Legal Counsel, Subcontracts & Supply Chain

About the role

Legal Counsel, Subcontracts & Supply Chain

Introduction

Hermeus operates at the intersection of defense aviation and advanced technology, developing high-speed aircraft through rapid iterative prototyping. As the company scales, it requires a precise legal function to manage the complex web of subcontracting and supply chain obligations. This role is critical for translating strategic prime contract objectives into actionable, compliant agreements for a diverse supplier base. The successful candidate will serve as the essential legal partner, ensuring that customer requirements are accurately and efficiently cascaded through every tier of the supply chain.

The Legal Counsel, Subcontracts & Supply Chain acts as the central legal integrator for all subcontracting activities. This position is responsible for converting the terms and intent of prime contracts into clear, enforceable, and practical subcontracts. The role demands a proactive approach to managing the flow of requirements, risk, and obligations from the prime customer down to the smallest supplier. The counsel will work directly with subcontracting, supply chain, and program teams to ensure velocity does not compromise compliance or contractual integrity. The goal is to build a sustainable system where the supply chain can operate efficiently and autonomously, supported by robust templates, playbooks, and rigorous legal oversight.

Key Responsibilities

The day-to-day function of this role involves a blend of drafting, negotiation, systemization, and partnership. The counsel will be the author of subcontracting terms, designing the intake process, and building the structural frameworks that guide supplier interactions.

• Drafting and Negotiation: The primary duty is to draft precise and robust subcontract terms that directly link prime contract clauses to supplier workflows. This includes creating back-to-back language that accurately reflects risk allocation, obligations, and deliverables.
• Process Design and Intake: The counsel will design and implement intake checklists to capture program needs comprehensively before any subcontract drafting commences. This ensures alignment on scope, timelines, and requirements from the outset.
• Template Development: A core function is building adaptable and reusable templates for supplier agreements. These templates must be flexible enough to accommodate the evolving scope and complexity of aircraft programs and other business lines.
• Risk Management and Compliance: The counsel will conduct detailed reviews of risk allocation language to ensure prime positions are transferred accurately and appropriately to subcontractors. This includes a specific focus on data security and export controls to ensure all supplier connections adhere to strict compliance boundaries.
• Operational Efficiency: Agreements must be executed with speed to match Hermeus development cycles. The counsel will work to streamline processes, aligning legal agreements with manufacturing and test timelines to avoid delays.
• Stakeholder Partnership: The role requires close collaboration with program teams to clarify deliverables, acceptance criteria, and technical requirements for suppliers. This partnership ensures that legal language supports, rather than hinders, project goals.
• Knowledge Transfer and Enablement: Beyond drafting individual agreements, the counsel is tasked with empowering the supply chain and subcontracting teams. This involves creating playbooks, guidance documents, and standardized templates that equip teams to handle routine subcontracting activities independently and correctly.

Qualifications

Candidates must possess a strong legal foundation and specific domain knowledge relevant to the defense industry. The role requires a proactive mindset, exceptional written communication skills, and the ability to manage complex risk transfer scenarios.

• Education and Licensure: A Juris Doctor degree is mandatory. The candidate must hold current bar admission in good standing for legal practice.
• Subcontracting Experience: The ideal candidate brings three to five years of focused experience handling subcontracts, preferably within the defense or aerospace sectors.
• Regulatory Fluency: A deep understanding of federal flowdown clauses and their application within aircraft supply chains is essential.
• Communication and Judgment: The counsel must write clear, concise English that withstands multiple review cycles, negotiations, and operational use. Superior judgment is required to manage risk allocation so that prime contractual positions are transferred accurately downward.

Compensation and Location

This is a full-time position based in Los Angeles, California. The compensation package is competitive, with a targeted range of $185,000 to $230,000 per year, reflecting the scope and impact of the role.