Contract Specialist

Socket.dev; Novi (MI); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Kistler Instrument Corporation is seeking a Contract Specialist for North America in Novi, MI. This role leads contract drafting, negotiation, and CLM, ensuring regulatory compliance and risk management across Sales, Quality, Engineering, Finance, HR, ICT and HS&E.

You will partner with global legal teams and external counsel, maintain clause libraries, and oversee license compliance and contract lifecycle milestones to support business growth in North America.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Law, Business, or related field.
• Preferred Master’s Degree.
• Preferred DFARS and ITAR experience.
• 3+years’ progressive experience in contract drafting/negotiation and compliance.
• Legal background on the US and economics.
• Demonstrated success coordinating cross‑functional teams and influencing without authority.
• Proficiency with CLM or document‑management software.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication; ability to translate legal nuance into operational language.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary legal and compliance contact for Kistler North America.
• Draft, review, negotiate, and manage a broad range of legal documents including customer agreements, NDAs, legal entity addendums, compliance agreements, procurement/vendor and third-party contracts, partnership agreements, and policy documentation.
• Maintenance of the contract database and the Legal AI Contract Review System.
• Interpret legal and regulatory language to guide internal teams in mitigating risk and ensuring compliance with corporate governance and applicable laws.
• Own all aspects of contract lifecycle management (CLM): ensure contracts are accurately recorded, tracked, and maintained; obligations, renewals, close-outs, and risk milestone management.
• Maintain clause libraries, deviation logs, and elevate critical legal or compliance risks to internal stakeholders and corporate leadership.
• Conduct quarterly legal risk reviews; support non-financial audits, investigations, and internal issue resolution.
• Monitor regulatory and compliance trends across the region and provide advisory support to leadership.
• Represent North America in legal, compliance, and contract initiatives within Kistler Group.
• Cooperation with Global Legal and external lawyers / consultants.
• Maintain and renew business licenses, coordinate with relevant departments.
• Supports the completion of government reports and registrations for North American corporate entities (New York, California, Michigan and Canada).
• Supporting special projects (BABA)

Skills

Contract drafting/negotiation

Compliance awareness

Cross-functional coordination

Document-management software

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Law, Business, or related field

Master’s degree (preferred)

Tools

CLM software

Job description

Join Kistler – A Global Leader in Measurement Technology!

At Kistler, we’re revolutionizing industries with our cutting-edge dynamic measurement technology, helping customers optimize products and processes. From automobile development to smart factories, our Swiss-designed sensor solutions are driving the future of electrified drive technology, industrial automation, and emission reduction.

Purpose of the Position

Contract Specialist, North America

supports legal and non-financial compliance across the organization. This role is responsible for coordinating and finalizing customer legal requests (contracts, NDAs, POs) by coordinating with internal stakeholders in Sales, Quality, Engineering, Finance, HR, ICT (Cyber Security) and HS&E (Health, Safety and Environment).

This role delivers comprehensive legal guidance and end-to-end contract lifecycle management (CLM) for North America, ensuring alignment with regulatory, safety, and quality standards. Acting as a collaborative partner to Sales, Engineering, and Operations, the position manages relationships with external legal resources and the Corporate Legal Group to minimize risk and uphold organizational compliance and integrity.

Main Tasks

Legal & Compliance – Full Ownership

• Serve as the primary legal and compliance contact for Kistler North America.
• Draft, review, negotiate, and manage a broad range of legal documents including customer agreements, NDAs, legal entity addendums, compliance agreements, procurement/vendor and third-party contracts, partnership agreements, and policy documentation.
• Maintenance of the contract database and the Legal AI Contract Review System.
• Interpret legal and regulatory language to guide internal teams in mitigating risk and ensuring compliance with corporate governance and applicable laws.
• Own all aspects of contract lifecycle management (CLM): ensure contracts are accurately recorded, tracked, and maintained; obligations, renewals, close-outs, and risk milestone management.
• Maintain clause libraries, deviation logs, and elevate critical legal or compliance risks to internal stakeholders and corporate leadership.
• Conduct quarterly legal risk reviews; support non-financial audits, investigations, and internal issue resolution.
• Monitor regulatory and compliance trends across the region and provide advisory support to leadership.
• Represent North America in legal, compliance, and contract initiatives within Kistler Group.
• Cooperation with Global Legal and external lawyers / consultants.
• Maintain and renew business licenses, coordinate with relevant departments.
• Supports the completion of government reports and registrations for North American corporate entities (New York, California, Michigan and Canada).
• Supporting special projects (BABA)

Quality Management System (ISO) Support (Novi, MI)

• Support for local quality meetings in alignment with ISO standards

• Facility Safety Compliance Support (Novi,MI)
• Serve as the site safety compliance lead; aligning procedures with OSHA & MiOSHA requirements.
• Ownership of completing annual HSE surveys.
• Conduct quarterly facility walkthroughs and toolbox talks.
• Maintain OSHA/MiOSHA-aligned documentation and drive corrective actions as needed.
• Ensure contractor safety agreements and on-site visitor protocols are documented, communicated, and enforced.

Requirements Profile

• Bachelor’s degree in Law, Business, or related field.
• Preferred Master’s Degree.
• Preferred DFARS and ITAR experience.
• 3+years’ progressive experience in contract drafting/negotiation and compliance.
• Legal background on the US and economics.
• Demonstrated success coordinating cross‑functional teams and influencing without authority.
• Proficiency with CLM or document‑management software.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication; ability to translate legal nuance into operational language.

Why Kistler?

At Kistler, we value your expertise and offer opportunities for professional growth in a global environment. Our competitive benefits package includes:

• Medical, dental, vision, life, and disability coverage
• 401(k) plan with a 4% company match
• Generous personal and vacation time

Join a team that’s shaping the future of measurement technology. We look forward to meeting you!

Kistler Instrument Corporation is an Equal Opportunity Employer.