Description:

Role Overview:
The Labor and Employment Counsel position serves as a trusted advisor to business leaders of Mitsubishi Power Americas, Inc. and its affiliates, a design, engineering, and advanced manufacturing company with a diverse workforce including shop, field, project, and corporate employees. The Labor & Employment Counsel provides proactive, practical, and business-focused guidance across the full range of U.S. labor and employment matters. The attorney partners closely with Human Resources, Operations, Safety, and management teams to support a dynamic environment with bargaining and non-bargaining units, field crews, and manufacturing personnel. Responsibilities include counseling, policy development, investigations, compliance, litigation management, training, and workforce-related risk mitigation.

Key Responsibilities:

Demonstrates our core competencies: Action oriented, change champion, customer-focused, developing self & others, and ownership
Provide day-to-day advice on labor and employment laws affecting shop, field, engineering, and corporate employees, including FLSA, FMLA, ADA, Title VII, NLRA, OSHA, and state/local requirements.
Counsel HR and operational leaders on hiring, discipline, performance management, accommodations, leaves, wage/hour issues, workplace rules, safety-related concerns, and termination matters.
Support investigations, grievances, and labor-management relations where applicable.
Oversee responses to EEOC, DOL, OSHA, and state agency inquiries.
Conduct or oversee internal investigations involving harassment, discrimination, retaliation, misconduct, or workplace safety issues.
Recommend corrective actions and partner with HR and Operations to ensure consistent and legally compliant outcomes.
Manage employment-related disputes, pre-litigation claims, and litigation strategy with outside counsel.
Develop, update, and implement employment policies, handbooks, and procedures tailored to shop, field, and engineering environments.
Maintain compliance programs related to wage/hour classification, timekeeping, safety-sensitive roles, travel pay, and field crew deployment.
Deliver training to managers and employees on employment law fundamentals, investigations, anti-harassment, respectful workplace culture, and supervisory practices.
Advise leadership on workforce strategy, organizational changes, restructurings, M&A-related employment matters, and integration planning.
Select, supervise, and manage outside counsel including budgets, strategy, and performance.

Requirements:

Juris Doctor degree from an ABA‑accredited institution or equivalent relevant experience; EPC project experience is a plus.
Active bar membership in good standing or eligibility for in‑house counsel registration.
Counsel: 3+ years of labor and employment experience; in‑house or manufacturing/industrial background preferred.
Strong knowledge of federal and state employment laws, wage/hour compliance, investigations, and workplace practices.
Proven ability to deliver practical, business‑focused legal advice with strong communication and collaboration skills.
Ability to read and interpret business publications, technical procedures, and regulations; strong writing and presentation skills.
Experience supporting manufacturing, construction, engineering, or field‑service workforces.
Experience with OSHA‑related issues and coordination with EHS teams.
Experience with workplace‑violence prevention, drug/alcohol testing programs, and safety‑sensitive roles.
Experience managing employment litigation, agency investigations, and dispute resolution.
Experience supporting multi‑state or multi‑site operations.
Comfortable working across international time zones (frequent collaboration with Japan) and in multicultural environments.
Ability to interpret and clearly explain complex legal concepts.
Strong problem‑solving skills and comfort navigating ambiguity.
Ability to handle confidential matters with discretion.
Proficiency with HRIS, document‑management systems, and standard business software.
Demonstrated cultural competence when working with diverse employee groups and global teams.
Willingness and ability to travel domestically and internationally.