical Infrastructure (US) to lead end-to-end contracting for US data center campuses. You will negotiate high-stakes EPC, design-build, and supply agreements, manage external counsel, and align positions across regulatory and commercial teams to accelerate project delivery.

Role requires 7+ years in construction/infrastructure law, strong negotiation skills, and the ability to communicate complex risk to senior stakeholders.