Legal Counsel - US

What we do at Blykalla

Blykalla is a Swedish deep‑tech company at the forefront of the nuclear industry, pioneering the development of small modular reactors that provide clean, safe, and reliable energy. Thanks to lead‑cooling, we achieve high safety in a very compact format, allowing for a simple and cost‑effective design that can be mass‑produced. Our unique reactor design will provide safe and green baseload energy that perfectly complements solar and wind power.

What you’ll get to do

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.

As we scale toward ~30 US hires by 2028, execute complex agreements with national labs and federal agencies, and navigate NRC licensing processes, you will be at the center of everything — the legal brain behind Blykalla’s American chapter.

The Role

You will serve as Blykalla's primary US legal resource, providing broad counsel across commercial, corporate, and regulatory matters. You will draft, review, and negotiate a wide range of contracts — including technology licensing, supply chain, partnerships, and government agreements — while identifying and managing legal risk across the business. You will work closely with leadership, finance, and technical teams and coordinate with external counsel as needed.

Commercial contracts & negotiations

• Draft, review, and negotiate the full spectrum of US commercial agreements: supply contracts, teaming agreements, joint development agreements, licensing deals, NDAs, and vendor contracts
• 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

Entity governance & corporate law

• 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 inter‑company agreements and transfer pricing documentation
• Advise on equity, warrant structures, and cap table matters as the US entity matures

Scaling the US legal team as necessary

• In addition to commercial contracts and corporate matters, you will handle the following legal areas with support of external counsel:
• Employment law
  • Provide legal guidance on US employment matters: at‑will employment, benefits compliance, non‑competes (state‑by‑state)
  • Advise on US‑specific HR policies, ensuring compliance with federal and New York State employment law
• Intellectual property 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
• As the US operations mature, you will grow the team as necessary to properly address legal issues.

Who you are

You are a senior lawyer who thrives in ambiguity, moves quickly without cutting corners, and genuinely enjoys being close to the business. You’re as comfortable negotiating a complex federal teaming agreement as you are advising on an employment situation or explaining an ITAR control to a non‑legal audience. You don’t need a large team around you to be effective — you’re used to owning things end‑to‑end.

Required Qualifications

• 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.
• Proven track record in drafting and negotiating complex commercial agreements, particularly in technology‑intensive or regulated industries.
• 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.
• Fluent in English; ability to work effectively with Swedish‑speaking colleagues and in a cross‑cultural environment.

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 inter‑company arrangements.
• Experience in a venture‑backed or growth‑stage company — comfortable operating lean and building from scratch.

A plus

• 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.

What we offer

• A founding legal role with genuine influence over how Blykalla operates in the US.
• Direct access to and partnership with senior leadership — this is not a support function, it’s a strategic one.
• The chance to work on technology that matters: clean, reliable baseload energy that will play a critical role in decarbonizing industry and enabling AI infrastructure.
• Competitive base salary commensurate with New York market rates for senior in‑house counsel, plus equity participation.
• Flexible and collaborative working culture; we trust our people to manage their own time and output.
• A global team with deep expertise — you will have access to Blykalla’s legal team in Sweden, external specialist firms, and a network of world‑class partners.
• Salary range: $210k–250k per year, depending on experience and qualifications.

Location

This role is based in our New York City office or Austin, Texas office.

EEO Statement

We are proud to foster an inclusive workplace free from discrimination. We strongly believe that diversity of experience, perspectives, and background will lead to a better environment for our employees and a better product. This is something we value deeply and we encourage everyone to be a part of changing the way the world thinks about power supply!