Life Sciences Counsel

About Anthropic

Anthropic’s mission is to create reliable, interpretable, and steerable AI systems. We want AI to be safe and beneficial for our users and for society as a whole. Our team is a quickly growing group of committed researchers, engineers, policy experts, and business leaders working together to build beneficial AI systems.

About the role

AI has the power to dramatically accelerate the pace of scientific discovery and the development of healthcare interventions. We're hiring Anthropic’s first dedicated Life Sciences Counsel to work side-by-side with our researchers as they work to advance biomedical progress. 

You’ll serve as their trusted counsel on a wide range of efforts - from fast paced life sciences transactions with top research organizations to navigating the complexities of operating at frontier pace in a regulated ecosystem. This role carries unusual scope for a single lawyer: you will be the embedded legal partner to the team, while collaborating deeply across the broader legal department to pull in the wide range of subject matter expertise this strategic initiative will require for success. 

Key responsibilities

Serve as a key strategic advisor to our life science research teams on complex research, development, and commercial matters globally

Drive high deal volume with life science and biopharma counterparties across a range of sophisticated agreement types

Identify, analyze, and proactively manage life science regulatory risks in close coordination with the broader Legal department 

Design and implement scalable guidance and processes to support our fast-growing life science efforts 

Anticipate emerging legal developments affecting AI technologies in the life science and biopharma space and provide strategic guidance to leadership

Minimum qualifications

JD and active membership in at least one U.S. state bar (California or New York preferred)

Real fluency in how the life sciences industry works: how drugs get developed, how research organizations are structured, what pharmaceutical and biotech counterparties care about, and why

Working knowledge of the regulatory environment life sciences tools may be deployed in — GxP, clinical and health data regulations, human-subjects research, FDA processes 

Deep experience with negotiating and drafting complex IP allocation issues in multi-party research arrangements, including ownership of inventions and improvements 

Excellent communication skills, with the ability to translate legal risk into practical guidance for scientists, researchers, and business partners

Experience scoping and managing outside counsel across specialties (FDA/regulatory, IP, privacy, export control) for both substantive depth and cost efficiency

Exceptionally collaborative disposition - with the ability to find creative solutions that account for multiple priorities at once

A low-ego, high-empathy orientation and a "doer" attitude — willing to roll up your sleeves and pitch in where needed

Intense curiosity about AI and science, and a commitment to responsible AI development

Preferred qualifications

10+ years of relevant legal experience, including substantial experience in life sciences transactional work — contract research, strategic collaborations, and licensing and commercialization deals — with the ability to operate independently and hit the ground running

Experience with AI/ML companies or products deployed into regulated scientific and clinical settings, particularly for drug discovery

Familiarity with biosecurity, dual-use research, or export control considerations in the life sciences

Experience leveraging AI to optimize their work, with a desire to work in a fast-paced, innovative environment

Scientific or technical training

Role-specific policy: For this role, we expect all staff to be able to work from our New York offices at least 3 days a week, though we encourage you to apply even if you might need some flexibi …