Senior Legal Counsel (d/f/m) - Legal Affairs Intellectual Property

Job Description:

Locations: Hamburg, alternatively Toulouse, or Munich (what works best for you?)

Work Models: Full-Time, Part-Time, or Job Sharing options available

At Airbus, we don’t just build aircraft – we pioneer sustainable, cutting-edge aviation for a connected world.

To power this mission, our Legal Affairs - Intellectual Property (LLI) team is seeking a visionary, commercially minded Senior Legal Counsel (d/f/m) for this key position.

In this role, you won't just advise; you will shape the legal and strategic landscape for next-generation technology. Joining a high-performing, international team of legal experts across Toulouse, Hamburg, and Bristol, you will serve as a trusted strategic and operational  partner across high-stakes commercial deals, AI governance, IP disputes, and global corporate partnerships.

• Flexibility & Work-Life Balance: Customized working time models (including part-time, job sharing, and individual sabbaticals) to suit your life stage.

• Attractive Compensation: High-tier base salary, performance-related payments, 30 days paid vacation, plus extra time off for personal occasions.

• Exclusive Perks: Employer-funded pension schemes, employee stock purchase plans, discounted car leasing, and public transport subsidies.

• Modern Sites & Amenities: Choose between preferably Hamburg (our vibrant civil aircraft hub right on the Elbe river), but Toulouse, or Munich could be an option. Enjoy on-site cafeterias, health care centers, and close-by childcare facilities.

• Global Career Horizons: Continuous upskilling programs and unparalleled group-wide development prospects across an open, inclusive culture featuring over 140 nationalities.

As a Senior Legal Counsel (d/f/m), you will be at the forefront of protecting and leveraging Airbus’s most valuable intangible assets across their full lifecycle:

• Strategic & Operational IP & IT Guidance: Act as a key advisor to senior stakeholders across Technology, Engineering, Digital Transformation, and Procurement.

• High-Stakes Dealmaking: Lead negotiations for complex R&D agreements, software licensing/cloud infrastructure (SaaS, PaaS, IaaS), and strategic corporate partnerships.

• M&A & Portfolio Strategy: Structure IP transactions, M&A activities, and safeguard our global trademark, copyright, and trade secret portfolios.

• Pioneering AI Governance: Provide forward-looking legal direction on Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML), regulatory trends, and antitrust compliance.

• Litigation & Risk Management: Direct complex IP disputes in close collaboration with our Litigation team to deliver business-focused outcomes.

• External Counsel & Internal Mentorship: Manage top-tier external counsel and empower internal teams through standardized legal frameworks and IP awareness sessions across international Multi-Functional Teams (MFTs).

If you fulfill all requirements you can expect a yearly gross salary between 107.000 and 129.000€.

• Legal Excellence: Fully qualified lawyer under German or French law with a strong background in IP/IT law.

• Proven Track Record: Longstanding professional experience within top-tier international law firms or global industrial enterprises (aerospace or high-tech background is beneficial).

• Dealmaker & Strategist: Deep expertise in negotiating complex tech transactions, cloud contracts, IP litigation, and M&A support with a pragmatic, solution- and business-oriented mindset.

• Leadership & Proactive Problem Solver: Strong stakeholder management, negotiation, and cross-functional leadership skills and the ability  to anticipate complex issues and thrive under pressure.

• Master Communicator & Diplomat: Strong communication and diplomatic skills with an authentic approach to collaborating on eye-level across all hierarchy levels.

• Team Champion: Passionate about fostering team spirit, nurturing an inclusive culture, and empowering cross-functional teams.

• Aviation Passion & Collaboration: A strong affinity for the aerospace industry and a high drive for active sparring and cross-collaboration with diverse internal stakeholders.

• Language Skills: Business fluency in English is essential; proficiency in German and/or French is a strong advantage.

Not a 100% match with every single requirement?

Don’t hold back! At Airbus, we value potential, passion, and perspective. We support your continuous professional growth with tailored development solutions.

Ready to Make an Impact?

Take the next step! Send us your CV along with your notice period and salary expectations through our careers website. Don't miss out—apply now!

This job requires an awareness of any potential compliance risks and a commitment to act with integrity, as the foundation for the Company’s success, reputation and sustainable growth.

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Airbus is committed to achieving workforce diversity and creating an inclusive working environment. We welcome all applications irrespective of social and cultural background, age, gender, disability, sexual orientation or religious belief.

Airbus is, and always has been, committed to equal opportunities for all. As such, we will never ask for any type of monetary exchange in the frame of a recruitment process. Any impersonation of Airbus to do so should be reported to emsom@airbus.com.

At Airbus, we support you to work, connect and collaborate more easily and flexibly. Wherever possible, we foster flexible working arrangements to stimulate innovative thinking.