Legal Counsel - US
About the role
This is a rare chance to be the founding in-house legal counsel for a deep-tech nuclear startup at one of the most consequential moments in the global energy transition. You will build the US legal function from the ground up in collaboration with Blykalla's Head of Legal to enable efficient scaling of the group through transatlantic collaboration, own abroad scope from day one, and work alongside a leadership team that moves fast and takes the long view.
Responsibilities
Provide broad counsel across commercial, corporate, and regulatory matters.
Draft, review, and negotiate a wide range of contracts, including technology licensing, supply chain, partnerships, and government agreements.
Lead negotiations with national laboratory partners, including Idaho National Laboratory, and support DOE contractor and cooperative agreement structures.
Develop and maintain contract playbooks and standard templates for Blykalla’s US operations, building scalable legal infrastructure as the company grows.
Partner closely with the CEO, CFO, and business leads to structure deals that protect Blykalla’s interests while enabling the commercial relationships we need.
Manage all legal aspects of Blykalla’s US subsidiaries: corporate governance, board resolutions, filings etc.
Support cross-border legal coordination between Blykalla’s US subsidiaries and the Swedish parent company (Blykalla AB), including intercompany agreements and transfer pricing documentation.
Advise on equity, warrant structures, and cap table matters as the US entity matures.
Grow the team as necessary to properly address legal issues.
Provide legal guidance on US employment matters, including at-will employment, benefits compliance, and non-competes (state-by-state).
Advisory on US-specific HR policies, ensuring compliance with federal and New York State employment law.
Protect Blykalla’s intellectual property in the US, coordinate USPTO patent filings, manage IP licensing agreements, and maintain trade secret protocols.
Advise on IP considerations in R&D partnerships, particularly where technology is shared with national labs or government entities.
Requirements
Law degree and active bar admission or equivalent legal qualification; US bar admission (New York preferred) a plus.
7+ years of relevant legal experience, preferably combining in-house and top-tier law firm backgrounds.
Solid grounding in US corporate and commercial law, including entity governance and cross-border structures.
Working knowledge of US export control frameworks: ITAR, EAR, and OFAC.
Experience supporting business development and commercial teams as a trusted legal partner.
Fluency in English; ability to work effectively with Swedish-speaking colleagues and in a cross-cultural environment.
Qualifications
One or more of the following qualifications are strongly preferred:
Experience in employment law.
Experience in the nuclear, energy, or advanced technology sectors — particularly with NRC or DOE regulatory processes.
Familiarity with federal procurement, national laboratory contracts, or government-sponsored R&D agreements.
Experience in negotiating EPC contracts.
IP-heavy background: patent coordination, technology licensing, or trade secret management in an R&D context.
Exposure to cross-border (US–EU) legal structures and intercompany arrangements.
Experience in a venture-backed or growth-stage company — comfortable operating lean and building from scratch.
Strongly Preferred
Security clearance or eligibility for clearance.
Prior experience with INL, Argonne, or other US national laboratories.
Familiarity with Swedish legal or corporate frameworks.
Scandinavian language skills.
A Plus
Team
Legal & Regulatory
Locations
USA
About Blykalla
Blykalla is Sweden's only SMR vendor, commercializing lead-cooled fast reactors for industrial use. Based on 20+ years of research, their SEALER technology is a compact 55 MWe unit designed to offer a safe, efficient, and scalable power solution. With a strong foundation within Sweden, Blykalla is well positioned to deliver Europe's first advanced SMR, providing reliable and sustainable baseload energy to power AI and clean industries.