General Counsel in London

At Automata, we are on a mission to transform how scientists work by making automation accessible to every lab in the world. We believe that by giving labs the power to automate, we can unlock discoveries that will shape the future of life sciences—from diagnostics and drug discovery to synthetic biology. Our LINQ platform combines hardware and software to streamline workflows, making lab automation fast, flexible, and affordable.

Why Work at Automata?

• Impact: Your work will directly contribute to advancements in science and medicine, supporting labs around the globe as they push boundaries in research and innovation.
• Innovation: You’ll be part of a team solving complex problems using cutting‑edge technology.
• Growth: We invest in our people through hands‑on experience, professional development, or collaborative projects.

What we are looking for…

The General Counsel is responsible for establishing, owning and continuously improving Automata’s legal framework, while providing strategic, hands‑on in‑house legal leadership to the Management Team. Reporting to the CFO, you will bring stage‑appropriate structure to the business while maintaining the pace of growth and set Automata up for future fundraises with robust and reliable processes.

A defining feature of this role is working closely with Automata’s AI legal assistant, which handles a significant volume of routine legal work, including NDA triage, contract review, compliance monitoring, canned response generation, and legal risk assessment. The General Counsel’s focus is therefore heavily weighted towards strategic legal judgment, complex negotiations, governance, and oversight of the AI‑assisted legal function.

What You’ll Do

• Commercial: Lead major commercial negotiations and complex transactions, drawing on the AI Assistant’s first‑pass contract analysis. Collaborate with Sales, Operations and Procurement to ensure legal contracts are fit for purpose.
• Corporate Governance & Compliance: Own and maintain Automata's business‑wide risk register, working with the leadership team to identify, scope and manage key risks. Guide on regulatory and compliance matters across jurisdictions.
• AI‑Assisted Legal Operations: Direct the design and maintenance of AI‑assisted workflows, ensuring they reflect Automata's current legal positions and risk appetite.
• General: Help manage investment stages, including shareholder agreements and share schemes. Provide support to the HR team on employment‑related legal matters.

Values

• Action over Inaction – be a completer of work, pushing actions through to resolution and sign‑off.
• Pace – complete things on time and cut through when something is taking too long.
• Be Your Best – actively seek out feedback and proactively ask for advice and support in your development areas.
• Collaborate to Elevate – work with stakeholders to identify priority areas, sharing issues and problems with transparency and openness.

What You Bring

• Qualified solicitor or barrister (England & Wales) with 10+ years' post‑qualification experience, including in‑house general counsel experience.
• Proven experience working in or alongside fast‑growth, technology‑driven environments.
• Familiarity with AI‑assisted legal tools and legal tech platforms is essential.
• Exceptional communication skills — able to translate complex legal positions into clear guidance for non‑legal stakeholders.

What Makes You Stand Out

• Biotech / healthtech / medtech sector background.
• Experience with fundraising, M&A or corporate finance transactions.
• Familiarity with AI governance frameworks and emerging regulation.

We are an equal‑opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. Discrimination of any kind based on race, colour, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, genetic information, disability, or veteran status is strictly prohibited.