Legal Counsel
Job description
About the role
This position delivers legal and compliance support to advance clean, high-temperature nuclear energy projects. The role operates within a fast-paced startup building factory-made nuclear systems in Torrance. You will partner with business leaders to manage contracts, finance, and regulatory obligations.
Legal roles protect a company against risk while keeping business moving. Lawyers advise on contracts, deals, and disputes. Compliance teams make sure the company follows the rules that apply to it. Paralegals keep the paperwork, filings, and deadlines in order. Precision and judgment are the core skills. Legal teams manage risk while enabling deals and launches. Most work is deadline driven, and confidentiality is a constant requirement.
Key facts
What you'll do
EPC agreements and other contracts for nuclear facility development are structured and negotiated while addressing technical and regulatory constraints.
Part 810 requirements, are supported to safeguard sensitive technologies and international collaborations.
Employee handbooks and HR policies are developed and maintained to clarify expectations and procedures.
Outside counsel relationships are managed and legal budget oversight is supported to control costs and maintain value.
Requirements
A Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from an accredited law school is mandatory for this position.
You are a member of the California State Bar or eligible to register as Registered In-House Counsel with the State Bar of California.
You bring 3-6 years of legal experience with significant exposure to commercial contracts and transactional matters.
You can draft, negotiate, and manage commercial agreements with increasing independence and sound judgment.
You demonstrate strong business judgment and the ability to translate complex legal concepts into practical guidance.
You communicate clearly through excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal skills in a collaborative setting.
You thrive in a fast-paced, highly collaborative startup environment with significant ambiguity and shifting priorities.
You operate with a strong ownership mentality and willingness to act independently to advance objectives.
Nice to have
Experience with project finance transactions, construction contracts, EPC agreements, or infrastructure projects.
Experience in energy, advanced manufacturing, infrastructure, aerospace, defense, nuclear, or other regulated industries.
Familiarity with nuclear regulatory frameworks, including NRC licensing, DOE programs, Price-Anderson, and export controls.
Background in a major law firm with experience supporting energy, project finance, infrastructure, or M&A transactions.
Prior in-house legal experience at a startup or high-growth technology company.
Experience supporting immigration programs, including H-1B, O-1, TN, and PERM processes.
Familiarity with government contracting requirements and federal regulatory compliance.
Experience working with DOE, NRC, FERC, or other government agencies.
A strong interest in helping build legal processes, systems, and infrastructure from the ground up.
Practical notes
citizen or lawful permanent resident.
The position is based in Torrance and involves work with regulated energy and nuclear technology.
Typical interview steps
Legal interviews usually include a contract review exercise, a compliance scenario, and behavioral rounds. Candidates may be asked to flag issues in a sample agreement or explain a regulatory question. Past experience with specific practice areas carries the most weight. Interviewers often present a sample contract and ask what you would flag. Working through it out loud, risk by risk, is the strongest approach.
Career growth
Legal careers grow from associate to senior counsel, general counsel, and chief legal officer roles. Compliance specialists can move into risk or governance leadership. Specialization by practice area, from employment law to corporate transactions, is common. Legal careers reward precision and commercial awareness. In-house roles value speed and judgment over exhaustive analysis.