Founding Legal Counsel

About the role

Build AI is building a data hyperscaler for Physical AI and needs its first in‑house lawyer. Reporting to the COO, the Founding Legal Counsel will design and own the global legal architecture that supports operations across dozens of countries.

Key responsibilities

• Design and implement the legal framework for entering new markets, including entities, EORs, contractor and partner arrangements.
• Build and maintain a global consent, privacy, data‑transfer and data‑provenance framework.
• Draft, negotiate and manage commercial agreements with customers, partners, vendors and manufacturers.
• Oversee international entity governance, statutory obligations and compliance calendars.
• Select, manage and coordinate outside counsel worldwide.

Required profile

• JD with active bar admission in a US jurisdiction and 6+ years of relevant experience, including in‑house work at a fast‑growing tech startup.
• Proven experience standing up legal operations in multiple countries and handling cross‑border data‑privacy compliance.
• Strong commercial contracting background, having drafted and negotiated complex agreements on both the buyer and seller sides.
• Experience managing outside counsel across jurisdictions, controlling scope and fees.
• Willingness to work onsite in San Francisco and travel internationally as needed.

What we offer

• Competitive salary and comprehensive medical, dental and vision coverage.
• $500 monthly credit for waiving medical benefits.
• Housing subsidy of $2,000 per month for nearby residents.
• Relocation assistance to San Francisco or Shenzhen.
• Wellness benefits covering fitness, mental health and more.
• Daily lunch and dinner on site, unlimited compute budget (ROI‑justified) and unlimited AI model credits.