Assistant General Counsel, Legal Strategy & Advancement Team

Job Type: Regular Assistant General Counsel, Legal Strategy & Advancement Team Position Description The RAND Corporation's Office of the General Counsel (OGC) is seeking a highly motivated, professional attorney to join our team in the role of Assistant General Counsel focusing on Government Contracting & Business Agreements. The Assistant General Counsel role reports directly to the Vice President, General Counsel, and Corporate Secretary. The successful candidate will have: Expertise in federal government contracting under the FAR, DFARs, and other US Government Agency regulations; Capacity and interest in engaging on an array of other U.S. and international business agreements and in providing legal advice and counseling in a variety of other substantive legal areas; Experience or interest in developing expertise in emerging fields and areas of importance to RAND, like export compliance, human subjects research compliance, and Intellectual Property (IP); A focus on helping clients identify risks and opportunities, and on finding innovative solutions to problems; Passion for the legal subjects on which the attorney advises; A continuous improvement mindset and excitement for exploring leading‑edge AI tools in service of the RAND community. About RAND OGC We are a small, mission‑focused department that supports the entire enterprise—everything we do is for the purpose of enabling RAND to deliver on its mission. Our highly collaborative approach enables us to confidently provide thoughtful advice on OGC's core functional areas, which include Legal Services, Corporate Governance, Ethics & Compliance, Investigations, and Privacy. While each of our team members has specialist skills, we are each also intellectually curious generalists who engage across the full range of issues and opportunities experienced by RAND. The Role As part of an OGC team focused on advancement of RAND's mission through innovative solutions, primary responsibilities of the role will include: Working with RAND's research division leadership to navigate legal complexities, primarily (but not exclusively) in federal government contracting, to enable pursuit of new opportunities to advance RAND's mission through sound legal advice and creativity; Drafting and negotiating business agreements and other legal documents; Advising our contracts department and other RAND operations personnel with respect to federal, state, and municipal government contracts, international contracts, IP/data use/licensing agreements, and other business agreements; Collaborating with the Director of Contracts to establish and update high‑quality, agile processes for the review and negotiation of contracts and agreements; Proactively identifying potential areas of vulnerability and risk for the organization and working with stakeholders to design and implement solutions; Tasking and directing outside counsel as required; Advising staff on compliance with applicable laws and regulations; Engaging in special projects assigned by the General Counsel. Other responsibilities may include: Advocacy with research sponsors on behalf of RAND in conjunction with research division leadership, including periodic in‑person visits to sponsor locations; Advising and training on topics such as international trade controls (FCPA, sanctions, export regulations); Responding to FOIA and state/local disclosure law requests; Advising RAND's Institutional Review Board on human subjects protection under the Common Rule; Advising RAND's Development function on terms of charitable gifts and grants. Qualifications Required: At least six (6) years of experience as a practicing attorney with substantive experience in the primary responsibilities above; Detail‑oriented, works well under pressure, and has affinity for RAND's Mission; Proven problem‑solver who takes ownership of responsibilities; Demonstrated ability to confidently provide sound judgment in ambiguous situations; Collaborative, collegial, skilled at building consensus with diverse professional groups; Drive for continuous improvement and interest in building systems and practices using leading‑edge AI tools; Desire to take on increasing responsibility and novel legal issues outside prior experience; Ability to identify priorities and adjust to meet unanticipated needs; Ability to travel occasionally to other RAND offices (primarily in the U.S.). Preferred: Substantive experience in two or more of the additional responsibilities described above; Prior employment with an organization that contracts with the U.S. Federal Government or works in the government contracts department of a law firm; Experience working for or with a non‑profit organization. Education & Licensing J.D. and licensed to practice law in good standing. If not licensed in the state of employment, must qualify under the Supreme Court of Virginia's Rule 1A:5 or the requirements for Registered In‑House Counsel for the State of California. Licensure in California, Virginia, Pennsylvania, D.C., or New York is a plus. Security Clearance Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. Government Security Clearance and DHS Fitness is required. U.S. citizenship is required. Location This role is based in either RAND's Arlington, VA or Santa Monica, CA, with a hybrid work environment. Candidates should expect to work from a RAND office on average three days per week. Salary Range $177,500 - $235,000 (includes base pay plus RAND's sabbatical pay). RAND provides strong benefits: health insurance, life and disability insurance, savings plan, paid time‑off, and more. Equal Opportunity Employer #J-18808-Ljbffr