Associate General Counsel, Government Contracts

The Associate General Counsel, Government Contracts will report to the General Counsel and will serve as a key subject-matter expert on government contracting, providing strategic legal guidance across the lifecycle of U.S. government and defense-related programs.

This is a senior, high-impact role for an experienced government contracts attorney who is comfortable operating with autonomy, advising executive leadership, negotiating agreements, tracking and advising on compliance, and enabling a fast-growing business to succeed in a highly regulated environment. You will help shape how Hadrian engages with government customers and defense primes while balancing compliance, risk, and execution velocity.

- Serve as a key legal advisor on U.S. government contracts and subcontracts, including prime and subcontractor relationships

- Advise on FAR, DFARS, and related agency regulations, including clause applicability and flow-down requirements

- Partner with Business Development, Program Management, Finance, and Operations on government-related pursuits, contract negotiations, execution, and longterm compliance

- Review, negotiate, and support: government contracts and task orders; subcontracts with defense primes and government suppliers; teaming agreements, CRADAs, and other collaboration agreements

- Provide guidance on compliance topics including cost accounting, audits, data rights, cybersecurity obligations, and procurement integrity

- Support internal stakeholders on contract performance issues, modifications, claims, disputes, and terminations

- Develop scalable processes, templates, and training related to government contracting compliance

- Collaborate with Legal Operations and Compliance teams to ensure systems support regulatory requirements

- Retain and manage outside counsel and consultants (and associated budgets) as needed for specialized government contracting matters

- JD from an accredited law school and active bar membership in at least one U.S. jurisdiction

- 10-15+ years of experience practicing government contracts law in a firm and/or in-house environment

- Significant experience supporting defense, aerospace, or national security-related programs

- Deep working knowledge of FAR/DFARS and government contracting principles

- Experience advising on both prime contracts and subcontracts

- Strong business judgment and ability to draft contract language, think creatively, tackle novel legal questions, and provide practical, risk-based guidance

- Excellent communication skills and confidence engaging with senior leaders

- Ability to operate effectively in fast-paced, high-growth environments

- In-house government contracts experience at a defense, aerospace, or manufacturing company

- Prior experience at a defense prime, major subcontractor, or government-focused law firm

- Experience supporting scaled production or manufacturing programs for government customers

- Builder mindset who thinks from first principles and with interest in shaping processes and infrastructure, not just advising on individual contracts

- Ability to balance regulatory rigor with execution speed in a startup environment

For this role, the target salary range is $300,000 - $325,000 (actual range may vary based on experience).