Solicitor

Cambridge University Hospitals (CUH) NHS Foundation Trust; Cambridge; Hybrid; GBP 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading NHS Foundation Trust in the UK is looking for a UK qualified solicitor to join their R&D legal team. This position focuses on oncology-related research, ensuring legal compliance while supporting the new Cancer Research Hospital. Responsibilities include providing legal services, advising on contracts, and negotiating agreements. Candidates should possess a post-graduate legal diploma and significant experience. The role offers a supportive environment with flexible arrangements, competitive pay, and various benefits to promote a good work-life balance.

Benefits

On-site leisure facilities

Discounted bus travel

Flexible working arrangements

Qualifications

• A practising solicitor with significant post qualification experience.
• Excellent knowledge of contract law.
• Willingness to learn about the healthcare system and clinical research.

Responsibilities

• Provide a dedicated professional legal service within R&D.
• Advise on the legal aspects of contracts for research.
• Support negotiation and drafting of research agreements.

Skills

Negotiating skills

Interpretation of complex legal documents

Excellent interpersonal skills

Ability to work under pressure

Analytical and problem-solving skills

Education

Post graduate diploma in legal practice or SQE

UK qualified solicitor

Tools

Microsoft Office suite

Job description

Overview

We are seeking a UK qualified solicitor to join the R&D legal team. This is an exciting opportunity to contribute to cutting-edge research and ensure robust legal compliance. The post-holder will focus primarily on oncology matters, supporting research at a pivotal time with the forthcoming new Cancer Research Hospital.

The Research and Development (R&D) Department manages numerous research applications each month for the set-up of research studies, the majority of which require contractual arrangements. The R&D legal team employs currently 2.5 WTE Solicitor Consultants and 2 Contracts Managers, working alongside 17 governance team members, including data governance specialists.

Main duties of the job

Key responsibilities:

• Provide a dedicated professional legal service within R&D.
• Offer expert advice to team members and researchers and liaise with partner and external organisations.
• Advise on the legal aspects of contracts relating to research involving the NIHR Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre hosted by the Trust.
• Support the negotiation and drafting of research related agreements ensuring compliance with relevant legislation and Trust policies.

Working for our organisation

Our Trust

Cambridge University Hospitals (CUH) NHS Foundation Trust comprises Addenbrooke’s Hospital and the Rosie Hospital in Cambridge. With over 13,000 staff and over 1100 beds the priorities of the Trust focus on a quality service which is all about people – patients, staff and partners. Recognised as providing ‘outstanding’ care to our patients and rated ‘Good’ overall by the Care Quality Commissioner, is testament to the skill and dedication of the people who work here. CUH’s values – Together - Safe, Kind, Excellent – are at the heart of patient care, defining the way all staff work and behave. The Trust provides accessible high-quality healthcare for the local people of Cambridge, together with specialist services, dealing with rare or complex conditions for a regional, national and international population.

CUH is committed to promoting a diverse and inclusive community - a place where we can all be ourselves. We value our differences and fully advocate and support an inclusive working environment where every individual can fulfil their potential. We want to ensure our people are truly representative of all the communities that we serve. We welcome applications for all positions in the organisation irrespective of people’s age, disability, ethnicity, race, nationality, gender identity, sex, sexual orientation, religion or belief, marriage and civil partnership status, or pregnancy and maternity status or social economic background.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Please see the attached Applicant Information Pack (combined Job Description and Person Specification) for key duties and responsibilities.

Due to Home Office immigration rules, a full time permanent vacancy cannot be filled by individuals on a Student visa. Therefore, please be advised that if you are a Student visa holder, we will not be able to offer you a full time permanent contract unless you have:

• applied for a Graduate visa
• or you will have successfully completed your course and have applied for a Graduate visa before the anticipated start date of your employment

• or the Trust has agreed that they will Sponsor you as a Skilled Worker and you will complete your studies within 3 months of the anticipated start date of employment

The advert will close at midnight on 12 February 2026.

Interviews are due to be held in the week commencing 23 February 2026.

Benefits to you

At Cambridge University Hospitals, we want to do all we can to support good working days. We offer development opportunities and a wide range of benefits, including on-site leisure facilities, shopping concourse and day nurseries. Our good work programme currently includes providing reduced cost Stagecoach bus travel to and from Cambridge University Hospital site. Park and Ride bus journeys between Babraham Road and Trumpington sites are free, as is the route to and from Cambridge train station and our hospitals. We also subsidise the cost of parking on site for eligible staff.

On CUH campus, hot food is available 24/7 and at a reduced cost for colleagues. Recently we launched the first of our staff pod break spaces. Located in the Deakin Centre, we have a purpose-created colleague-only café, with free tea and coffee, a break space and private outside area for colleagues to rest, refuel and recharge. Just one of the ways we are working hard to support good working days at CUH.

CUH is committed to assisting employees in achieving a good work-life balance irrespective of role or personal circumstances. Flexible arrangements may include, but are not limited to, part-time working, job-share, term-time working and flexible start and finish times.

Please note if you would like to discuss the required hours of this role further, you should approach the contact given. In some cases, alternative working hours will be considered.

We welcome applications from the Armed Forces.

Person specification

Qualifications

• UK qualified solicitor
• With post graduate diploma in legal practice, SQE or equivalent

Experience

• A practising solicitor with significant post qualification experience

Desirable criteria

• Background of studying or working in life sciences
• Experience of working with external research partners and commercial organisations
• Experience drafting standardised legal templates and guidance

Knowledge

• Excellent knowledge of contract law
• Excellent knowledge of Data Protection legislation and ICO guidance

Desirable criteria

• Experience of commercial contracts
• Working knowledge of procurement law
• Familiarity with the administration of clinical trials and studies
• A demonstrable understanding of NIHR Biomedical Research Centres
• Project management
• An understanding of the healthcare system or a willingness to learn about the healthcare system and clinical research within the NHS
• Awareness of emerging legal issues in AI and digital technologies in research
• Knowledge of intellectual property law and commercialisation in research

Skills

• Negotiating skills
• Interpretation of complex legal documents
• Excellent interpersonal skills - ability to communicate effectively with different stakeholders
• Ability to work under pressure balancing conflicting workloads, including a range of tasks, to tight deadlines whilst maintaining accuracy and attention to detail
• Ability to use Microsoft Office suite
• Highly motivated, committed and effective team member able to take lead on areas responsible for
• Analytical and problem-solving skills
• Proven ability to influence at the highest level

Desirable criteria

• Proven ability to advise on, lead and implement policy and policy changes at a local and national level
• Ability to deliver training and guidance on legal and governance matters

Additional Requirements

• The ability to understand and behave at all times, towards patients, visitors and colleagues according to the Trust values of Safe, Kind, Excellent.