General Counsel

About the role

Antares is seeking its first General Counsel to establish and manage the company's legal and compliance framework. This leadership position will guide the development and deployment of nuclear microreactors from initial prototyping through full commercial production. You will be a key strategic partner to the CEO and executive team during a critical growth phase.

Key facts

What you'll do

• Act as the initial in-house legal expert and primary advisor to all company departments, including engineering, operations, finance, and business development.
• Oversee government contracts and federally funded initiatives, including proposal evaluation, negotiation, and compliance with reporting and data rights.
• Serve as the main legal contact for relationships and obligations with federal agencies like the DOE and DoD.
• Draft, review, and negotiate various commercial agreements, such as NDAs, vendor contracts, manufacturing agreements, and strategic partnerships.
• Provide legal guidance on nuclear regulatory matters, including NRC licensing, DOE frameworks, and nuclear materials handling.
• Develop and maintain the company's export controls compliance program, covering ITAR and EAR, along with policies, training, and data handling procedures.
• Manage external legal counsel for specialized areas like intellectual property, litigation, and corporate matters.
• Establish the company's legal infrastructure, including document retention, contract lifecycle management, and corporate governance.
• Create standardized contract templates and negotiation guidelines to streamline legal processes as the company expands.
• Offer daily legal support, providing practical advice that balances business objectives with legal and reputational risk management.

Requirements

• Juris Doctor degree from an accredited law school and active bar membership.
• At least 12 years of legal experience.
• Experience in two of these three areas: government contracting, nuclear/regulated environments, or export controls.
• Proven experience managing government contracts (FAR/DFARS) and funded programs.
• Direct experience building or leading an export controls compliance program (ITAR and/or EAR).
• Experience with commercial contracts and regulatory issues.

Nice to have

• Experience as a General Counsel or Deputy General Counsel at a fast-growing technology or deep tech company.
• Familiarity with NRC licensing, DOE contracting vehicles (e.g., CRADA, WFO), and nuclear materials regulations.
• Experience supporting board governance, venture financing, and M&A transactions.
• Broad legal experience across multiple domains including contracts, intellectual property, and export compliance.
• Demonstrated success in a startup environment, including managing ambiguity and diverse responsibilities.

Skills & tools

• FAR/DFARS
• ITAR
• EAR
• NRC licensing
• DOE regulatory frameworks

Practical notes

• This role may require extended hours and weekend work to meet critical deadlines.
• Travel to regulatory locations will be necessary as needed.
• To comply with U.S. export regulations, applicants must be a U.S. citizen, national, lawful permanent resident, refugee, or asylee, or eligible to obtain required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.