Remote-Ready Research Contract Specialist (Non-Funded)

SRA International; Amherst (MA); Hybrid; USD 70,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

SRA International in Amherst, MA seeks a Research Contract Specialist (Non-Funded Agreements) to draft, review, and negotiate non-funded research agreements with external partners, ensuring alignment with university policies and regulatory requirements.

The role provides guidance to faculty and staff on contractual and compliance considerations, manages clause libraries and templates, and supports risk assessment and lifecycle recordkeeping for agreements.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree.
• Over three (3) years of relevant experience in research administration or contract administration.
• Experience reviewing and negotiating NDAs, MTAs, DUAs, or similar agreements.
• Working knowledge of contract principles (liability, indemnification, IP, confidentiality) and federal regulations (Uniform Guidance).
• Strong analytical and risk assessment skills.
• Ability to interpret policies and apply them to agreements and communicate complex terms to non‑legal audiences.
• Experience using administrative or contract tracking systems.
• Strong organizational and time management skills.

Responsibilities

• Drafts, reviews, redlines, and independently negotiates a broad range of non-funded research‑related agreements with external entities, including industry partners, academic institutions, foundations, and non‑profits, such as NDAs, MTAs, DUAs, and collaboration agreements, assessing terms for acceptability and recommending revisions or alternative language as needed.
• Develops, uses, and maintains a clause library consisting of language of approved exceptions, explanations, and policies. Maintains and improves standard agreement templates, ensuring they remain aligned with evolving University policies and regulatory requirements.
• Identifies and addresses intellectual property considerations embedded in MTAs, DUAs, NDAs, and other research agreements, ensuring appropriate rights and protections for University researchers.
• Uses knowledge of intellectual property rights to advise researchers and administrators on implications of agreement language for data rights, confidentiality, publication, and ownership.
• Maintains a high level of familiarity with university research‑relevant laws and regulations. Ensures all agreements comply with federal and state laws, regulations (e.g., Uniform Guidance), and University policies and procedures. Performs risk assessments to identify and mitigate potential legal, financial, regulatory, and operational risks to the University and its Principal Investigators (PIs) and communicate those to research administration leadership.
• Serves as a primary contact for PIs and department/college administrators, providing guidance on contractual requirements for all non-funded agreements, including interpreting terms and conditions as well as advising on operational implications and internal University policies.
• Utilizes electronic research administration systems to track, document, and manage the lifecycle of agreements from initial review to execution and closeout, supporting accurate recordkeeping for audit and compliance purposes.
• Coordinates with other university offices to ensure all necessary approvals and compliance checks are completed and incorporates outcomes of specialized compliance reviews into final agreement terms.

Skills

Contract negotiation

Risk assessment

Policy interpretation

Non-legal communication

Contract tracking systems

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Kuali

Job description

SRA International in Amherst, MA seeks a Research Contract Specialist (Non-Funded Agreements) to draft, review, and negotiate non-funded research agreements with external partners, ensuring alignment with university policies and regulatory requirements.

The role provides guidance to faculty and staff on contractual and compliance considerations, manages clause libraries and templates, and supports risk assessment and lifecycle recordkeeping for agreements.