Legal Counsel, Export Control

Helsing; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Insurance coverage

Remote and/or hybrid work

Job summary

Helsing seeks an experienced Legal Counsel to own the US export control function and contribute across a broader legal remit. You will be Helsing's SME on US export controls, trade compliance, and technology transfer, working with engineering, business development, and government affairs to ensure legal and operational soundness.

This hands-on role requires building frameworks, sitting at the table for critical decisions, and bridging Helsing's US entity with its European operations in a

Qualifications

• JD from an accredited US law school; admitted to practice in DC, VA, MD, and/or WV.
• Deep familiarity with ITAR and EAR compliance in a defense technology context.
• US citizen; ability to handle export-controlled information.

Responsibilities

• Own Helsing's US export control compliance program, with primary focus on ITAR and EAR.
• Advise on classification of Helsing's AI software and technology under USML/CCL.
• Manage license applications and interactions with DDTC and BIS; maintain ITAR registration.
• Design and implement technology transfer controls for cross-border collaboration.
• Build and deliver internal training programs; develop scalable compliance policies.
• Advise on OFAC sanctions considerations within the business.
• Support due diligence on partnerships and government contracting from a trade perspective.
• Monitor regulatory developments and assess implications for products and strategy.

Skills

US export controls

Legal counsel

Cross-functional collaboration

Contract negotiation

Regulatory compliance

Education

Juris Doctor (JD)

Job description

Who We Are

Helsing develops artificial intelligence-enabled capabilities to protect and defend democracies. We are growing our US operations, cultivating an ambitious and committed team of mission-driven professionals to apply their skills to solve challenging problems.

The role

As Helsing grows its presence in the United States and deepens its work with the US Government, we require a Legal Counsel to own the export control function and contribute across a broader legal remit. This role sits within Helsing's US entity and is central to how we operate responsibly and competitively in the US market.

You will be Helsing's subject matter expert on US export controls, trade compliance, and technology transfer. You will work closely with our engineering, business development, and government affairs teams to ensure that the way we develop and deploy our technology is legally sound and operationally enabling.

This is a hands-on role. You will be doing the work, building the frameworks, and sitting at the table when it matters. You will also serve as a critical bridge between Helsing's US entity and its European operations — helping to manage the cross-border legal complexity that comes with being a transatlantic defense technology company.

Beyond export control, you will contribute to the broader legal function — supporting commercial contracting with US Government customers and defense primes, employment matters, and general corporate legal work as the US entity scales.

The day-to-day

• Own Helsing's US export control compliance program, with primary focus on ITAR (USML classifications, TAA and MLA licensing, DS-2032 registrations) and EAR (CCL classifications, BIS licensing, deemed export controls)
• Advise on the classification of Helsing's AI software and technology under the USML and CCL, including navigating the evolving controls landscape around AI, software, and emerging technologies
• Manage license applications and interactions with DDTC and BIS; maintain Helsing's ITAR registration and associated compliance obligations
• Design and implement technology transfer controls, including for cross-border collaboration with Helsing's European teams and partners — understanding the US-nexus implications of working with a transatlantic company
• Build and deliver internal training programs; develop scalable compliance policies and procedures appropriate to a fast-growing defense technology company
• Advise on OFAC sanctions considerations as they intersect with Helsing's business
• Support due diligence on partnerships, customer relationships, and corporate transactions from a trade compliance perspective
• Monitor regulatory developments — including evolving AI-specific export controls — and assess their implications for Helsing's products and strategy
• Draft, negotiate, and advise on contracts with US Government agencies, defense primes, and commercial partners, including familiarity with FAR/DFARS and government contracting frameworks
• Contribute to building Helsing's US legal infrastructure as the entity scales

You should apply if you

• Meaningful experience in US export controls (ITAR and EAR) gained in-house, at a law firm, or within a government or regulatory context
• Deep familiarity with the defense or defense technology sector and you are comfortable operating close to classified and sensitive programs
• The ability to give clear, actionable advice under uncertainty and time pressure - Helsing moves fast and needs a lawyer who enables the mission
• Experience working directly with engineering or product teams to build compliance frameworks that are rigorous without being operationally paralyzing
• Comfort operating in a lean, fast-moving environment where you will need to build as much as you advise
• JD from an accredited US law school; admitted to practice in DC, VA, MD, and/or WV
• US citizen (required — this role involves access to export-controlled information and supports a business operating in the national security space)

Note: We encourage you to apply even if you don’t meet all the listed qualifications; ability and impact cannot be summarized in a few bullet points.

Nice to have

• Familiarity with European export control regimes — particularly German export control law (AWG/AWV) and EU Dual-Use regulations — or experience advising a European company operating in the US market
• Understanding of the compliance interface between ITAR/EAR and foreign export control frameworks, including Technology Assistance Agreements with transatlantic dimensions
• Experience with FOCI (Foreign Ownership, Control or Influence) considerations and mitigation structures
• Prior in-house experience at a defense, aerospace, or defense technology company
• Prior experience with board corporate governance, risk management, regulatory compliance, and record keeping
• Active security clearance or prior experience in a cleared environment
• Experience with FAR/DFARS and US Government contracting

Join Helsing and work with world-leading experts in their fields

• Helsing’s work is important. You’ll be directly contributing to the protection of democratic countries while balancing both ethical and geopolitical concerns
• The work is unique. We operate in a domain that has highly unusual technical requirements and constraints, and where robustness, safety, and ethical considerations are vital. You will face unique Engineering and AI challenges that make a meaningful impact in the world
• Our work frequently takes us right up to the state of the art in technical innovation, be it reinforcement learning, distributed systems, generative AI, or deployment infrastructure. The defense industry is entering the most exciting phase of the technological development curve. Advances in our field of world are not incremental: Helsing is part of, and often leading, historic leaps forward
• In our domain, success is a matter of order-of-magnitude improvements and novel capabilities. This means we take bets, aim high, and focus on big opportunities. Despite being a relatively young company, Helsing has already been selected for multiple significant government contracts
• We actively encourage healthy, proactive, and diverse debate internally about what we do and how we choose to do it. Teams and individual engineers are trusted (and encouraged) to practice responsible autonomy and critical thinking, and to focus on outcomes, not conformity. At Helsing you will have a say in how we (and you!) work, the opportunity to engage on what does and doesn’t work, and to take ownership of aspects of our culture that you care deeply about

What We Offer

• A focus on outcomes, not time-tracking
• A generous compensation and benefits package (in addition to base salary) that includes, but may not be limited to, insurance coverage (medical and travel), flexible paid time off, paid holidays, and remote and/or hybrid work available depending on position. All compensation and benefits are subject to the terms and conditions of the underlying plans or programs, as applicable and as may be amended, terminated or superseded from time to time.

The base salary offered to the successful candidate will be determined by a variety of factors including relevant experience, qualifications, education, skill level, interview performance, and the level and scope of the position.

Helsing is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We will consider all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, protected veteran status, genetics, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law. Please do not submit personal data revealing racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, religious or philosophical beliefs, trade union membership, data concerning your health, or data concerning your sexual orientation.

Helsing's Candidate Privacy and Confidentiality Regime can be found here.