Senior Counsel, Commercial & Government Contracts
About the role
Senior-level legal role focusing on commercial and government contracting for Rigetti Computing, reporting to the VP, Legal. Build and scale the commercial and government contracting function, create templates and playbooks, and serve as a trusted advisor to leadership in a fast-moving, high-tech environment.
Responsibilities
- Draft and negotiate agreements for quantum computing sales and related services (on-premises hardware, cloud/QCS access, maintenance and support, partner agreements)
- Negotiate supplier and procurement agreements across supply chain (fab/foundry relationships, equipment, components, SaaS, facilities)
- Partner with IP team to structure R&D collaborations, joint development, sponsored research, and licensing deals
- Support international transactions through Rigetti’s global entities and coordinate with local counsel as needed
- Lead government contracting efforts as lead counsel on federal contracts, grants, cooperative agreements with AFRL, DARPA, DOE and national labs
- Advise on FAR, DFARS, and agency-specific requirements across solicitations, proposals, awards, and modifications
- Negotiate subcontracts and teaming agreements in prime and subcontractor roles
- Guide compliance with cybersecurity, supply chain and domestic sourcing rules; collaborate with IT, export control, and finance on intersecting issues
- Create and refine contract templates, playbooks, workflows, and tools to enable rapid business execution
- Train sales, BD, procurement, and program teams on contracting and government compliance
- Contribute to growth and structure of the legal department, including hiring and mentorship
Qualifications
- J.D. and active membership in good standing in at least one U.S. state bar
- 7+ years of relevant experience, including in-house experience
- Proven track record negotiating complex commercial agreements, ideally for hardware, semiconductor, deep-tech, or enterprise tech companies
- Hands-on experience with federal government contracts, including FAR/DFARS, subcontracting, and data rights
- Builder’s mindset with ability to create structure in a fast-moving environment
- Strong business judgment and ability to explain legal risk to engineers and executives
Skills
Benefits
- Competitive salaries
- Equity
- Medical, dental and vision benefits
- 401(k) plan
- Paid parental leave program
- Rejuvenation days
- Vacation policy aligned with local regulations and industry standards
About Rigetti Computing
Quantum coherent supercomputing.
Rigetti Computing is building the world’s most powerful computers to help solve humanity’s most pressing and important problems. These systems will perform computations that today’s fastest supercomputers are incapable of — unlocking entirely new classes of problems and offering a direct path to solutions. We are scientists, engineers, builders, and visionaries. We believe quantum computing is going to significantly affect health care, how we treat disease, how we generate energy, and how we feed humanity. Rigetti is the only company deploying full-stack solutions for hybrid classical/quantum computing. Our 19-qubit quantum computer is available online through our Forest platform, and the first commercially useful applications are already under exploration. We were founded in 2013 by Chad Rigetti, and are located Berkeley and Fremont, California.
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