Research Agreements Associate, Senior

Research Agreements Associate, Senior

As a Research Agreements Associate, Senior in the Office of Research Contracts (ORC), you'll be at the heart of negotiating and managing critical agreements with sponsors, subcontractors, and research sites. This position combines strategic thinking, legal and business acumen, and collaboration to ensure research partnerships thriveall while upholding Duke's mission and standards.

Drafts, negotiates, and processes agreements relating to the conduct of School of Medicine / Nursing research with sponsors, subcontractors, sites and others in a manner consistent with Duke University's mission and policies / procedures, and approved standards including those underlying its non-profit tax status.

Relies on good legal / business judgment, contracting and academic principles, and the experience of others within ORC. Uses systems and procedures that support the efficient development, negotiation, processing and tracking of these agreements.

Represents ORC in strategic internal or external relationships.

Acts as resource for junior Agreement Managers and seeks opportunities to present ORC educational material to Duke depts. and offices.

Work Arrangement Remote

Anticipated Pay Range - Duke University provides an annual base salary range for this position as USD $77,898.00 to USD $124,598.00. Duke University considers factors such as (but not limited to) scope and responsibilities of the position; candidate's work experience, education / training, and key skills; internal peer equity; as well as market and organizational considerations when extending an offer.

Your total compensation goes beyond the dollars on your paycheck. Duke provides comprehensive and competitive medical and dental care programs, generous retirement benefits, and a wide array of family-friendly and cultural programs to eligible team members.

Learn more at : https : / / hr.duke.edu / benefits /

Departmental Preferences

A J.D., or M.S., or Ph.D. in a scientific field is strongly preferred. Experience in university / industry interactions relating to conduct of research is preferred. Firm understanding of intellectual property rights as gained through implementation of research-related agreements, technology transfer-related agreements and / or patent analysis / protection activities; or Direct scientific involvement in laboratory research.

Minimum Requirements

Education - Bachelor degree required.

Experience - Minimum of five (5) years of relevant experience related to legal and contracting or research in an academic, pharmaceutical, or contract research setting. An advanced degree (J.D., M.S., Ph.D.) may substitute for two (2) years of experience at the Offices discretion.

Skills Required

• Familiarity with legal documents and / or issues relating to academic / scientific research is required.
• Significant administrative and negotiation experience is required.
• Must be highly computer literate and competent in the use of database, word processing and spreadsheet programs.
• Must demonstrate ability to establish and maintain professional interpersonal relationships and to effectively execute both written and verbal communications.
• Requires solid working knowledge of MS Office Suite (Word, Access, Excel, Power Point).
• In the event this position operates within the ORC Government and Foundation Collaboration Unit, substantial federal grants and contracts training will be required on an ongoing basis as determined by ORC.

Contract Drafting, Negotiation, and Processing

1. Drafts, negotiates, and processes research agreements and other related agreements with industry, foundation, non-profit and government sponsors, subcontractors, and others to be consistent with Duke policies and procedures, the specifics of each research project, and the interests of Duke faculty and Duke University, which such activities may include analyses and interpretation of federal regulations and foundation terms and conditions, complex intellectual property issues, and other general terms and conditions all to be completed within targeted timeframes. Where applicable, works with the sponsoring agency prior to award to ensure that terms and conditions are acceptable to Duke.

2. Proactively and largely independently recommends alternative solutions to contractual issues that arise in the context of negotiations and attempts to reconcile the often-conflicting perspectives of academia and industry within established guidelines and in a manner that complements and supports Duke's overall academic mission.

3. Consults with ORC Directors regarding contract issues and alerts such Director when a resolution is not able to be reached in a timely manner, or when the sponsor will not accept terms requested and a solution cannot be agreed upon. Recommends approval, or disapproval, of negotiated agreements to OCR Directors.

4. Represents ORC in strategic internal or external relationships.

5. Coordinates the processing of agreements with faculty, School of Medicine departments, Site-based Research Units, other Duke central offices as needed, including Office of Research Administration, Duke Office of Clinical Research, Institutional Review Board, Office of Procurement Services, and Export Control.

6. Maintains up-to-date records of all agreement negotiations through timely and accurate entries in the ORC IT system and reports regularly on status of assigned work to ORC Directors.

7. Provides advice to applicable Dept. staff, trial teams, and Principal Investigators regarding contractual requirements, liabilities, and risks.

8. Acts as a resource for other members of ORC with regard to agreements and related processes particularly with respect to IRB, human subjects' protection matters, federal and foundation compliance requirements, and intellectual property matters.

9. Participates in contract management meetings contributing to the continuous improvement of ORC, its policies, processes and operations.

10. Provides input to ORC quality control procedures to affect the timely execution of all assigned agreements in accordance with organizational and departmental policies.

11. Provides training and educational outreach on ORC contract process / procedures and related SOM policies internally and as requested to other Duke depts. / offices.

12. Informs Duke faculty and research personnel of contractual requirements, including confidentiality restrictions, material use restrictions, liability issues and intellectual property rights.

13. Ensure that the project has all relevant approvals and compliance requirements in place prior to contract execution.

14. Performs other related duties incidental to the work described herein.

Choose Duke.

If you're passionate about supporting research and building strong relationships, this is your opportunity to make an impact. Apply today!

Duke is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to providing employment opportunity without regard to an individual's age, color, disability, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex (including pregnancy and pregnancy related conditions), sexual orientation or military status. Duke aspires to create a community built on collaboration, innovation, creativity, and belonging. Our collective success depends on the robust exchange of ideasan exchange that is best when the rich diversity of our perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences flourishes. To achieve this exchange, it is essential that all members of the community feel secure and welcome, that the contributions of all individuals are respected, and that all voices are heard. All members of our community have a responsibility to uphold these values.

Essential Physical Job Functions : Certain jobs at Duke University and Duke University Health System may include essential job functions that require specific physical and / or mental abilities. Additional information and provision for requests for reasonable accommodation will be provided by each hiring department.