research contract officer

HR Partners; Melbourne; On-site; AUD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Randstad is recruiting a proven Research Contracts Officer for a prominent higher education partner. This role requires exceptional contractual acumen, meticulous attention to detail, and the ability to foster enduring stakeholder relationships within an agile, mission-driven academic environment.

The position involves drafting, reviewing and negotiating a portfolio of research and commercial agreements, including CRCs, IP licensing, and collaborative arrangements, with a focus on risk

Qualifications

• Experience drafting and negotiating research and commercial contracts.
• Ability to evaluate legal, financial and operational risks.
• Strong communication and stakeholder collaboration in an academic setting.

Responsibilities

• Draft, review, redline and negotiate a diverse portfolio of grant and commercial agreements.
• Manage clause-level terms and assess risks to prepare formal risk recommendations for delegates.

Skills

Contract expertise

Attention to detail

Stakeholder management

Academic environment experience

Job description

Randstad is recruiting a proven Research Contracts Officer for a prominent higher education partner. This role requires exceptional contractual acumen, meticulous attention to detail, and the ability to foster enduring stakeholder relationships within an agile, mission-driven academic environment.

About your new role

Research Contracts Officer is primarily responsible for hitting the ground running to clear a peak year-end surge of strategic research and commercial funding agreements before the Christmas deadline. Operating with substantial autonomy, the successful candidate will draft, review, redline, and negotiate a diverse portfolio of competitive grant and commercial agreements including collaborative research arrangements, contract research, sub-contracts, Co-operative Research Centres (CRCs), Centres of Excellence, and intellectual property licensing deals.

They are tasked with managing clause-level terms, rigorously evaluating legal, financial, and operational risks (especially regarding IP rights, warranties, indemnities, and liability caps), and preparing formal risk recommendations for authorised delegates to execute agreements.