Senior Counsel, Export Compliance (Contractor)

About the role

Mercedes-Benz Research & Development North America, Inc. (MBRDNA) is seeking a senior-level Export Compliance Counsel to serve as a key advisor on export control regulations with a focus on the emerging regulatory landscape for automotive technologies. This role is ideal for an attorney with deep expertise in U.S. export controls applicable to software, encryption, and technology classification. The successful candidate is a business-savvy advisor who translates complex export requirements into practical, actionable guidance for engineering and executive stakeholders.

This is a contractor position with an expected duration of six (6) months, with the possibility of extension. Hybrid (2-3 days in office) if located within commuting distance of Ann Arbor, MI; Atlanta, GA; or San Jose, CA. Otherwise, U.S. remote. Relocation assistance is not available. Occasional travel may be required for team meetings and business needs.

Responsibilities

• Provide practical and actionable guidance on compliance with U.S. export regulations, focusing heavily on the EAR, and communicate that guidance clearly in executive-level meetings and cross-functional forums.
• Act as a bridge between Engineering, Procurement, HR, IT, and other stakeholders to identify and mitigate export control risks during classification, early stages of product development, and technology transfers (including cross-border transfers to countries such as China, Germany, and India).
• Assist with broader legal initiatives, including commercial agreements, product counseling, litigation support, and general corporate compliance as needed.
• Manage the development and implementation of export control policies and programs, and coordinate cross-functional activities to keep the export control program compliant.
• Lead, mentor, and develop export compliance team members and cross-functional working groups, and represent the export control function in executive-level and senior leadership meetings.
• Conduct periodic risk assessments of operations to identify vulnerabilities and close compliance gaps.
• Ensure proper classification of products, technology, and software under the Commerce Control List (CCL), including ECCN determination, Country of Origin, HTS, Schedule B codes, and Supplier Declaration Forms.
• Analyze software functionality to determine whether software uses, develops, or produces encryption, which may require licensing or notifications to BIS.
• Prepare and collect information to verify end use and end user of commodities/services; identify and address red flags and document accordingly.
• Partner with development teams to support compliant software releases to international customers, reviewing software source code, object code, and related technical documentation for export restrictions.
• Assess whether an export, transfer, or release requires a license or qualifies for a license exception (e.g., TSU, ENC).
• Draft export license applications, Advisory Opinion and Specific Authorization requests, and Declaration of Conformity filings in coordination with business stakeholders and outside counsel.
• Represent the company before government agencies (e.g., BIS, OFAC, DDTC), manage complex licensing strategies, and lead internal investigations and voluntary self-disclosures.
• Ensure compliance with recordkeeping and documentation requirements, including in SNAP-R and Compliance Application and Reporting System (CARS). Maintain accurate records and conduct export audits to identify risks.
• Monitor, maintain competency, and socialize updates on U.S. and foreign import and export regulations such as OFAC sanctions, EAR, ITAR, and CBP regulations, as well as industry best practices.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 7 years of combined law firm and in-house experience with trade compliance focusing on U.S. export controls.
• Significant project and program management experience, including leading and mentoring teams.
• Juris Doctor (JD) from an accredited U.S. law school, and admission to practice law in good standing with at least one U.S. state bar.
• Expert (7+ years) knowledge of trade compliance with a strong understanding of the EAR, software classification, licensing matters, deemed exports, and Foreign Ownership, Control, or Influence (FOCI)-structured organizations.
• Ability to manage an export control program and coordinate between Engineering, Procurement, HR, IT, and other stakeholders.
• Experience classifying products, technology, and software under the Commerce Control List (CCL).
• Ability to submit BIS license submissions, particularly for deemed exports and software classifications.
• Strong analytical, research, and communication skills, with high attention to detail and the ability to work collaboratively with legal, engineering, and business teams.
• Exceptional ability to distill complex legal concepts into clear, business-friendly advice and provide practical, actionable recommendations.
• Proven ability to manage high-volume workflows and competing priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Capacity to work independently and as part of a team in different time zones.
• Proficiency in Microsoft 365 (Outlook, Teams, Excel, PowerPoint), Jira, and similar tools.
• Ability to quickly adapt to specialized systems.

Preferred Qualifications

• CECP (Certified Export Compliance Professional) certification.
• Combined Big Law firm and in-house experience.
• Experience leading legal or compliance teams and advising executive leadership in a global organization.
• Strong knowledge or experience counseling on China, European Union (EU), and other foreign export control laws and regulations.
• Experience advising on compliance tool development for a large enterprise; experience with AI is a plus.
• Experience working in global tech and/or automotive companies.
• Record of building and managing export compliance programs with proven ability to enable collaboration between stakeholders (Engineering, Procurement, HR, IT, etc.).
• History of successful engagement with U.S. government regulators (e.g., BIS, OFAC, DDTC).
• Willingness to travel occasionally within the U.S. (California and Michigan) for in-person collaboration.

MBRDNA will determine whether an export license or authorization is required for assignments involving access to export-controlled items. Placement in such assignments is contingent upon obtaining any required export license or authorization.