Senior Counsel, Government & Commercial Contracts

Company Overview

Zeno Power is the leading developer of nuclear batteries – compact power systems that provide reliable, clean energy in frontier environments. By harnessing the heat from radioisotopes, Zeno’s batteries power critical missions on Earth, in space, and at sea. To bring this technology to market by 2027, Zeno is seeking out purpose-driven and innovative professionals who are comfortable working in a startup environment. Team members will have a direct impact in enabling commercial and national security missions from the depths of our oceans, to the surface of the moon, and in austere environments here on Earth.

Zeno is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer and is committed to attracting, retaining, and developing a highly qualified, diverse, and dedicated work force. We do not discriminate in hiring on the basis of sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, color, religious creed, national origin, physical or mental disability, protected Veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law.

Senior Counsel, Government & Commercial Contracts

Zeno Power is seeking an experienced Senior Counsel, Government Contracts to serve as the company's lead attorney for U.S. government contracting matters. Reporting to the Chief Regulatory & Legal Officer (CRLO), this role will support Zeno's rapidly expanding portfolio of Department of Defense, Department of Energy, NASA, and other federal government programs as the company transitions from research and development into commercialization and deployment.

This individual will be responsible for advising business leaders on government contracts, subcontracts, procurement regulations, compliance obligations, intellectual property protections, and federal acquisition strategy. The ideal candidate is a pragmatic business partner who can operate independently in a fast-paced startup environment and help build the legal infrastructure necessary to support a growing national security and energy technology company.

The successful candidate will work cross-functionally with engineering, finance, business development, supply chain, program management, and executive leadership to structure, negotiate, and manage a broad range of government and commercial agreements.

In this role you will:

• Serve as lead counsel for federal government and commercial contracting matters across the company, including legal strategy development. • Draft, review, negotiate, and provide strategic counsel on a broad range of commercial and government agreements, including procurement contracts, prime government contracts, subcontracts, teaming agreements, NDAs, Cooperative Research & Development Agreements (CRADAs), memoranda of understanding, technology transfer agreements, Other Transaction Authority (OTA) agreements, Small Business Innovation Research or Small Business Technology Transfer (SBIR/STTR) agreements, and other agreement types. • Develop processes and playbooks for all common contract types, working with outside counsel and paralegal support to implement. Design and maintain scalable government contracting policies, procedures, and compliance frameworks. • Advise internal stakeholders on the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS), and agency-specific procurement requirements. • Develop and maintain International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) & Export Administration Regulations (EAR) compliance policies, training, licensing, cybersecurity, and internal controls. Also, manage trade secret management, Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) compliance, and related policies. • Assist the Chief Regulatory & Legal Officer on driving forward Zeno’s patent efforts, including managing counsel, reviewing materials, and assisting in creating disclosure processes. • Work across business lines, such as with Supply Chain, Engineering, Procurement, and Business Operations as part of your day-to-day work. • Partner with business development and program teams to evaluate new federal opportunities and acquisition pathways. • Support proposal development, contract negotiations, contract administration, and contract closeout activities. • Help manage outside counsel as needed on specialized contracts, regulatory, and intellectual property matters. • Additional responsibilities reasonably related to the position and business needs as assigned.