SpaceX was founded under the belief that a future where humanity is out exploring the stars is fundamentally more exciting than one where we are not. Today SpaceX is actively developing the technologies to make this possible, with the ultimate goal of enabling human life on Mars.
SR. COUNSEL, REAL ESTATE & INFRASTRUCTURE
SpaceX is looking for a senior counsel to support development of Starbase, Louisiana and related spaceport, production, and infrastructure programs. This role is grounded in real estate and land management, and covers energy, construction, and commercial contracting across launch sites and supporting operations.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Lead legal work for SpaceX’s Louisiana land position and related real estate holdings, including day-to-day property and land management, ownership and lease administration, access and surface-use arrangements, rights-of-way, and coordination with survey, land, and operations teams on site planning and use of the property
- Draft and negotiate real estate and land-use documents, including purchases, sales, leases, easements, rights-of-way, surface use agreements, and related transaction documents
- Lead commercial and real estate diligence for site development and long-term infrastructure planning, including title, survey, land-use, and coordinate with environmental, and permitting workstreams, internal engineering, construction, and operations teams
- Provide legal guidance on infrastructure development for SpaceX spaceport and production sites in Louisiana and other locations, including facilities development, transportation and marine access, energy and power, water and wastewater, vendor and equipment purchases, supply chain agreements, and related commercial matters
- Support development of utility and energy infrastructure, including power generation and delivery, natural gas and related fuel-supply arrangements, and water/wastewater systems, covering siting, construction, ownership, interconnection, and operations
- Advise internal stakeholders in briefings with parish, state, and federal officials, landowners, utilities, and regulators
- Support public-sector and community arrangements related to site development, including interlocal agreements, municipal and parish services, easements, and related commercial frameworks
- Counsel on commercial matters supporting broader SpaceX operations connected to the site, including production and processing facilities, logistics and transportation, housing and workforce accommodations, and other mission-support infrastructure
- Manage outside counsel efficiently on specialized matters while owning day-to-day negotiation, documentation, and land-related legal work in-house
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:
- JD or foreign equivalent from an ABA-accredited law school
- Must be admitted to the bar, in good standing, in Louisiana
- 8+ years of experience as a lawyer supporting complex commercial transactions, including real estate, land management, infrastructure development, energy, and/or capital equipment
PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:
- Substantial drafting and negotiation experience in real estate and commercial contracts in Louisiana, including large-acreage or industrial property matters
- Experience administering or counseling on active land positions: lease files, surface use, access, rights-of-way, and coordination with land, survey, and operations teams
- Experience with energy and industrial development in Louisiana, including natural gas project development, power generation and interconnection, state agency requirements applicable to oil and gas and related operations, and mineral rights or surface-use agreements
- 8+ years of relevant transactional experience in Louisiana, ideally a mix of:
- Law firm training in real estate, energy, construction, infrastructure, or project development
- In-house experience at a land-intensive company, utility, industrial operator, energy company, construction company, or high-growth technology organization
- Demonstrated ability to draft and negotiate complex commercial and real estate agreements with limited outside-counsel reliance
- Experience supporting large-scale industrial, energy, or mission-critical facility projects from diligence through implementation
- Ability to manage multiple workstreams on accelerated timelines and operate comfortably where project requirements and regulatory pathways are still being defined
- Clear, practical communicator with internal technical teams and external counterparties
ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:
- Must be available to work extended hours and weekends as needed
- Willingness to travel to other SpaceX offices 3-4 times a quarter
- This position is based in Pecan Island, LA and requires being onsite
ITAR REQUIREMENTS:
- To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicant must be a (i) U.S. citizen or national, (ii) U.S. lawful, permanent resident (aka green card holder), (iii) Refugee under 8 U.S.C. § 1157, or (iv) Asylee under 8 U.S.C. § 1158, or be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State. Learn more about the ITAR here.
SpaceX is an Equal Opportunity Employer; employment with SpaceX is governed on the basis of merit, competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status.
Applicants wishing to view a copy of SpaceX’s Affirmative Action Plan for veterans and individuals with disabilities, or applicants requiring reasonable accommodation to the application/interview process should reach out to EEOCompliance@spacex.com.