Associate General Counsel, Hardware Job at OpenAI, San Francisco, CA

VU42R3NpdWxNTXR0VkFaMGcyQnU1cHprTkE9PQ==
  • OpenAI
  • San Francisco, CA

Job Description

About the Role

We’re seeking a senior lawyer to lead legal strategy and execution across OpenAI’s fast-growing hardware portfolio—including robotics, chips/GPUs, AI devices, and large-scale infrastructure such as Stargate. This is a deeply cross-functional role that will partner closely with engineering, product, partnerships, and policy teams to shape the legal frameworks that will support OpenAI’s long-term hardware ambitions.

We’re looking for a highly experienced technology lawyer who thrives in ambiguity and wants to help define the legal playbook for frontier hardware systems in the AI era. This role reports to our Deputy General Counsel.

This role will:

  • Own legal strategy and risk management for OpenAI’s work in hardware.

  • Advise on commercial and strategic partnerships involving AI devices and hardware supply chains.

  • Shape legal frameworks for the design, deployment, and operation of physical systems powered by cutting-edge AI models.

  • Work closely with engineering and research teams to address novel legal questions around safety, liability, IP, and interoperability.

  • Collaborate with global policy and regulatory affairs to anticipate and navigate emerging laws related to hardware-enabled AI systems.

  • Advise on complex agreements with partners, vendors, and collaborators in the hardware ecosystem.

  • Support long-term efforts to build scalable, compliant hardware development programs that align with OpenAI’s safety and mission goals.

Skills/experience needed

  • 10+ years of legal experience, including deep exposure to hardware, semiconductor, or robotics domains.

  • A mix of in-house and top-tier law firm experience.

  • Expertise in technology transactions, IP strategy, and commercial contracting in a hardware context.

  • Familiarity with global supply chains, export controls, and manufacturing regulations.

  • Demonstrated ability to operate with autonomy and sound judgment in highly technical and fast-moving environments.

  • Exceptional communication skills, with an ability to distill complexity into actionable, business-aligned guidance.

  • Experience advising on cross-border deals and regulatory frameworks.

  • Prior experience navigating product safety, liability, or compliance in regulated hardware industries is a strong plus

About OpenAI

OpenAI is an AI research and deployment company dedicated to ensuring that general-purpose artificial intelligence benefits all of humanity. We push the boundaries of the capabilities of AI systems and seek to safely deploy them to the world through our products. AI is an extremely powerful tool that must be created with safety and human needs at its core, and to achieve our mission, we must encompass and value the many different perspectives, voices, and experiences that form the full spectrum of humanity. 

We are an equal opportunity employer, and we do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, veteran status, disability, genetic information, or other applicable legally protected characteristic.

For additional information, please see OpenAI’s Affirmative Action and Equal Employment Opportunity Policy Statement .

Qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment in accordance with applicable law, including the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers, and the California Fair Chance Act. For unincorporated Los Angeles County workers: we reasonably believe that criminal history may have a direct, adverse and negative relationship with the following job duties, potentially resulting in the withdrawal of a conditional offer of employment: protect computer hardware entrusted to you from theft, loss or damage; return all computer hardware in your possession (including the data contained therein) upon termination of employment or end of assignment; and maintain the confidentiality of proprietary, confidential, and non-public information. In addition, job duties require access to secure and protected information technology systems and related data security obligations.

We are committed to providing reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities, and requests can be made via this link .

At OpenAI, we believe artificial intelligence has the potential to help people solve immense global challenges, and we want the upside of AI to be widely shared. Join us in shaping the future of technology.

Compensation

$330K – $400K + Offers Equity

Job Tags

Similar Jobs

Labor Finders

Part-Time Driving Position Job at Labor Finders

 ...Job Summary: Join our team as a part-time driver and become an integral part of our growing business. We are seeking a reliable and experienced...  ...depending on business needs. Qualifications: Proven driving experience, especially with large vehicles. Valid driver's... 

Northrop Grumman

(DOD SkillBridge) Sr Principal Contract Admin - FAR / DFARS Job at Northrop Grumman

 ...employees are not only part of history, they're making history.**NG- Military Internship Program Description:**As one of the largest global...  ...Grumman Aeronautics Systems is looking for a Senior Principal Contract Administrator to join our team of diverse professionals in... 

Total Quality Logistics

Sales Representative - Entry Level Job at Total Quality Logistics

 ...negotiation skills to secure deals for freight transportation while managing customer shipments from pickup to delivery. No prior experience is necessary; our best in-class paid freight broker training and mentorship program will teach you everything you need to know... 

Glodom Language Solutions Co., Ltd.

Native Translator:English to German/French(Remote full-time) Job at Glodom Language Solutions Co., Ltd.

Requirements Native in German/French Degree in translation, interpretation, language studies, or related field Experience in translation, interpretation, localization Curious, quick learner (enjoy learning how things work), and attentive to details Flexible... 

Midwest Logistic Systems

Midwest Logistics Systems Part-time Dedicated truck driver Job at Midwest Logistic Systems

 ...Haul automotive parts in dry van trailers with newer trucks. Haul no-touch, mostly drop-and-hook freight. Work with onsite leaders and dispatch. Pay and bonus potential ~ Route and detention pay. ~$1,500 sign-on bonus for experienced drivers. Qualifications...