R&D Contracts Lead – CTAs & CDAs

Connect Life Sciences; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Connect Life Sciences in San Francisco is seeking an experienced Contracts Manager II to support the Legal Department's R&D contracting team. You will draft, review, and negotiate a broad range of research and development agreements and serve as a trusted partner to Clinical Development, Clinical Operations, Medical Affairs, Regulatory Affairs and Research.

The role requires independent work, strong drafting skills, business judgment, and the ability to provide practical risk-based advice while

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent required.
• Advanced degree (JD, or other relevant graduate degree) preferred.
• 3–10 years of experience negotiating and managing life sciences agreements.
• Experience supporting clinical development, research, pharmaceutical, biotechnology, CRO, or healthcare organizations preferred.
• Demonstrated experience negotiating complex research and clinical trial-related agreements.
• Experience collaborating with R&D, clinical operations, procurement, and legal stakeholders.
• Strong understanding of CTAs, CDAs, vendor agreements, data rights, IP provisions, publication rights, indemnification, confidentiality, and regulatory compliance.

Responsibilities

• Draft, review, negotiate, and manage a broad range of R&D agreements, including CTAs, CDAs, consulting, MSAs, SOWs, IIS, MTAs, and DUAs.
• Provide practical legal and contracting guidance regarding obligations and risk mitigation.
• Identify contractual, legal, operational, and compliance risks and communicate solutions to decision-makers.
• Partner with Clinical Development, Clinical Operations, Medical Affairs, Regulatory Affairs, Research, Procurement, and Finance to facilitate contract execution.
• Develop and maintain contracting templates, negotiation playbooks, and SOPs.
• Advise and support other Contracts Managers on negotiation strategy and contract interpretation.
• Contribute to continuous improvement efforts to enhance contracting processes and systems.

Skills

Contract drafting

Negotiation

Risk assessment

Communication

Relationship management

Organizational skills

Attention to detail

Legal writing

Education

Bachelor's degree

JD or advanced degree

Tools

Contract management system

Agiloft

Job description

Connect Life Sciences in San Francisco is seeking an experienced Contracts Manager II to support the Legal Department's R&D contracting team. You will draft, review, and negotiate a broad range of research and development agreements and serve as a trusted partner to Clinical Development, Clinical Operations, Medical Affairs, Regulatory Affairs and Research.

The role requires independent work, strong drafting skills, business judgment, and the ability to provide practical risk-based advice while