Associate Counsel/Associate General Counsel

Schrödinger; New York (NY); On-site; USD 180,000 - 260,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Healthcare including dental and vision

401k

Flexible work schedule

Parental leave program

Company-sponsored meals

Over a month of paid vacation

Fun company-wide events

Job summary

Schrödinger is looking for an Associate Counsel to join its team in New York. This role involves drafting and negotiating commercial agreements and providing legal guidance on data privacy and cybersecurity matters.

The ideal candidate will have a JD and at least seven years of relevant experience, excelling in a collaborative environment. Schrödinger offers a competitive salary and diverse perks, contributing to a supportive workplace culture recognized in various best places to work lists.

Qualifications

• Minimum seven years of relevant legal experience.
• Substantial experience drafting and negotiating commercial transactions.
• Working knowledge of data privacy and cybersecurity laws.

Responsibilities

• Draft, review, and negotiate various agreements.
• Provide legal guidance to sales teams.
• Manage legal risk and ensure compliance.
• Develop training programs for cross-functional teams.
• Monitor legal developments relevant to the business.

Skills

Strategic problem-solving

Excellent communication

Team collaboration

Negotiation skills

Data privacy knowledge

Cybersecurity understanding

AI-related legal knowledge

Education

JD from an accredited law school

Job description

We’re seeking an Associate Counsel/Associate General Counsel to join us in our mission to transform the discovery of therapeutics and materials.

Schrödinger has pioneered a physics-based software platform that enables discovery of high-quality, novel molecules for drug development and materials applications more rapidly and at lower cost compared to traditional methods. The software platform is used by biopharmaceutical and industrial companies, academic institutions, and government laboratories around the world. Our multidisciplinary drug discovery team also leverages the software platform to advance collaborative programs and its own pipeline of novel therapeutics to address unmet medical needs.

Who Will Love This Job

• A strategic problem-solver with sound judgement who can balance legal risk against business objectives
• An excellent verbal and written communicator who can translate complex concepts for non-legal audiences
• A team player who enjoys collaborating with cross-functional teams and can proficiently manage multiple priorities

What You’ll Do

• Draft, review, and negotiate a wide range of commercial and technology agreements, including enterprise SaaS, software license, services, partner, vendor, and confidentiality agreements
• Provide the sales teams and other internal partners with clear and actionable guidance on commercial legal issues
• Advise on data privacy, cybersecurity, and AI-related issues in commercial transactions, including GDPR and cross-border data transfer
• Manage legal risk and ensure compliance with relevant laws and regulations, while maintaining a pragmatic, solution-oriented approach that enables the business to achieve corporate goals
• Build, refine, and scale legal templates, playbooks, policies, and contracting workflows to improve speed and consistency
• Develop and deliver training programs for cross-functional teams on legal topics, risk management, and contract best practices
• Proactively monitor legal, regulatory, and industry developments relevant to SaaS, AI/ML, software licensing, and data privacy, and communicate practical implications to the business
• Effectively collaborate with cross-functional teams (sales, business, compliance, and finance) to support business objectives and ensure alignment on corporate risk tolerance
• As needed, support broader legal team projects related to corporate governance, regulatory compliance, and other strategic legal matters.

What You Should Have

• JD from an accredited law school and active membership in good standing with at least one US state bar, or eligibility to practice as in-house counsel
• At least seven years of relevant legal experience, with substantial experience drafting, reviewing, and negotiating commercial and technology transactions, including SaaS, software licensing, vendor, partner, and confidentiality agreements
• Working knowledge of laws, regulations, and best practices related to data privacy, cybersecurity, intellectual property, and open source licensing issues relevant to technology and software transactions

We’d Like To Hire Someone Who Has

• Drafted and negotiated complex enterprise SaaS or software licensing agreements, using both standard templates and bespoke contractual frameworks
• Worked with intellectual property and commercial licensing issues related to AI technologies, including machine learning, data usage, information security, data privacy, and responsible AI commitments
• Built or improved contracting processes at scale, including contract intake workflows, approval matrices, template libraries, fallback positions, negotiation playbooks, and sales enablement training
• Navigated cross-border contracting complexities, particularly within the EU and UK
• In-house experience in technology or SaaS environments

Pay And Perks

Schrödinger understands it’s people that make a company great. Because of this, we’re prepared to offer a competitive salary, equity-based compensation, and a wide range of benefits that include healthcare (with dental and vision), a 401k, pre‑tax commuter benefits, a flexible work schedule, and a parental leave program. We have regular catered meals in the office, a company culture that is relaxed but engaged, and over a month of paid vacation time. Our Office Management team also plans a myriad of fun company‑wide events. New York is home to our largest office, but we have teams all over the world. Schrödinger is honored to have been included in Crain’s New York Best Places to Work, BuiltIn’s NYC Best Place to Work, and Newsweek’s list of America’s 100 Most Loved Workplaces.

Estimated base salary range: $180,000 - $260,000. Actual compensation package is dependent on a number of factors, including, for example, experience, education, degrees held, market data, and business needs. If you have any questions regarding the compensation for this role, do not hesitate to reach out to a member of our Strategic Growth team.

As an equal opportunity employer, Schrödinger hires outstanding individuals into every position in the company. People who work with us have a high degree of engagement, a commitment to working effectively in teams, and a passion for the company’s mission. We place the highest value on creating a safe environment where our employees can grow and contribute, and refuse to discriminate on the basis of race, color, religious belief, sex, age, disability, national origin, alienage or citizenship status, marital status, partnership status, caregiver status, sexual and reproductive health decisions, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, or any other protected characteristic. To us, "diversity" isn't just a buzzword, but an important element of our core principles and key business practices. We believe that diverse companies innovate better and think more creatively than homogenous ones because they take into account a wide range of viewpoints. For us, greater diversity doesn't mean better headlines or public images – it means increased adaptability and profitability.