General Counsel

Savannah River National Laboratory; South Carolina; On-site; USD 200,000 - 300,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical & Dental

Vision Insurance

HSA seed funds

Disability Insurance

Life Insurance

AD&D Insurance

Retirement Plan

Paid Time Off

Employee Assistance Plan

Relocation Package

Job summary

Savannah River National Laboratory is seeking a General Counsel to guide senior leadership through regulatory, contractual, governance, and litigation matters. This role reports to the Laboratory Director and will oversee the legal function, including external resources, for SRNL and the Battelle Savannah River Alliance.

The successful candidate will manage a team of attorneys and a paralegal, ensure compliance with the Prime Contract with the Department of Energy, and provide broad legal

Qualifications

• Juris Doctorate from a law school ABA-accredited and active bar in good standing.
• Minimum 15 years of relevant legal experience.
• Experience leading a legal team in corporate, government, or large law firm.
• Advanced knowledge of federal contracts, employment, environmental, IP, export control, and litigation strategy.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a DOE clearance; WSAP designation.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic legal guidance to SRNL leadership to enable mission execution.
• Manage routine and complex legal issues including employment, environmental, regulatory, and business law.
• Oversee intellectual property management with the technology development office.
• Advise on new laws, compliance requirements, and rights impacting SRNL functionality.
• Negotiate significant transactions including joint ventures and partnerships.
• Provide litigation strategy and oversee outside counsel.
• Lead a legal organization including recruitment and development of attorneys and support staff.

Skills

Legal leadership

Regulatory compliance

Contract negotiation

Litigation management

Intellectual property

Education

Juris Doctorate (ABA approved)

Job description

Duties & Responsibilities :

Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) is a multi-program laboratory applying state-of-the-art science and practical, high-value, cost-effective solutions to complex technical problems to protect the nation. Located at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Savannah River Site (SRS) in Aiken, South Carolina, the laboratory develops and deploys innovative technologies to address some of the nation's environmental, energy, and national security challenges.

Purpose

SRNL is inviting applications for the position of General Counsel to enable the Laboratory's mission by assisting senior leadership in navigating complex regulatory, contractual, governance and litigation matters. The General Counsel is the resident expert in providing advice and counsel on a broad range of legal and litigation strategies in support of the organization's overall mission. Reporting to the Laboratory Director, the General Counsel will serve as the senior legal advisor for the Laboratory and will provide legal advice and counsel on all matters affecting the Laboratory.

This individual will work closely with Department of Energy and corporate counterparts while leading and managing the legal function, as well as oversee external legal resources. The General Counsel also provides legal advice and perspective to the Laboratory's management and operating company (Battelle Savannah River Alliance) Board of Directors.

• Provide strategic advice to support the leadership of the Laboratory and enable execution of the Laboratory's missions.


• Manage routine, non-routine, difficult and sensitive legal issues as well as analyze risk exposure inherent in the Lab's operations and research programs, to include all legal matters such as employment, environmental, regulatory and business law.


• Manage and protect the organization's intellectual property in concert with the Laboratory's technology development office.


• Advise executive members on new and existing laws, legal compliance, and rights that impact functionality of the Laboratory.


• Negotiate and manage significant transactions, including joint ventures, strategic alliances, partnerships, and related governance issues.


• Craft and review legal strategy in response to any litigation


• Support and consult on complex commercial contract matters, including government contracts as well as collaborating with relevant stakeholders to ensure that the organization complies with the terms of the Laboratory Prime Contract with the Department of Energy and other legal and regulatory requirements.


• Provide oversight of litigation and retained outside counsel.


• Lead a legal organization consisting of attorneys and a paralegal, including responsibility for recruitment, retention, and career development.


• Provide legal counsel on the full spectrum of employment and labor law matters, including Title VII, ADA, ADEA, FMLA, FLSA, OSHA, affirmative action and workplace investigations.


• Develop and implement an enterprise legal risk management framework, identifying and quantifying legal exposures across the Laboratory's operations and recommending mitigation strategies to senior leadership.

Required Qualifications :

• Juris Doctorate from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association and being an active member in good standing of a state bar (any U.S. jurisdiction).


• Minimum of 15 years of relevant legal experience


• Experience leading and managing a team of legal professionals in a corporate legal office, federal government legal office, or law firm


• Advanced knowledge of laws and regulations applicable to various types of federal contracts, employment, and labor law; environmental law; intellectual property and technology transfer; export control; and litigation management and strategy


• This position requires the ability to obtain and maintain a clearance from the Department of Energy. As such, this position is a Workplace Substance Abuse (WSAP) testing designated position. WSAP positions require passing a pre-placement drug test and participation in an ongoing random drug testing program.

Preferred Qualifications :

• Previous experience as a general counsel on an executive team.


• Previous litigation experience.


• Experience with federally funded research and development (FFRDC) organizations.

"We put science to work!"

Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) is a multi-program laboratory applying state of the art science and practical, high-value, cost-effective solutions to complex technical problems to protect the nation. Located at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Savannah River Site (SRS) in Aiken SC, the laboratory develops and deploys innovative technologies to address some of the nation's environmental, energy, and national security challenges.

Battelle Savannah River Alliance (BSRA) is constantly assessing trends to provide the best possible benefits to our workforce. We also negotiate cost effective premiums that will meet the needs of our evolving workforce.

Some of the Benefits offered to employees include:

*Benefits vary based upon employment status

• Highly competitive Medical, Dental, and Vision options including HSA options with company provided seed


• Short- & Long-Term Disability (company paid)


• Life Insurance Non-Contributary 1X salary (company paid)


• AD&D Non-contributary 1x salary (company paid)


• Savings & Investment plan:




• Qualified Non-Elective Company Contribution of 5% each pay period with immediate vesting


• Company match 50 cents/dollar up to 8% (5 yrs. vesting in company match)




• Contributory Life Insurance up to 5x Salary with $1M Cap


• Contributory AD&D (employee, spouse and children)


• Paid Time Off


• Employee Assistance Plan


• SRNL offers a competitive relocation package to ease the transition process. Domestic and international relocation assistance is available for certain positions.

For more information about our benefits, working here, and living here, visit the "About" tab at www.srnl.doe.gov.

BSRA is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, or protected veteran status. BSRA is also committed to making our workplace accessible to individuals with disabilities and will provide reasonable accommodations, upon request, for individuals to participate in the application and hiring process. Please email us at [e-mail] with any questions regarding the hiring process or to request an accommodation.