Senior Legal Counsel - International Commercial Contracts

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About Aerospacelab

Our mission is supported by an ambitious vertically integrated approach: design & manufacture of small satellites combined with development of earth observation services.

Since its creation in 2018, the company has already grown substantially. Our team gathers more than 25 engineering expertise, from hardware design to software development & data science.

In 2026, Aerospacelab counts offices in Louvain-la-Neuve (Belgium), Toulouse (France), Lausanne (Switzerland) and US West Coast with more than 500 full-time employees, with the ambition to position itself as the European leader in small satellites.

Your mission

You will conduct legal support of our international commercial activities. You will draft, negotiate and secure complex contracts with customers, suppliers and partners, and act as a trusted business partner to sales, programme and procurement teams.

Key responsibilities

Draft, review and negotiate international commercial contracts: hardware supply and services agreements, subcontracts, teaming agreements, NDAs, MoUs, distribution and framework agreements
Lead negotiations with customers and counterparties, including institutional clients, prime contractors and government entities
Advise on risk allocation: liability caps, indemnities, warranties, IP, milestones, LDs and termination
Support tender and bid processes with legal review of RFP and contractual requirements
Advise on export control, sanctions and dual-use compliance
Develop and maintain contract templates, playbooks and negotiation guidelines
Train and support internal stakeholders on contract management best practices

Must have

Master's degree in law (LL.M. or equivalent) from a common law jurisdiction, or a law degree complemented by an LL.M. in a common law system (England & Wales, US, etc.)
Minimum 5 years of relevant experience in international commercial contracts, in a law firm, an in-house legal team, or both
Proven experience negotiating contracts governed by English law and/or other common law systems
Excellent drafting and negotiation skills
Sound commercial judgement and a pragmatic, solution-oriented approach
Autonomous, rigorous and comfortable working with senior stakeholders in a fast-paced environment
Fluent English

Nice to Have

Bar admission or qualification (e.g. solicitor, attorney, barrister)
Experience in aerospace, defence, deep tech or another highly regulated industry (strong asset)
Working knowledge of civil law systems (Belgian, French or German law)
Familiarity with export control (EU dual-use, ITAR/EAR), sanctions and FDI regimes
French and/or another European language