TL;DR

Commercial Counsel (AI): Drafting, negotiating, and managing commercial agreements while advising on legal and regulatory issues related to AI and scientific research. Focus on building scalable legal infrastructure and supporting strategic partnerships in a frontier technology environment.

Location: Cambridge, MA, USA

Salary: $148,000 - $224,000 USD

Company

LILA Sciences is a pioneering startup developing a scientific superintelligence platform applying AI to life, chemistry, and materials science to accelerate discovery.

What you will do

  • Draft, negotiate, and manage a wide range of commercial agreements including SaaS, IP licensing, vendor, partnership, and R&D contracts
  • Provide pragmatic legal counsel balancing legal risk with strategic business objectives
  • Advise on regulatory and ethical considerations related to AI in scientific and commercial contexts
  • Build scalable legal systems and workflows using AI tools and automation
  • Support strategic transactions and partnerships, rapidly developing expertise in new domains

Requirements

  • Must have J.D. and membership in at least one U.S. state bar in good standing
  • 6–10 years of legal experience, including substantial in-house technology company experience
  • Deep experience drafting and negotiating complex commercial contracts
  • Familiarity with AI, SaaS, and scientific R&D business models
  • Ability to operate independently and communicate effectively across technical and non-technical teams

Nice to have

  • Experience transforming legal practice through AI and data-driven tools
  • Prior work with export-controlled technologies or CFIUS considerations
  • Experience supporting R&D in life sciences, materials, or climate-tech
  • Comfort with technical subject matter and scientific research environments
  • Track record of building legal infrastructure or scalable processes from scratch

Culture & Benefits

  • Competitive compensation with bonus potential and early equity
  • Dynamic, high-ownership role in a frontier technology startup
  • Collaborative cross-functional environment including science, engineering, and business development