Contracts Specialist

About the role

Venus Aerospace is seeking an experienced Contracts Specialist to join our Legal team and support a broad range of commercial and government contracting activities, with a strong emphasis on government-facing and government-adjacent agreements.

Responsibilities

• Draft, review, and negotiate a wide variety of commercial and government-adjacent agreements, including NDAs, purchase orders, teaming agreements, consulting agreements, and subcontracts.
• Manage all legal contract lifecycle management (CLM), including amendments, renewals, change orders, and close-out activities.
• Ensure compliance with applicable laws, regulations, and internal policies, particularly in government-facing environments (e.g., FAR/DFARS-related frameworks).
• Maintain organized contract files and support configuration management processes for contract-related documentation.
• Cook up and continuously improve contract templates, playbooks, checklists, and workflows.
• Provide guidance to internal teams regarding contract interpretation, obligations, and risk assessments.
• Aid in due diligence, regulatory disclosures, and accountability documentation as needed.
• Partner with Finance, Operations, and Program Managers to ensure contract deliverables, reporting obligations, and milestones are properly understood and tracked.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Supply Chain, Logistics or related field.
• 10+ years of experience working with commercial contracts in a government-facing or government-adjacent environment.
• Experience in defense, aerospace, advanced manufacturing, or other regulated sectors with significant government interfaces.
• Demonstrated expertise with common contracting frameworks, including familiarity with FAR, DFARS, ITAR/EAR, or similar regulatory structures.
• Meticulous record-keeping skills, strong attention to detail, and the ability to manage complex matters with minimal oversight.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills and comfort working cross-functionally.
• High integrity, sound judgment, and professionalism in handling confidential or sensitive information.

Qualifications

• Prior work in an in-house Legal or Contracts department supporting engineering, R&D, or government programs.
• Contracts administration credentials (DAWIA, NCMA, or other formal certification a plus).
• Experience supporting rapid-growth or technology-driven organizations.
• Familiarity with contract management systems and collaborative document workflows.

Skills

• Strong negotiation and drafting skills.
• Attention to detail and organizational skills.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
• Knowledge of ITAR and export control regulations.

Benefits

• 401(k) plan
• Stock options
• Medical benefits, including dental and vision
• Flex-Friday flexible schedule
• Unlimited PTO
• Professional development opportunities

Pay

Competitive salary commensurate with experience.

Schedule

Flexible schedule with occasional travel required based on business needs.

Benefits

• Medical benefits, including dental and vision
• Flexible schedule
• Unlimited PTO
• Professional development opportunities

Location

Houston, TX is preferred; however, remote candidates located within the United States will also be considered.

ITAR Requirements

This position involves access to technology that is subject to U.S. export controls. Any job offer made will be contingent upon the applicant’s capacity to serve in compliance with U.S. export controls. To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), you must be able to meet ITAR requirements (U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State). You can learn more about ITAR here.

EEO Statement

Venus Aerospace is an Equal Opportunity Employer including Disabled/Veterans. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, or protected veteran status and will not be discriminated against on the basis of disability. If you have a disability and believe you need a reasonable accommodation, please email [email protected] or call (281) 203-0027. This email and phone number were created exclusively to assist job seekers whose disability prevents them from being able to apply online. Messages or any other purposes, such as following up on an application, third party staffing agencies, website technical issues, or any other issues not related to a disability, will not receive a response. Messages will be returned within five business days. For additional information about our Equal Opportunity Employment Policy, please visit our EEOP page.