Lead Counsel, Commercial (Energy - Infrastructure)
OpenAIVisit OpenAI website
AI research and deployment company building and deploying frontier AI products, including ChatGPT, Codex, and its API platform.
41 current maintainers27 active leads7 new active leads120 lead step-downs17 early lead departures
San Francisco, United States
Projects
About OpenAI
OpenAI’s mission is to ensure artificial general intelligence benefits all of humanity. It consists of the nonprofit OpenAI Foundation and OpenAI Group, a public benefit corporation governed by the Foundation.
Skills
Candidate Availability
Required and preferred rules are kept separate and reflect the wording in the original posting.
About the Role
You will own legal strategy and risk management for global energy procurement and power infrastructure transactions supporting data centers. You'll draft and negotiate power purchase, utility, and interconnection agreements, advise leadership on regulatory issues, and guide outside counsel.
Requirements
- 10+ years of legal experience with focus on complex commercial energy transactions
- JD and license or qualification to practice in CA
- Experience in-house or at a law firm advising energy companies, utilities, developers, or infrastructure investors
- Experience independently leading complex energy transactions
- Familiarity with U.S. electricity markets, utility tariffs, FERC, state utility commissions, and grid operators
- Strong commercial judgment and financial fluency in energy pricing
- Ability to operate with autonomy in fast-moving environments
- Exceptional communication skills
Responsibilities
- Own legal strategy and risk management for global energy procurement and power infrastructure transactions
- Draft, negotiate, and advise on power purchase agreements, energy supply and hedging, and utility contracts
- Structure and negotiate interconnection, transmission, and utility infrastructure arrangements
- Advise leadership on legal and regulatory considerations for energy and data center strategy
- Support partnerships involving renewable generation, storage, and behind-the-meter power
- Develop legal and regulatory frameworks for energy procurement and project development
- Partner with finance and operations on contract terms
- Collaborate with policy and regulatory colleagues on tariffs, grid access, and market participation
- Build scalable contracting processes
- Guide outside counsel and coordinate with real estate, construction, tax, and regulatory counsel
Benefits
- Equity
- Medical, dental, and vision insurance with employer HSA contributions
- Health FSA, Dependent Care FSA, and commuter pre-tax accounts
- 401(k) with employer match
- Paid parental leave, medical and caregiver leave
- Flexible PTO
- 13+ paid company holidays and company office closures
- Mental health and wellness support
- Employer-paid basic life and disability coverage
- Annual learning and development stipend
- Daily meals in offices and meal delivery credits
- Relocation support
- Charitable donation matching and wellness stipends
