Senior Research Contracts Officer

Times Higher Education; Adelaide; On-site; AUD 95,000 - 113,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Superannuation

Salary packaging

Flexible work

Professional development

Diversity & inclusion

Job summary

Flinders University in Australia is seeking a motivated professional to join our Research Development and Support team as a Research Contracts Officer (HEO6) or Senior Research Contracts Officer (HEO7).

You will administer contracts for externally sponsored projects, review terms with industry and government partners, and provide timely advice to researchers while balancing risk and institutional goals. A strong background in contract administration and negotiation is essential.

Qualifications

• Experience in contract administration within higher education or research settings.
• Ability to draft and review contractual terms with stakeholders.
• Strong negotiation and communication skills under tight deadlines.

Responsibilities

• Provide support to administer contracts and agreements for externally sponsored projects.
• Review and negotiate terms with industry, government and research partners.
• Advise researchers on contractual obligations and compliance.
• Help identify process improvements in contract administration.

Skills

Contract administration

Drafting

Legal review

Negotiation skills

Job description

Organisation/Company FLINDERS UNIVERSITY Research Field History Researcher Profile Recognised Researcher (R2) First Stage Researcher (R1) Application Deadline 1 Nov 2026 - 00:00 (UTC) Country Australia Type of Contract Permanent Job Status Full-time Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme? Not funded by a EU programme Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure? No

Offer Description

• Continuing I Full Time
• Higher Education Officer Level 6 | $94,456 - $100,710 pa | 17% Super
• Higher Education Officer Level 7 | $102,589 - $113,561 pa | 17% Super

We are seeking a motivated and skilled professional to join our Research Development and Support team. This unique opportunity is being offered at either the HEO6 (Research Contracts Officer) or HEO7 (Senior Research Contracts Officer) level, depending on the successful candidate's experience and qualifications.

In the Research Contracts Officer position, your duties will include (but are not limited to):

• Providing valued support to the Flinders research community in the administration and processing of contracts and agreements for externally sponsored projects, and providing expertise, customer service and timely advice.
• Reviewing and negotiating the terms and conditions of research related agreements with industry, government, and other research institutions.
• Working with the other members of the Research Development and Support team to identify, define and resolve issues related to sponsored project contracting activities.
• Reviewing and providing advice to researchers on contractual obligations, special conditions or restrictions, or programmatic and other deliverables required by specific funding schemes.

In addition to the above, in the Senior Research Contracts Officer position, your duties will include (but are not limited to):

• The administration and processing of strategic, complex and escalated research contracts and agreements.
• Assisting with supervisory responsibilities, including developing and mentoring members of the Research Contracts team, and providing backfill for management where required.
• Identifying and implementing innovative process improvements in contract administration and management.

About You

To be successful in this role, you will have a strong background in contract administration, drafting, or legal review, preferably within a higher education, government, or research-intensive environment. You possess exceptional communication and negotiation skills, with a proven ability to solve complex problems and balance legal risk against strategic institutional goals. To be successful, you will also require:

• Excellent time management skills and demonstrated ability to prioritise tasks to meet tight deadlines.
• Contemporary knowledge of compliance requirements for major grant funding schemes including ARC and NHMRC.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team, exercise initiative and judgment in interpreting and applying a range of policies and procedures and work with a broad range of stakeholders, such as academic and professional staff.

Life at Flinders

Flinders University is driven by a bold purpose: to change lives and change the world. Through Agenda 2035 – Impact. With Purpose., we are expanding the scale, reach, and ambition of our research to deliver meaningful outcomes for communities, industry, and global health systems.

Reaching beyond the limits of buildings, borders, and backgrounds, ours is an inclusive culture that believes absolutely in equality and opportunity for all. We don't just accommodate differences; we embrace and celebrate them.

• 17% Superannuation + salary packaging options
• Flexible working arrangements
• Wide range of professional development activities and services
• We embrace diversity and promote equity and inclusion for all students and staff

Our Commitment to Reconciliation and Indigenous Employment

Flinders University is proud to be an organisation that is committed to our Reconciliation Action Plan and Indigenous Workforce Strategy. Our vision is to be a preferred employer for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. We are committed to progressing Indigenous advancement in education, research, employment, and wellbeing, and strongly encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples for all Flinders vacancies.

Flinders University will require a current completed Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check and Gender Based Violence Declaration which is satisfactory to the University. The contract of Employment is conditional upon the receipt of these completed compliance checks. A disclosable outcome will not automatically disqualify a candidate from consideration. Each case will be assessed on its individual merits and relevance to the inherent requirements of the role.

National Police Check - Australian Federal Police, Working With Children Check - Government of South Australia

Applications to be submitted before 10.00pm:

At Flinders we embrace and celebrate diversity and encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and people of all ages, ethnicities, abilities, sexual orientations, and gender identities.