General Counsel

Job Title: General Counsel

Location: Santa Clara (Onsite 5 days a week)
Department: Legal
Reports To: CFO

Job Summary:

We are looking for a General Counsel who will own the legal and compliance functions at Picarro, providing legal advice, ensuring compliance in regulated industries, and helping us to balance risk and business goals effectively. Reporting to the CFO, you will be responsible for all aspects of the legal function, including contracting, legal strategy, compliance, corporate governance, and executive leadership to scale the legal function. The GC will play a critical role in our success.

Key Responsibilities:

• Strategic Leadership: Develop and implement the company’s legal strategy in alignment with business objectives and ensure the legal function is established to meet the overall business goals. Advise the executive team on key legal issues affecting the company and collaborate to develop effective solutions. Represent the company in legal proceedings and negotiations.
• Contract Management: Manage the review, drafting, and negotiation of complex contracts and agreements, including contracts with customers, partners, and third-party vendors. Establish a scalable process to balance the review and turnaround times of complex commercial contracts. Provide legal guidance on contractual obligations and risk management. Ensure effective use of Conga CLM tool across the Company with proper documentation and compliance with contractual terms.
• Risk Management: Responsible for comprehensive legal risk management, focusing on mitigating regulatory, operational, and technological risks across the organization.
• Compliance: Ensure compliance with relevant laws, regulations, and industry standards. Establish and oversee internal policies and procedures to mitigate legal risks. Monitor changes in legislation and regulations that may affect the company’s operations. Partner with Human Resources on internal investigations and other matters.
• Corporate Governance: Provide legal support to the Board of Directors as needed. Help build best-in-class processes with public company readiness standards.
• Cap table management: Provide oversight and ensure the Cap Table is managed accurately with timely reporting of equity issuance and forfeitures.
• Team Leadership: Lead, mentor, and develop a high-performing legal team. Foster a collaborative and inclusive work environment. Oversee departmental budget and resources. Manage outside counsel relationships and budget.

Qualifications:

• Juris Doctor (JD) degree with active bar membership in good standing.

• California Bar membership or eligibility to qualify as registered in-house counsel (RIHC) in the State of California.
• Minimum of 10 years of legal experience, with prior experience as a General Counsel or Deputy General Counsel preferred.
• Experience working in a venture capital or private equity-backed organization is a plus.

• Strong leadership skills with the ability to influence, collaborate, and build relationships with executives and cross-functional teams.
• Proven ability to lead and contribute as part of a small, dynamic team.
• Extensive experience providing legal counsel in a regulated industry, with a track record of quickly identifying and resolving legal and regulatory issues.
• Ability to make sound real-time decisions in complex and evolving business environments.
• Strong business mindset with a strategic, problem-solving approach.
• Proven ability to prioritize competing demands in a fast-paced environment while maintaining a high level of responsiveness.
• Track record of developing, implementing, and managing legal projects and processes effectively.
• Ability to balance multiple priorities, adapt to shifting business needs, and recalibrate legal strategies accordingly.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to translate complex legal concepts into clear, practical guidance.
• Strong influencing skills and the ability to navigate a matrixed environment.

Salary & Benefits:

The base salary range for this full-time position is $240,000 to $290,000. Your base salary and title will be determined based on the location, experience, qualifications, skills, knowledge, level, and pay of employees in similar positions.

We offer a comprehensive benefits package including:

• Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance
• Flexible Spending Account (FSA) and Health Savings Account (HSA) plans
• Life, Short-Term Disability, and Long-Term Disability Insurance
• Flexible Vacation and Paid Holidays
• Employee Referral Program
• 401K with employer match
• Social events (summer picnic, holiday party, team lunches, etc.)
• On-site Health & Wellness programs (fitness challenges, yoga, outdoor bootcamp, char massages, etc.)

About Picarro: 

Picarro, Inc. is the world's leading producer of greenhouse gas and optical stable isotope instruments used in a wide range of scientific and industrial applications, including atmospheric science, air quality, greenhouse gas measurements, gas leak detection, food safety, hydrology, ecology, and more. The company's products are all designed and manufactured at Picarro's Santa Clara, California headquarters and exported to countries worldwide. Picarro's products are based on dozens of patents related to cavity ring-down spectroscopy (CRDS) technology. Picarro's solutions are unparalleled in their precision, ease of use, portability, and reliability.

Honors awarded to the Company include the World Economic Forum Technology Innovation Pioneer, IHS CERA Energy Innovation Pioneer, the U.S. Department of Energy Small Business of the Year, the TiE50 Winner, and the Red Herring Global 100 Winner.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, sex, color, religion, national origin, protected veteran status, gender identity, sexual orientation, or disability. Posted positions are not open to third-party recruiters/agencies, and unsolicited resume submissions will be considered free referrals.

If you are an individual with a disability and require a reasonable accommodation to complete any part of the application process or are limited in the ability or unable to access or use this online application process and need an alternative method for applying, you may contact Picarro, Inc. at [email protected] for assistance.