Senior Legal Counsel – Major Projects and Construction (m/w/d)

We want you for...

Vulcan Energie Ressourcen GmbH is an innovative, fast-growing company in the field of sustainable lithium extraction and renewable energies. With our lithium plant, we are making a decisive contribution to the decarbonization of European industry and to securing a sustainable supply of lithium in Europe. Support our dedicated team in making our vision of a climate-neutral future a reality. We are looking for you to join our growing team in Karlsruhe either full-time (40 hours per week) or part-time with a minimum of 32 hours per week as Senior Legal Counsel – Major Projects and Construction (m/f/d).

Your mission

Construction & Procurement Contracts

• You draft, review, and negotiate a broad range of project agreements, including EPCM, EPC, D&C, framework, consultancy, and other commercial contracts.
• You advise on contractual rights, obligations, claims prevention, and effective risk mitigation strategies.
• You support sourcing, tendering, and contracting activities, including commercial negotiations with contractors, suppliers, and strategic partners.
• You drive contractual consistency across projects, contribute to standard contract development, and participate in project governance and risk reviews.

Project Development

• You provide practical, business-oriented legal support across the full project lifecycle, from origination and development through construction and operations.
• You support land acquisition activities, permitting processes, and the securing of regulatory approvals.
• You advise on contract structures, commercial arrangements, and risk allocation strategies to support successful project delivery.
• You engage with governmental authorities, landowners, contractors, strategic partners, and other key stakeholders.

Operations

• You collaborate with the Supply Chain team to develop and implement contracting strategies that support operational activities.
• You draft, review, and negotiate maintenance, service, works, hire, and other operational agreements.
• You provide practical legal guidance on operational contract management and ongoing commercial relationships.
• You support business stakeholders in managing contractual risks throughout the operational phase.

Claims Management

• You lead the legal management of claims arising from construction, procurement, and commercial contracts.
• You assess contractual entitlements, liabilities, and potential exposure while developing effective claims strategies with cross-functional teams.
• You prepare and review notices, claims submissions, responses, and supporting documentation to protect the company's interests.
• You coordinate external legal counsel and technical experts in litigation, arbitration, adjudication, and settlement negotiations.

Your profile

• You have 5-10 years of post-qualification experience gained in a leading law firm and/or within a multinational in-house legal team and have achieved at least satisfactory results in both German State Examinations.
• You have extensive experience advising on project development, construction law, procurement matters, and the drafting and negotiation of complex commercial contracts.
• You have supported large-scale projects in sectors such as renewable energy, industrial, chemicals, utilities, mining, or comparable industries.
• You have knowledge of project delivery and construction frameworks, including VOB/B, FIDIC, permitting processes, regulatory requirements, and public law matters.
• You have experience managing contractual claims, disputes, and risk-related matters throughout the project lifecycle.
• You work effectively with cross-functional teams and diverse stakeholders across multiple jurisdictions and business functions.
• You demonstrate strong commercial judgment, a pragmatic approach to problem-solving, and the confidence to engage with senior leadership and project executives.
• You are highly organized, resilient, and adaptable, act with integrity and discretion, communicate effectively, and are fluent in German and English, both written and spoken.

We offer

• Flexible working hours and the option of mobile working.
• 30 days of vacation (based on a 5-day week).
• Onboarding program “Vulcan Starter Days.” Includes a visit to the power plant and a tour of our laboratory.
• Company pension scheme.
• Corporate benefits platform with many attractive discounts offers.