IP and Regulatory Counsel

The posting, as Code Metal wrote it

ABOUT CODE METAL

Code Metal is the leader in automated software engineering you can trust. As AI writes more of the world's code, the bottleneck in software has shifted from writing code to verifying it works, and AI cannot verify its own work with certainty. Code Metal takes a fundamentally different approach: constrain AI to what it does reliably, verify every step independently of the model using formal methods, and keep engineers in the loop on the decisions that matter. The result isn't code that probably works — it's code that is provably correct, with auditable proof. Customers including the U.S. Air Force, L3Harris, RTX, and Toshiba use Code Metal to modernize legacy code, optimize performance on real hardware, and move prototypes to production, fast. Founded in 2023 with offices in Boston and San Francisco, Code Metal is funded by Accel, Salesforce Ventures, B Capital, Smith Point Capital, J2 Ventures, Shield Capital, Overmatch, RTX, and others.
Learn more at codemetal.ai http://codemetal.ai.

THE ROLE

This is a chance to be one of the first members of the legal team and to build Code Metal's intellectual property and regulatory function from the ground up. You'll report directly to the Head of Legal and work closely with Engineering, Product, Research, and Marketing teams. You'll protect what makes our technology valuable and keep it moving lawfully into the defense and national security environments that depend on it.

You will sit at the center of how the company protects and commercializes its innovation. That means turning engineering breakthroughs into a strategic patent portfolio, building and defending our brands, and advising on the export control and AI regulatory frameworks that govern our products. You'll also review how we describe what our technology can do, and build the policies, training, and infrastructure a scaling company needs.

You will draw on technical fluency, sound commercial judgment, and excellent communication skills to take on novel, complex issues as they arise. We don't expect experience in every area below; we do expect a willingness to learn and adapt. The role is grounded in IP and regulatory work, but you'll have the chance to work across the full range of issues a fast moving company faces and to partner broadly across legal and the wider business.

WHAT YOU'LL DO

• Be one of the first members of Code Metal's small, dynamic legal team, reporting to the Head of Legal and partnering daily with engineers and researchers.
• Build and manage the company's global patent and trademark portfolios, including filing strategy, prosecution, docket and renewal management, and portfolio decisions across the U.S. and key international markets.
• Draft and prosecute patent applications covering software, AI and machine learning systems, compilers, code translation, verification methods, and related technologies. Respond to USPTO office actions, including subject matter eligibility rejections.

[…]
quick, independent learner able to contribute across a broad startup legal function, including topics that may be new to you, and to manage multiple priorities and stakeholders at once.

• Must be a U.S. Person, given required access to U.S. export controlled information (ITAR/EAR).

WHAT WE VALUE

• A combination of law-firm and in-house or government experience.
• Experience at, or advising, a technology, defense, aerospace, or hardware company, and comfort working alongside engineers and technical teams.
• Familiarity with procurement vehicles and frameworks such as GSA schedules, GWACs, IDIQs, BPAs, OTAs, and SBIR/STTR, and with subcontracting structures.
• Familiarity with cybersecurity and compliance frameworks such as FedRAMP, CMMC, and NIST SP 800-171, and with DFARS cybersecurity clauses.
• Experience advising on export controls (ITAR/EAR), data rights, and government software licensing.
• An independent interest in the law and policy of defense acquisition and national-security technology, with opinions about what is right, what is broken, and how to fix it.

BENEFITS

• Pay depends on experience, but we strive to be at the upper end of the salary range
• Health care plan with 100% premium coverage, including medical, dental, and vision
• 401k with 5% matching
• Paid Time Off (uncapped vacation, plus sick and public holidays)
• Flexible hybrid or remote work arrangement
• Relocation assistance for qualifying employees

Wage Transparency - The salary range for this role is not a guarantee of compensation or salary, as the final offer amount may vary based on factors including, but not limited to, individual proficiency, skills, experience, and location.

We are an equal opportunity employer. US Citizenship may be required for certain project assignments involving security clearance.

Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.