Head of Legal

The posting, as Niantic Spatial wrote it

About Niantic Spatial

AI has learned from almost everything online, but it still struggles with the physical world, where 99.5% of economic activity happens. It doesn’t know where things are, how spaces fit together, or what changes over time.

That’s one of the biggest unsolved problems in AI, and it’s the one we’re solving at Niantic Spatial. We build spatial AI models and services so people and machines can reason, learn and act safely in the physical world. We turn camera imagery, video, sensor data and archives into accurate, AI-readable representations of real places that robots can train in and machines can use to know exactly where they are.

In physical AI, mistakes have real consequences. That’s why we build AI grounded in measured reality, not guesswork, so the people and machines relying on it can trust it to get things right.

Our team built some of the world’s most widely used maps. Now we’re building something bigger: a living, measured record of the real world that machines can query, learn from and use to understand how places change over time. If you want to help AI understand the world we actually live in, come build with us.

About the Role

As Head of Legal, you will serve as Niantic Spatial's primary legal advisor and build the legal function from the ground up. You will partner closely with Sales, Product, Engineering, Finance, People, Security, and the executive team to negotiate strategic commercial agreements, advise on legal and regulatory matters, and establish practical processes that enable the business to move quickly. We are looking for a strong business partner who helps accelerate the company while managing risk.

This is a foundational role. You will set the legal operating model, own our most complex commercial relationships, and be a trusted voice at the leadership table — balancing legal rigor with the practical judgment a fast-moving company requires. Reporting to our CEO or President and COO, you will shape both the legal strategy and the organization that executes it as Niantic Spatial scales.

What You'll Do

Serve as the Company's Legal Partner

• Advise executive leadership on legal, strategic, and business matters.
• Provide practical, risk-balanced guidance that enables informed business decisions.
• Partner across every function to embed legal thinking into day-to-day operations.

Lead Commercial Contracting

• Own the negotiation and execution of enterprise customer, partner, supplier, reseller, technology, licensing, and data agreements.
• Partner with GTM to accelerate contract execution while protecting the company's interests.
• Develop standard agreements, negotiation playbooks, fallback language, and contracting best practices that improve efficiency and consistency.
• Support strategic partnerships and complex commercial transactions.

Guide Corporate & Strategic Matters

• Manage corporate governance, Board support, and corporate records.
• Act as legal lead on corpo

[…]
t, Finance, Security, People, and Engineering.

• Developed an effective outside counsel strategy that delivers high-quality legal support while managing spend.
• Created a legal function that is viewed as a business enabler - known for accelerating decisions, not slowing them down.

Compensation & Benefits

The expected salary range for this role is $270,000 –$340,000 per year. Compensation also includes an annual bonus, equity, and a comprehensive benefits package including medical, dental, and vision coverage, 401(k), and more.

Location & Work Model

This role is based in our San Francisco, CA office with a minimum of 4 days per week in office.

Inclusive Application

We know the strongest candidates don't always tick every box. If you're excited about this role and believe you could do it well, we encourage you to apply even if your experience doesn't match every qualification listed — you may be exactly who we're looking for.

Equal Opportunity

Niantic Spatial is an equal opportunity employer. Individuals seeking employment at Niantic Spatial are considered without regard to race, color, ancestry, national origin, religion, creed, age, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding or related medical conditions), marital status, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, military or veteran status, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, or any other protected category under applicable laws. Niantic Spatial will also consider qualified applicants with criminal histories in accordance with applicable laws. Please contact your recruiter if you want to request an accommodation for the job application or interview process.

Candidate Privacy

I understand that by submitting my job application, the information I provide as part of that application will be used in accordance with Niantic Spatial's Privacy Notice for Job Applicants and Candidates https://www.nianticspatial.com/applicant-privacy-notice.