Job Description

Company Summary:

For over 60 years, MeriCal has been at the forefront of innovation in the dietary supplement industry, delivering custom manufacturing and packaging solutions with passion and precision. With state-of-the-art facilities in Southern California and Ogden, UT, we transform ideas into high-quality products—from research and development to the finished products. Our team, with over 30 years of combined experience, is dedicated to crafting exceptional gummies, probiotics, tablets, capsules, chewables, and powders using clinically backed ingredients. At MeriCal, we don’t just meet expectations—we exceed them, every time. Join us and be part of a dynamic, forward-thinking team shaping the future of nutrition!

The Opportunity:

At MeriCal, we are builders, innovators, and problem-solvers. We are looking for a Corporate Counsel who wants to be involved, get their hands dirty, partner across the business, and help us find the path to "yes".

This is a highly autonomous, highly cross-functional role. You will lead MeriCal's internal legal function and overall legal strategy, serving as a trusted advisor to our executive team and key department heads. You don't need to have every answer on day one, but must possess the curiosity to ask questions, do the research, humility to lean on our deeply knowledgeable internal teams for operational context, and the strategic-judgement to know exactly when to bring in and manage to specialized outside counsel.

If you are a "smart pair of hands" who loves to solve complex puzzles, influence business strategy, and balance legal safeguards with commercial growth, we want to talk to you.

What You’ll Do:

1. Strategic Business Advisory & Collaboration

• Be a Collaborative Influencer: Partner closely with leaders across IT, HR, Supply Chain, Operations, Quality and R&D to provide practical, business-oriented legal guidance that enables growth while managing risk. 
• Lean on Internal Experts: Dive deep with our internal teams to understand our products, history, and operational workflows. You'll use their on-the-ground expertise to inform your legal assessments.
• Smart Outsourcing: Know your limits. Act as a savvy project manager who identifies when to tackle issues in-house and when to strategically engage, brief, and manage cost-effective outside counsel. 

2. Commercial Contracts & Negotiation

• Draft & Negotiate: Directly review, draft, and negotiate a high volume of commercial contracts, including vendor agreements, non-disclosure agreements (NDAs), master service agreement (MSAs), and other unique business documents. 
• Streamline Processes: Continually look for ways modernize our contracting process, templates, and legal operations to keep pace with a fast-moving business. 
  

3. Regulatory, Compliance & IP 

• Navigate Industry Standards: Partner with our regulatory and quality teams to help them monitor compliance across a complex manufacturing landscape, including FDA guidelines, FTC advertising rules, Prop 65, SB343, and emerging international labeling standards.
• Protect Our Innovation: Oversee and advise on our intellectual property portfolio, including trademarks, patents, and trade secrets, knowing when to leverage specialized IP counsel for filings and litigation.
• Governance & Policies: Help maintain corporate governance, design and review internal compliance programs, and update corporate policies to ensure we stay ahead of evolving legal frameworks.

4. Privacy, Security & Risk Management 

• Data Privacy Champion: Partner with IT to define legal risk thresholds, review data-handling disclosures, and refine incident response and breach-notification procedures. 

What You'll Bring:

• The Credentials: A Juris Doctor (JD) degree from an accredited law school and active membership in good standing with the State Bar.
• The Experience: 3 to 5+ years of corporate legal experience (ideally combining law firm training with in-house exposure). Experience in manufacturing, dietary supplements, food/beverage, or life sciences is required.
• Demonstrates a "can-do" attitude, with versatility and business acumen to seamlessly shift from drafting routine legal documents, such as NDAs and commercial agreements, to advising executive leadership on complex, high-value legal, compliance, and risk matters with significant organizational impact.
• Resourcefulness & Curiosity: A strong appetite for leaning. You are comfortable saying "I don't know the answer to that yet, but I know exactly how to find out."

The Perks:

• No-cost vision insurance (yes, you read that right!), employer-paid life insurance, paid company holidays, generous paid time off, sick leave, employee assistance program, and a comprehensive wellness program. 
• Affordable medical and dental insurance plans tailored for you and your dependents.
• Exceptional supplemental benefits, including Accident, Critical Illness, Hospitalization indemnity plans, and pet insurance.
• 401(k) matching plan and more!

 A reasonable estimate of the current base pay range for this position is $200,000- $240,000. The compensation offered may vary depending on the candidate’s geographic region, job-related knowledge, skills, and/or education.

MeriCal is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to providing a workplace that is inclusive and free of discrimination and harassment. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. We encourage individuals of all backgrounds to apply. We believe in creating a diverse and inclusive workplace where all employees feel valued and respected, and where differences are embraced as strengths. We are dedicated to fostering an environment that promotes equality and celebrates diversity.
 
Qualified applicants with disabilities may be entitled to reasonable accommodation under the terms of the Americans with Disabilities Act and/or certain state or local laws. Please contact [email protected] if you need an accommodation due to a disability to complete an application, job interview, and/or to otherwise participate in the hiring process. This email does not respond to non-accommodations related requests.
 
MeriCal uses E-Verify to confirm authorization to work in the United States. For more information on E-Verify, please visit the following website: https://www.e-verify.gov/employees
 
For more information about the categories of personal information we collect from you and how we use, sell, and share that information, please see our Privacy Notice for California Contractors and Privacy Notice for California Employees.