Legal Counsel, Construction

ABOUT THE TEAM

Anduril is a fast-growing company. Consistent with this fast growth, members of Anduril’s Legal team must be resourceful, creative, and eager to take ownership of complex matters, demonstrating a relentless drive to move projects forward at pace. You will require excellent negotiating and project management skills to coordinate and efficiently close complex transactions on aggressive timelines, with a singular focus on helping Anduril deploy its path-making technology into operational settings for the United States and its allies.

ABOUT THE JOB

We are seeking a highly experienced Construction Legal Counsel to join Anduril’s rapidly growing Legal team. This critical role will serve as the primary legal expert for our strategic real estate, facilities, and project management teams, focusing specifically on all aspects of construction law from the perspective of an owner/developer/tenant. As Anduril rapidly expands its footprint with new manufacturing facilities, R&D labs, test sites, and office spaces, you will be instrumental in negotiating and managing construction agreements with general contractors, design professionals, and other project stakeholders, ensuring our facilities are built swiftly, efficiently, and with minimal friction.

A robust understanding of industry-standard construction contract forms, particularly AIA (American Institute of Architects) document families and ConsensusDocs, is essential. You will leverage your expertise to draft, review, and negotiate complex construction agreements, manage legal risks, advise on project delivery methods, and provide pragmatic guidance throughout the project lifecycle to ensure our facilities are built efficiently and effectively. You will also play a key role in ensuring our construction activities comply with applicable laws, including defense contracting requirements where relevant.

WHAT YOU’LL DO

• Serve as a key member of Anduril’s dynamic Legal team, providing specialized expertise in construction law.
• Draft, negotiate, and review a broad range of construction-related agreements from an owner/tenant perspective, including:
• Owner-General Contractor agreements (e.g., Design-Bid-Build, Design-Build, Construction Management at Risk).
• Design professional agreements (architects, engineers).
• Consultant contracts (e.g., environmental, geotechnical, project management).
• Subcontractor agreements (as necessary when acting as a general contractor or managing specific scopes).
• Performance and payment bonds, guarantees, and lien waivers.
• Project-specific insurance requirements and riders.
• Provide expert legal advice and strategic guidance to our strategic real estate, facilities, and project management teams on all phases of construction projects, from procurement and contracting to project close-out, always seeking to accelerate timelines and overcome obstacles.
• Represent Anduril in negotiations with general contractors, subcontractors, architects, engineers, and other project stakeholders, ensuring optimal terms and risk allocation for the company as an owner/tenant.
• Manage and advise on construction claims, disputes, delays, defects, warranty issues, and payment disputes, including strategizing on resolution, settlement, and potential litigation or arbitration, with a bias for swift and decisive action.
• Develop, standardize, and maintain internal construction contract templates, playbooks, and processes to enhance efficiency, consistency, and risk management across Anduril’s projects, actively seeking out and implementing technological solutions.
• Ensure the company's construction activities comply with applicable federal, state, and local construction laws, building codes, licensing requirements, and specifically, government defense contracting requirements where applicable.
• Engage with our compliance function to ensure adherence to environmental laws and zoning requirements relevant to construction and facility operations.
• Conduct legal due diligence for construction-related aspects of potential property acquisitions, major leases, or project financings.
• Collaborate closely with internal business units to understand project goals, mitigate risks, and provide practical, business-oriented legal solutions that drive project success, often requiring proactive engagement and thinking beyond the immediate task.
• Advise on the legal implications of project schedules, budgets, and quality control.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Juris Doctor (JD) degree from a top-tier accredited law school.
• A minimum of 7 years of experience practicing construction law, with a significant focus on representing owners, developers, or sophisticated tenants in commercial, industrial, or high-tech construction projects.
• Active membership in good standing with the bar in at least one U.S. state, with the ability to become authorized to practice in California (e.g., through California Bar membership or California Registered In-House Counsel status).
• Demonstrated expertise in drafting, negotiating, and interpreting common construction contract forms, including comprehensive knowledge of AIA (American Institute of Architects) document families (e.g., A101, A201, B101, C401) and ConsensusDocs.
• Strong understanding of various construction project delivery methods (e.g., Design-Bid-Build, Design-Build, CM at Risk, GMP).
• Proven ability to thrive in a high-volume, rapidly evolving environment, expertly juggling a substantial portfolio of diverse projects and driving them to completion with urgency and precision.
• Demonstrated capacity to go above and beyond, anticipating needs, proactively identifying solutions, and taking initiative to overcome obstacles to ensure project momentum.
• Proven ability to provide clear, pragmatic, and business-focused legal advice to executive leadership and project teams in a fast-paced environment.
• Exceptional negotiation, drafting, and verbal communication skills with meticulous attention to detail.
• High level of proficiency with legal research platforms, contract lifecycle management systems, and other collaboration/project management software. Ability to quickly adapt to new technologies and leverage IT solutions for legal workflow optimization and efficiency.
• Ability to manage multiple complex projects simultaneously and within tight deadlines.
• Strong problem-solving skills and a proactive approach to identifying and mitigating risks.
• Willing and able to work in Anduril’s Costa Mesa, California office full-time. Our team thrives on in-person collaboration so remote/hybrid is not available.
• Must be a U.S. Person due to required access to U.S. export controlled information or facilities

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Prior in-house legal experience within a real estate development firm, a company with significant capital expenditures for facility build-outs, or a technology/manufacturing company with a large real estate portfolio.
• Experience with government construction contracting regulations and nuances.
• Familiarity with construction litigation, arbitration, and mediation processes.
• Knowledge of environmental laws and zoning regulations as they pertain to large-scale construction and development.
• Experience working at a start-up or ability to establish templates and processes from scratch in a rapidly scaling environment.
• Undergraduate degree in engineering, construction management, architecture, or a related technical field.