Legal Counsel, Inari
Office located in Cambridge, MA
Genetic crop modification
Open for applications
Genetic crop modification
201-500 employees
Open for applications
Office located in Cambridge, MA
201-500 employees
Company mission
To build a more sustainable global food system for the benefit of farmers, society and the planet.
Role
Who you are
- Inari is seeking an experienced Legal Counsel to join our fast-paced, dynamic, entrepreneurial, and team-focused global organization
- Juris Doctor degree (JD) and actively license to practice law in the US
- Minimum of 5 years’ legal experience at a law firm and/or in-house, providing legal support to the business and drafting and negotiating complex contracts including technology licenses
- Experience with AI, data, and digital governance, software, and privacy are a plus
- Experience in biotechnology or other life sciences field is also a plus
- Excellent legal credentials and strong strategic thinking, business acumen and communication skills working as part of a highly performing and diverse team in various locations (US and international)
- The skills and EQ to be a valued business-partner working with a broad range of colleagues at all levels of the organization
- Willingness to learn about emerging technologies
- Flexibility to contribute and thrive in a fast-paced, growth-stage company; desire to build and develop a growing company and department
- A proactive approach to assignments and a willingness to take ownership of tasks
- Adaptability and enthusiasm for new challenges, innate curiosity, and a passion for learning
- Creative and strategic thinking, willingness to be bold and take risks, and the ability to recognize and learn from failure
- A collaborative mindset that is open to giving and receiving ideas, perspectives, and feedback
- Ability to work both independently and deliver on responsibilities without supervision, but operate within a highly collaborative environment
- Ability to work confidentially and responsibly on sensitive issues at all levels within an organization
- Advanced skills with Microsoft 360 and the ability to learn new legal department applications
What the job involves
- This role is based in our Cambridge, MA location and reports to the Assistant General Counsel
- This role will take responsibility to partner with R&D, digital and data (including Inari’s IT, AI, big data management tools & engineering functions), finance functional internal clients to provide legal support in a wide range of contract matters (drafting, reviewing, negotiating), legal opinions, risk management and corporate legal matters
- As part of the broader Legal, IP and Compliance team, this role will put you in a position to work closely with leaders across the company in executing the company’s strategic agenda and key transactions, collaborations and licenses, mitigating risks and providing insight on all contracts and other legal matters
- In addition, Legal Counsel will be engaged in matters around corporate development and governance that will further the growth of the company
- Work directly with internal and external partners, vendors and customers and others to draft, manage, and negotiate contracts and agreements,
- Collaborate with executive and senior team members to provide support in delivering contractual transactions including technology licenses, service agreement, and financial transactions
- Provide advice and professional guidance on risks related to the company operations and suitability of contracts toward the attainment of company goals
- Draft and verify all documents and contracts to ensure they meet high levels of quality and accuracy with high level of attention to detail
- Support the development of internal policies and guidelines
- Partner with the GC and the executive team to engage in strategic opportunities and projects
Our take
The effects of climate change and a still-swelling global population is ramping up the pressure on the world’s agriculture industry. To stave off a global hunger crisis, cash is being poured into gene editing for the world’s major crops, and Inari is a Unicorn biotech company conducting important work in this field.
Inari applies predictive design, AI, ML, and multiplex gene editing to improve yield and resource demand for the world’s largest crops - corn, soybeans, and wheat - which collectively cover over 500 million acres across the American continent. The results so far are impressive: it claims to boost crop yield by up to 20%, and cut water and nitrogen usage for corn by 40%.
Genetic engineering for seeds isn’t a new concept - Monstanto and Sygenta are among the giants who’ve been pioneering in this field since the 1990s. Now, however, they’re facing stiff competition from a range of nimble startups, including Inari, and smaller rivals like Calyxt, Cibus, and Benson Hill Biosystems. Progress is slow with gene editing, so Inari has been smart to focus on key, lucrative, and high-urgency crops that attract major funding and will have an equally major impact on the world.
Steph
Company Specialist at Welcome to the Jungle
Insights
Company
Funding (last 2 of 7 rounds)
Jan 2025
$144m
LATE VC
Jan 2024
$103m
LATE VC
Total funding: $711m
Company values
- Ambitiously Grounded - We embrace challenges and take risks to deliver high impact results. We respect diverse views, seeking out and supporting ideas from others
- Collaborative Innovators - We are curious explorers who believe collaboration can overcome limitations and expedite success. We bring new people together to cultivate diversity in thinking, development and execution
- Stewards of Our Planet - We hold ourselves accountable for the footprint that we create and strive to protect the Earth for future generations
Company HQ
Wellington-Harrington, Cambridge, MA
Articles
Leadership
Ponsi Trivisavet
(CEO, not founder)Previously a McKinsey Associate Principal, who then held various senior roles at Syngenta for nearly a decade. Subsequently served as COO at Indigo.
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