Contract Negotiator II

Texas A&M Agrilife Research; College Station (TX); On-site; USD 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health, dental, vision insurance

12–15 annual holidays

Paid sick leave

Retirement plan

Job summary

Texas A&M AgriLife Research seeks a Contract Negotiator II to draft, review, and negotiate terms of complex agreements. You will collaborate with legal, procurement, and investigators to ensure compliance and minimize risk. A Bachelor’s degree is required; a J.D.

is preferred, with experience in university/research contracting. This on-site role emphasizes independent drafting, stakeholder guidance, and managing multiple negotiations concurrently while navigating university policies and

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required; J.D. preferred in a university/research environment.
• Ability to review, understand, and revise business and research agreements.
• Strong written and verbal communication; independent drafting without forms.
• Experience negotiating contracts with multiple stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Draft, review, edit, and negotiate terms of non-sponsored and sponsored contracts.
• Explain contract clauses, assess risks, and advise stakeholders to resolve issues.
• Coordinate document management, tracking, and reporting for contract files.
• Manage multiple files and priorities in a deadline-driven environment.

Skills

Contract drafting

Contract review

Negotiation

Communication skills

Multitasking

Education

Bachelor’s degree

J.D. degree

Tools

Microsoft Word

Outlook

Laserfiche

Maestro

Job description

Job Title

Contract Negotiator II

Proposed Minimum Salary

Commensurate

Job Location

College Station, Texas

Job Type

Staff

Position Information

Responsibilities:

• I. Contract review, analysis, drafting, and negotiation: The Contract Negotiator II (“CN”) responsibilities include (1) independently draft, review, edit, and negotiate terms of non-sponsored agreements including non-disclosures/confidentiality, MOA/MOU’s, material transfers, interagency and intrasystem, hotel/facility rental, service contracts and purchasing terms and conditions; (2) independently draft, review, edit, and negotiate terms of sponsored research agreements; (3) ensure that contracts negotiated are in compliance with all laws, policies and guidelines, escalating appropriate issues to management and/or legal counsel; (4) correspond with vendors, sponsors and agency personnel as needed for contract processing including explaining effects of contract clauses, risks associated with and the legal effects of contract clauses; and (5) assist with administrative tasks such as document management, tracking, storing, and reporting as related to contract files being handled. CN must have ability to (1) analyze contractual language and draft alternative language as needed without supervision; (2) draft contracts/contractual language as needed without the use of forms; (3) issue spot areas of risk and provide potential solutions; (4) assess and formulate questions for stakeholders to gather factual information necessary for contract drafting, editing, and/or negotiation (5) provide guidance to investigators, administration, and/or management on resolving issues that prevent completion of agreements; (6) manage multiple files and negotiations during the same timeframe; and (7) multitask and prioritize assignments.

Communications and customer service

CN works collaboratively with all levels of Contracts Office, Procurement, Administration, Office of General Counsel, System Real Estate Office, Office of Technology Commercialization, and Sponsored Research Services as appropriate. CN must have ability to (1) communicate effectively with all stakeholders to gather relevant facts for accurate contract revision or drafting and to facilitate and understand desired outcomes; and (2) provide guidance to administration and/or management on resolving issues that increase risk to the agency or prevent completion of agreements. Other duties as required.

Required Education and Experience

Bachelor’s degree

Two years of business-related contract experience.

Preferred Education and Experience

J.D. degree; legal education or experience.

Experience related to contracting in a university/research environment.

Experience in sponsored research contract negotiation or administration.

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Ability to review, understand, and revise business agreements and research related agreements.
• Ability to draft contracts and contract terms as necessary without use of forms or supervision.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills and ability to communicate effectively.
• Ability to negotiate contract terms resulting in a compromise.
• Strong customer service and interpersonal skills.
• Capable of working independently and as a team member.
• Ability to effectively manage competing priorities and deadline-intensive, high-volume workload.
• Excellent organizational, time management, and analytical skills.
• Detail oriented with excellent proof-reading skills.
• Proficient in Microsoft Word and Outlook.
• Ability to learn electronic document management systems.
• Ability to multi-task and work cooperatively with others.

Preferred Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Knowledge of contract language and terms.
• Knowledge and experience with Sponsored Research contracts.
• Knowledge and experience with University/State Agency contracts.
• Knowledge and experience in business contracting and administration.
• Knowledge and experience with Microsoft Access, Adobe Acrobat, Laserfiche and Maestro software.

Additional Information

This position is prohibited from providing Legal Services which are the exclusive responsibility of the Office of General Counsel.

Flexible Work Arrangements

This position requires an on-site presence and is not fully remote. Flexible work schedules and limited partially remote work options may be available, depending on the nature of the role and employee eligibility, in accordance with AgriLife Alternate Work Location Procedures. Remote work arrangements are limited to Texas-based locations only.

Sponsorship

This position is not eligible for employment visa sponsorship. Applicants must be authorized to work in the United States and must not require sponsorship now or in the future.

Important Notice Regarding H1-B Sponsorship

Your employment at Texas A&M AgriLife may require nonimmigrant sponsorship. A Presidential proclamation issued on September 19, 2025, imposes a $100,000 fee on new H-1B petitions filed after September 21, 2025. Texas A&M AgriLife will NOT pay this fee. If the fee is imposed on your petition, this offer of employment will be revoked. If actions taken during your employment result in the imposition of this fee, your employment will be terminated. To the extent that this statement conflicts with any applicable System or member Policy, Regulation, or Rule, this statement will control. We recommend that you consult with your private immigration counsel at your own expense regarding potential implications. In addition, on January 27, 2026, Texas Governor Abbott issued a moratorium on the filing of any new H-1B unless approved by the Texas Workforce Commission. Accordingly, if you will now or in the future require sponsorship for employment visa status this moratorium may affect our ability to employ you should you be selected as the final candidate.

Benefits and Leave

• Health, dental, vision, life and long-term disability insurance (AgriLife contributes to premiums)
• 12–15 annual paid holidays
• Up to 8 hours/month sick leave and at least 8 hours/month vacation
• Automatic enrollment in the Teacher Retirement System of Texas Employee Wellness Initiative
• Access to ongoing professional development and training through Aspire, LinkedIn Learning, and internally developed programs

All positions are security-sensitive. Applicants are subject to a criminal history investigation, and employment is contingent upon the institution’s verification of credentials and/or other information required by the institution’s procedures, including the completion of the criminal history check.

Equal Opportunity/Veterans/Disability Employer

The Texas A&M University System is one of the largest systems of higher education in the nation, with a statewide network of twelve universities, eight state agencies, a comprehensive health science center, Texas A&M-Fort Worth and Texas A&M-RELLIS. The A&M System is committed to providing an educational and work environment that is conducive to the personal and professional development of each employee. Each member institution provides equal opportunity and access to all students, employees and prospective employees. External Applicants - Applicants not currently employed by a Texas A&M System member may Search Postings and apply for positions within one or more A&M System members by selecting the job posting. Internal Applicants - This site lists job postings throughout The Texas A&M University System. It is intended for applicants not currently employed by a member of the system. Current employees should apply for jobs on the Internal Career site. The Texas A&M System is an Equal Opportunity/ Veterans/ Disability Employer.