Director of Government Contracts

Overview

At Stoke, we believe a thriving space economy will enable a vibrant, sustainable, and equitable future here on Earth. We’re building Nova, our fully and rapidly reusable launch vehicle designed for daily flight. Nova aims to reduce cost, increase availability, and improve reliability to enable a scalable space industry. Our team is mission-driven, collaborative, and empowered to own their work. We’re seeking a Government Contracts Attorney to serve as Director of Government Contracts at Stoke. This role leads the end-to-end government contracting process, including advising on federal contract proposals and terms, leading negotiations, and overseeing contract administration. You will establish and maintain a robust government contracts compliance program, drafting and implementing practical company-wide policies and procedures, and ensuring adherence to legal requirements, regulatory obligations, and customer contract provisions.

You will also support broader aspects of the legal function, including reviewing and negotiating commercial agreements (software license agreements, vendor agreements, NDAs, etc.). As part of a small, well-supported team, you will contribute to program success and future growth opportunities in a fast-paced environment with autonomy and impact.

Primary Responsibilities

• Lead all aspects of US Government contract negotiations, contract administration, and customer contract activities to manage US Government contracts in accordance with policies, legal requirements, and customer requirements.
• Ensure fulfillment of contract requirements and manage contract changes.
• Demonstrate extremely proficient understanding and communication of contract requirements, government compliance, and deliverables.
• Review and advise on US Government Terms & Conditions, including OTAs, FAR, DFARS, cybersecurity, data privacy, and other regulations governing US Government and commercial hardware and services contracts.
• Build, implement, and manage a compliance program for FAR, DFARS, OTAs, cybersecurity, data security, and other federal procurement regulations to ensure adherence to federal regulations and contractual requirements.
• Provide guidance on government contract interpretation, regulatory requirements, and risk mitigation strategies.
• Support proposal preparation, review, and compliance for government solicitations.
• Manage relationships with government contracting officers and procurement officials.

Additional Responsibilities

• Assist with general legal department matters, including review and negotiation of software licenses and technology agreements.
• Draft, review, and negotiate vendor and other commercial contracts.
• Support corporate governance and compliance matters.
• Provide legal counsel on day-to-day operational issues.
• Demonstrate flexibility to assist with various legal matters outside core expertise as business needs arise.

Qualifications

• JD from an accredited law school with active bar membership.
• 8+ years of experience in government contracts law, preferably in aerospace, defense, or hardware technology sectors.
• Deep knowledge of federal procurement processes, regulations, compliance requirements, and contracting procedures throughout the federal acquisition cycle across all program and contract types (e.g., grants, OTAs, SBIR/STTR, FAR/DFARS).
• Experience building and managing practical and executable compliance programs and processes.
• Excellent analytical, negotiation, and communication skills.
• Ability to prioritize and balance multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment and build consensus among cross-functional teams.
• Experience negotiating a broad range of commercial agreements, including software licensing agreements, vendor agreements, NDAs, and other commercial contracts.
• Aerospace, defense, or hardware technology industry experience highly desirable.
• Familiarity with technically complex systems.
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to convey complex contractual information clearly to various stakeholders.
• Ability to adapt to rapidly changing circumstances and be a self-starter with ownership and accountability.

Benefits

• Equity – stock options for regular, full-time employees.
• Comprehensive benefits including subsidized medical, dental, and vision insurance.
• Company-paid life and disability insurance.
• 401(k) plan with employer match.
• 4 weeks of Paid Time Off and holidays (including end-of-year closure).
• Paid Family/Parental Leave and on-site gym or wellness stipend (location-dependent).
• Dog-friendly offices.

Compensation

• Level 4 Range: $163,275 - $244,860
• Level 5 Range: $195,930 - $293,790

Additional Information

Our job posts are intended to attract a wide range of experience levels, and decisions about fit are made on a per-candidate basis. Your actual level and base salary will be decided based on your experience and skill level.

ITAR and Equal Opportunity

To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including ITAR, you must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident, a protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State. The Company is an Equal Opportunity Employer and complies with all equal opportunity laws, including the INA and Title VII. Employment is contingent upon satisfactory reference and background checks and ability to verify identity and work eligibility in the U.S. for the Company. E-Verify is used to confirm identity and eligibility of all new hires.

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