Employment Counsel

About the role

As Employment Counsel, you'll be a foundational member of our growing legal team, owning the employment and labor matters that come with building and scaling a fast-growing company. You'll join at a pivotal moment as we rapidly scale our team and serve as the go-to legal partner for our People and HR organization. This is a build-from-the-ground-up role for someone who's navigated hypergrowth before and knows how to keep a scaling workforce both well-supported and well-protected. This role reports to the General Counsel.

What you'll do.

• Advise on the full range of employment and labor matters: hiring, terminations, classifications, leaves, accommodations, investigations, and policy.

• Partner closely with HR and People Operations as a trusted, day-to-day legal advisor.

• Counsel on employee equity and compensation considerations.

• Build scalable employment policies, templates, and processes suited to a rapidly growing, multi-state workforce.

• Support international expansion and advise on cross-border employment and global labor law compliance as we grow our footprint beyond the US.

• Manage employment-related disputes and coordinate specialist outside counsel where needed.

• Keep us ahead of the compliance obligations that come with fast headcount growth.

What we're looking for.

• 9+ years of in-house employment and labor law experience.

• A JD and membership in at least one US state bar.

• Prior startup experience, ideally in a hypergrowth environment.

• A track record of close collaboration and strong partnership with HR and People Operations teams.

• Familiarity with employee equity and compensation considerations.

• Experience supporting international expansion and navigating global employment laws.

• A pragmatic, build-from-scratch mindset and the judgment to balance risk with business velocity.

• AI-forward, builder’s mindset, with a demonstrated ability to use AI tools to streamline daily workflows and accelerate efficiency.

Total compensation for this role also includes meaningful equity in a fast-growing startup, along with a competitive salary and comprehensive benefits package. Base salary is determined by a range of factors including individual qualifications, experience, skills, market data, and work location.

Fireworks AI is an equal-opportunity employer.