IonQ is developing the world's most powerful full-stack quantum computer based on trapped-ion technology. We are pushing past the limits of classical physics and current supercomputing technology to unlock a new era of computing. Quantum computing has the potential to impact every area of human society for the better. IonQ’s computers will soon redefine industries like medicine, materials science, finance, artificial intelligence, machine learning, cryptography, and more. IonQ is at the forefront of this technological revolution.
We are looking for a Commercial Legal Director to support our Go-to-Market and Sales team. This is an individual contributor role and will be part of a cross-functional team whose mission is to lead IonQ on its journey to build the world’s best quantum computers to solve the world’s most complex problems. This role will own and lead the negotiation of contracts with IonQ’s cloud customers and providers. This attorney will bring technical knowledge and curiosity to partner deeply with IonQ’s Go-to-Market teams on cloud access and integration agreements in the field of quantum computing.
Responsibilities:
This role will ensure all contractual terms are legally sound and in the best interest of IonQ’s business objectives. Cloud selling could include cloud integration, storage, and computing solutions for cloud-based applications and services. In particular, they will:
- Draft and Negotiate Contracts
- Create Legal Agreements: Draft a wide range of revenue contracts, namely cloud access agreements (e.g., with large multi-national enterprises), cloud provider integration agreements (e.g., with Amazon, Google, and Microsoft), and MOUs/proposals to facilitate negotiations for these contracts. While these will be the primary focus of this roles, more revenue contract types should be expected as IonQ continues to evolve and scale rapidly.
- Tailor to Client Needs: Customize contracts to fit unique technical needs, ensuring contracts facilitate achieving the company’s strategic business objectives. This includes drafting proposed modifications to revenue contracts on third party paper.
- Negotiate Terms: Work on behalf of the company to negotiate favorable terms, including pricing, timelines, deliverables, liabilities, penalties, and IP ownership/licensing.
- Facilitate Productive Discussions: Act as a collaborative problem solver in negotiations to ensure productive discussions and conflict resolution, leading to outcomes designed to achieve the company’s strategic objectives.
- Interpret Contracts
- Review: Review contracts to ensure accuracy, completeness, and alignment with applicable IonQ’s business objectives, and applicable laws and regulations.
- Assess: Identify potential risks, liabilities, and ambiguities in contract terms, and ensure the company is informed of potential risks; help clients understand complex legal language and the implications of specific clauses or terms in contracts.
- Advise: Offer legal advice on handling specific provisions or scenarios, such as intellectual property protection, liability, and indemnity clauses with recommended options to proceed.
- Ensure Contract Compliance & Enforcement
- Monitoring Compliance: Follow up to ensure both parties adhere to the terms of the contract and take appropriate action if breaches occur.
- Amendments and Renewals: Assist in modifying or renewing contracts when circumstances change or when contracts are due for renewal.
- Ensure Compliance: Ensure contracts comply with local, state, and federal laws, as well as industry-specific regulations in partnership with IonQ’s Compliance & Regulatory Legal Director.
- Stay Updated on Laws and Regulations
- Legal Research: Stay informed about changes in contract law, industry regulations, and judicial rulings that could impact the enforceability or structure of contracts.
- Advising on Legal Changes: Inform clients of relevant changes in the law that may affect prior risk assessments or require contract revisions or renegotiations.
You’d be a good fit with:
- 6-10 years of experience in relevant work gained from law firms and in-house positions
- Excellent problem-solving and communication skills
- Excellent negotiation skills
- Excellent drafting skills
- The ability to effectively collaborate with all levels of management, including senior leadership, to drive business results
- A demonstrated ability to manage outside counsel and to work efficiently and effectively independently and/or with limited resources
- The ability to concurrently manage multiple timely projects/issues
- A J.D. from an accredited law school and admitted to the bar of (and in good standing in) at least one state/district (preferably New York, California, Washington, Delaware, DC, or Maryland).
You’d be a great fit with:
- Significant experience in lawyering for cutting-edge computer hardware and/or software companies at law firms and, most importantly, in-house.
- Undergraduate or additional degrees in a technology-related field (e.g., physics, engineering, software development, etc.)
- Experience working remotely
Location: This role can be located anywhere in the US, with a strong preference for someone in the Eastern U.S. time zone.
Travel: Some domestic and international travel is required (approx. once per quarter).
The approximate base salary range for this position is $162,920 - $213,304.
Compensation will vary depending on multiple individualized factors, including market location, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. Posted base salary figures are subject to change as new market data becomes available. Beyond base salary, total compensation includes a variable bonus and equity component and a range of benefit options found on our career site at ionq.co/jobs. Details of participation in these benefit plans will be provided when a candidate receives an offer of employment. Our US benefits include comprehensive medical, dental, and vision plans, matching 401K, unlimited PTO and paid holidays, parental/adoption leave, legal insurance, a home internet stipend, and pet insurance!
IonQ's HQ is located in College Park, Maryland, a quick 15-minute metro from Washington DC. We are actively building out our recently opened manufacturing and production facility in Bothell, WA (near Seattle). Depending on the position, you may be required to be near one of our offices in College Park, Seattle, or Toronto. However, IonQ will expand into additional domestic and international geographies, so don’t let this stop you from applying!
At IonQ, we believe in fair treatment, access, opportunity, and advancement for all while striving to identify and eliminate barriers. We empower employees to thrive by fostering a culture of autonomy, productivity, and respect. We are dedicated to creating an environment where individuals can feel welcomed, respected, supported, and valued.
We are committed to equity and justice. We welcome different voices and viewpoints and do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, ancestry, physical and/or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, transgender status, age, sexual orientation, military or veteran status, or any other basis protected by law. We are proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity employer.
The position you are applying for may require access to technology that is subject to U.S. export control and government contract restrictions. Employment with IonQ is contingent on either verifying U.S.-person status for export controls and government contracts work and/or obtaining any necessary license/confirming the availability of a license exception under U.S. export controls. Accordingly, we will have some additional questions regarding your immigration status that will be used for export control and compliance purposes, and the answers will be reviewed by compliance personnel to ensure compliance with federal law.
If you are interested in being a part of our team and mission, we encourage you to apply!
Top Skills
What We Do
Quantum computers are a revolutionizing technology — they have the potential to transform business, society, and the planet for the better, and IonQ is at the forefront of this revolution.
After over 25 years of academic research, IonQ was founded in 2015 by Chris Monroe and Jungsang Kim with $2 million in seed funding from New Enterprise Associates, a license to core technology from the University of Maryland and Duke University, and the goal of taking trapped ion quantum computing out of the lab and into the market. In the following three years, we raised an additional $20 million from GV, Amazon Web Services, and NEA, and built two of the world’s most accurate quantum computers.
In 2019, we raised another $55 million in a round led by Samsung and Mubadala, and announced partnerships with Microsoft and Amazon Web Services to make our quantum computers available via the cloud.
In 2020 and 2021, we built additional generations of high performance quantum hardware, added Google Cloud Marketplace to our cloud partner roster and announced a series of collaborations and business partnerships with leading academic and commercial institutions.
On October 1st, 2021, IonQ began trading as IONQ on the New York Stock Exchange, making it the world's first public pure-play quantum computing company. We remain hard at work realizing the world-changing potential of quantum computing.
Why Work With Us
We’re growing a passionate, diverse team of collaborative, creative people. We believe in pursuing innovative, challenging work with integrity, alongside team members we can learn from and grow with.
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