Senior Counsel, Commercial & Government Contracts

Remote; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 180,000 - 280,000; Full time

Job summary

Rigetti Computing is seeking an experienced in-house attorney to lead commercial dealmaking and government contracting in the quantum era. You will draft and negotiate hardware, software, cloud, and collaboration agreements, and help design templates and workflows to scale with the business.

You will report to the VP, Legal, partner with executives, and mentor a growing legal team, while counseling on risk to engineers and leaders in a fast-paced environment.

Qualifications

• J.D. and active U.S. state bar in good standing required.
• 7+ years of relevant experience, incl in-house.
• Proven track record negotiating complex hardware/enterprise tech agreements.
• Hands-on federal government contracts experience (FAR/DFARS).
• Builder’s mindset; enjoy creating structure in fast-moving environments.
• Ability to explain legal risk clearly to engineers and executives.

Responsibilities

• Lead commercial deal drafting and negotiation for hardware and software.
• Manage government contracting with AFRL/DARPA/DOE and labs.
• Develop templates, playbooks, and workflows for fast scaling.
• Mentor junior legal staff and collaborate with cross-functional teams.

Skills

Legal negotiation

Federal government contracting

In-house experience

Risk communication

Strategic structuring

Education

J.D. and bar admission

Tools

FAR/DFARS knowledge

Contract templates

Job description

Help Build the Legal Foundation for the Quantum Era

Quantum computing could change how we discover drugs, design materials, secure communications, and solve problems no classical computer can. Rigetti is making that happen. We design and build superconducting quantum processors in our own fab and deliver quantum computing through the cloud and on-premises systems. We also work with leading government agencies, national labs, universities, and global enterprises to push the field forward.

The deals we sign now will shape how quantum computing reaches the world. We’re looking for the attorney who will lead them.

Why This Role

This is not a role maintaining someone else’s playbook. You’ll report directly to the VP, Legal, as a key member of a lean, high-impact legal team, working closely with Rigetti’s executive team and having real influence over how the company does business. You’ll have the opportunity to grow Rigetti’s commercial and government contracting function. That means designing the templates, processes, and negotiating positions the company scales on, and serving as a trusted advisor to leadership. As the business grows, the function you build will grow with it, and so will your role.

The work itself is unlike anything else in tech law. In a single week you might negotiate the sale of a quantum computer, structure a research collaboration on next-generation qubit materials, and advise on compliance in a government program. Many of these questions have never been asked before, and you’ll help answer them.

If you want your legal work to matter, not just to one company but to one of the defining technologies of this century, we’d love to talk.

What You’ll Do

Lead Commercial Dealmaking

• Draft and negotiate the agreements that bring quantum computing to market, including quantum system sales, on-premises hardware purchases, cloud/QCS access, maintenance and support, and partner agreements.

• Negotiate supplier and procurement agreements across our supply chain, including fab and foundry relationships, specialized equipment, components, SaaS, and facilities.

• Partner with the IP team to structure R&D collaborations, joint development, sponsored research, and licensing deals.

• Support international transactions through Rigetti’s global entities, coordinating with local counsel as needed.

Own Government Contracting

• Serve as lead counsel on federal contracts, grants, cooperative agreements, and other transactions with AFRL, DARPA, DOE and the national labs, and other agencies.

• Advise on FAR, DFARS, and agency-specific requirements across solicitations, proposals, awards, and modifications.

• Negotiate subcontracts and teaming agreements in both prime and subcontractor roles.

• Guide compliance with cybersecurity requirements, supply chain and domestic sourcing rules, and representations and certifications. Partner with IT, export control, and finance teams where these issues intersect with contract terms.

Grow the Function

• Create and refine contract templates, playbooks, approval workflows, and tools so the business can move quickly and with confidence.

• Train sales, BD, procurement, and program teams on contracting and government compliance.

• Help shape the legal department’s growth as Rigetti scales, including future hiring and structure, and serve as a leader and mentor on the team.

What You Bring

Required

• J.D. and active membership in good standing in at least one U.S. state bar.

• 7+ years of relevant experience, including meaningful time in-house.

• A strong track record negotiating complex commercial agreements, ideally for hardware, semiconductor, deep-tech, or enterprise technology companies.

• Hands-on experience with federal government contracts, including FAR/DFARS, subcontracting, and data rights.

• A builder’s mindset. You enjoy creating structure where none exists and are energized, not overwhelmed, by a fast-moving environment.

• Sound business judgment and the ability to explain legal risk clearly to engineers and executives.

Preferred

• Law firm training combined with in-house experience.

• Experience with OTAs, CRADAs, SBIR/STTR, and cooperative agreements.

• Familiarity with EAR/ITAR as applied to transactions.

• Experience with international transactions and public company work.

• Curiosity about the technology.

About Rigetti

Rigetti Computing is a pioneer in full-stack quantum computing. The company has operated quantum computers over the cloud since 2017 and serves global enterprise, government, and research clients through its Rigetti Quantum Cloud Services platform. The company’s proprietary quantum-classical infrastructure provides ultra-low latency integration with public and private clouds for high-performance practical quantum computing. Rigetti has developed the industry’s first multi-chip quantum processor for scalable quantum computing systems. The company designs and manufactures its chips in-house at Fab-1, the industry’s first dedicated and integrated quantum device manufacturing facility. Rigetti was founded in 2013 and today employs more than 150 people with offices in the United States, U.K., and Australia. Learn more at www.rigetti.com.

Export Licensing Compliance

Rigetti is committed to full compliance with applicable anti-discrimination laws. We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We strive to create an inclusive work environment and will not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.