Sr. Counsel, Real Estate & Infrastructure
Spacex
Salary undisclosed
Need a reasonable accommodation to apply or interview? Contact us.
JobMinglr uses automated technology to recommend jobs based on profile information and job preferences. Match Score does not determine eligibility for a position, prevent a user from viewing or applying to a job, or make hiring decisions on behalf of an employer.
Description
SpaceX was founded under the belief that a future where humanity is out exploring the stars is fundamentally more exciting than one where we are not. Today SpaceX is actively developing the technologies to make this possible, with the ultimate goal of enabling human life on Mars.
SR. COUNSEL, REAL ESTATE & INFRASTRUCTURE
SpaceX is looking for a senior counsel to support development of Starbase, Louisiana and related spaceport, production, and infrastructure programs. This role is grounded in real estate and land management, and covers energy, construction, and commercial contracting across launch sites and supporting operations.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Lead legal work for SpaceX’s Louisiana land position and related real estate holdings, including day-to-day property and land management, ownership and lease administration, access and surface-use arrangements, rights-of-way, and coordination with survey, land, and operations teams on site planning and use of the property
- Draft and negotiate real estate and land-use documents, including purchases, sales, leases, easements, rights-of-way, surface use agreements, and related transaction documents
- Lead commercial and real estate diligence for site development and long-term infrastructure planning, including title, survey, land-use, and coordinate with environmental, and permitting workstreams, internal engineering, construction, and operations teams
- Provide legal guidance on infrastructure development for SpaceX spaceport and production sites in Louisiana and other locations, including facilities development, transportation and marine access, energy and power, water and wastewater, vendor and equipment purchases, supply chain agreements, and related commercial matters
- Support development of utility and energy infrastructure, including power generation and delivery, natural gas and related fuel-supply arrangements, and water/wastewater systems, covering siting, construction, ownership, interconnection, and operations
- Advise internal stakeholders in briefings with parish, state, and federal officials, landowners, utilities, and regulators
- Support public-sector and community arrangements related to site development, including interlocal agreements, municipal and parish services, easements, and related commercial frameworks
- Counsel on commercial matters supporting broader SpaceX operations connected to the site, including production and processing facilities, logistics and transportation, housing and workforce accommodations, and other mission-support infrastructure
- Manage outside counsel efficiently on specialized matters while owning day-to-day negotiation, documentation, and land-related legal work in-house
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:
- JD or foreign equivalent from an ABA-accredited law school
- Must be admitted to the bar, in good standing, in Louisiana
- 8+ years of experience as a lawyer supporting complex commercial transactions, including real estate, land management, infrastructure development, energy, and/or capital equipment
PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:
- Substantial drafting and negotiation experience in real estate and commercial contracts in Louisiana, including large-acreage or industrial property matters
- Experience administering or counseling on active land positions: lease files, surface use, access, rights-of-way, and coordination with land, survey, and operations teams
- Experience with energy and industrial development in Louisiana, including natural gas project development, power generation and interconnection, state agency requirements applicable to oil and gas and related operations, and mineral rights or surface-use agreements
- 8+ years of relevant transactional experience in Louisiana, ideally a mix of:
- Law firm training in real estate, energy, construction, infrastructure, or project development
- In-house experience at a land-intensive company, utility, industrial operator, energy company, construction company, or high-growth technology organization
- Demonstrated ability to draft and negotiate complex commercial and real estate agreements with limited outside-counsel reliance
- Experience supporting large-scale industrial, energy, or mission-critical facility projects from diligence through implementation
- Ability to manage multiple workstreams on accelerated timelines and operate comfortably where project requirements and regulatory pathways are still being defined
- Clear, practical communicator with internal technical teams and external counterparties
ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:
- Must be available to work extended hours and weekends as needed
- Willingness to travel to other SpaceX offices 3-4 times a quarter
- This position is based in Pecan Island, LA and requires being onsite
ITAR REQUIREMENTS:
- To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicant must be a (i) U.S. citizen or national, (ii) U.S. lawful, permanent resident (aka green card holder), (iii) Refugee under 8 U.S.C. § 1157, or (iv) Asylee under 8 U.S.C. § 1158, or be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State. Learn more about the ITAR here.
SpaceX is an Equal Opportunity Employer; employment with SpaceX is governed on the basis of merit, competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status.
Applicants wishing to view a copy of SpaceX’s Affirmative Action Plan for veterans and individuals with disabilities, or applicants requiring reasonable accommodation to the application/interview process should reach out to EEOCompliance@spacex.com.
About this role
SpaceX is building Starbase in Louisiana and needs a senior real estate counsel to own the legal foundation of that development. You'd manage the company's land position across the site—everything from day-to-day property administration and lease agreements to rights-of-way, easements, and surface-use arrangements. The role spans real estate transactions, infrastructure planning, and commercial contracting for launch facilities, production sites, and supporting operations, requiring you to coordinate with internal engineering, construction, and operations teams while working with external stakeholders including landowners, utilities, regulators, and parish and state officials.
The work is grounded in Louisiana real estate and energy law. You'll draft and negotiate complex commercial agreements, lead diligence on site development and long-term infrastructure planning, and advise on utility and energy systems—power generation, natural gas supply, water and wastewater—from siting through operations. You'll also counsel on broader mission-support infrastructure including logistics, transportation, and workforce accommodations. This is a hands-on role where you'll own day-to-day negotiation and documentation while managing outside counsel on specialized matters.
You'll need at least eight years as a transactional lawyer with substantial experience in real estate, land management, infrastructure, or energy work, ideally in Louisiana. Background in industrial or energy development, active land administration, and complex project execution is preferred. The position requires Louisiana bar admission, U.S. citizenship or equivalent immigration status for ITAR compliance, and willingness to work extended hours and travel to other SpaceX offices quarterly. This is an in-office role based in Pecan Island.
How this employer is doing
average
- News: Recently Raised Funding
- Recent Acquisition
In the news
SpaceX takes aim at US wireless carriers with spectrum acquisition, Reuters
This role's local market on JobMinglr
Pay for this role
The employer didn't post a pay range for this role. That usually means pay is set in negotiation, which favors whoever arrives with numbers. Check ranges on comparable Sr. Counsel, Real Estate & Infrastructure postings in Pecan Island, and analyze any offer before you accept it.
Before you apply, worth reading
How JobMinglr reads this job
Every listing here is scored against your profile before you apply: skills overlap, experience level, location and work arrangement, each weighted and explained. You see the score and the reasons, not just a list. How the matching works.