Senior Sponsored Contracts Negotiator (Remote)

University of Michigan; Ann Arbor (MI); Hybrid; USD 85,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of Michigan seeks an experienced Contracts Officer to draft, negotiate, and accept complex sponsored project contracts and related agreements. You will review terms, ensure compliance with FAR, and balance sponsor needs with the university's interests.

Under the Office of Research and Sponsored Projects, you will work with PI teams and central offices to secure approvals, manage risk, and maintain sponsor relations through effective negotiations and clear communications.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• U.S. Citizenship or Lawful Permanent Resident Status: ORSP deals with export controlled information, the handling of which is regulated by the U.S. Federal Government and access to which is restricted to U.S. Citizens and Lawful Permanent Residents.
• Experience negotiating contracts and agreements.
• Transactional legal experience drafting and redlining contracts and agreements.
• Two or more years of experience negotiating government, industry, and non-profit agreements and contracts

Responsibilities

• Draft various complex contracts, subcontracts, and other legal documents.
• Negotiate terms and conditions for industry basic, applied and development research contracts, master research agreements, clinical research agreements, clinical trial agreements, subcontract agreements for sponsored projects, service agreements, and other award instruments and related agreements.
• Accept contracts and awards exercising appropriate delegated signatory authority.
• Develop knowledge base of Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) and analyze proposed agreements to determine whether clauses in the prime agreement should properly flow down to U-M and, if not, negotiate such revisions or waivers with the other party.
• Conduct comprehensive analyses of provisions regarding intellectual property ownership and licensing, publication and confidentiality, liability, indemnification, warranty, export control, choice of law, scope of work, deliverables, and budgeting.
• Conduct negotiations to ensure an appropriate balance between the needs of the sponsor with those of the PI and the University. Clearly and concisely, convey University positions and the rationale for these positions to sponsors while working to maintain good sponsor relations.
• Identify issues during research negotiations in which U-M's position and/or goals diverge from the sponsoring entity, work with manager, as appropriate, to favorably resolve those issues, and assist with alerting more senior management when resolution is not able to be reached in a timely manner or when there are issues that are broad-based or potentially applicable to or problematic in other situations.
• Solicit input from principal investigators and other central administrative offices, such as Research Information Security, Export Controls, IRB, IACUC, Innovation Partnerships, General Counsel, and Risk Management as appropriate.
• Advise principal investigators and their staff of unusual or problematic terms, coordinate plans of action and keep informed of the negotiation process.
• Work with Sponsored Project Officers, central offices, and Project Team to ensure that each sponsored project has the appropriate University approvals for human subject research, animal use, and if applicable, indirect cost waivers prior to execution.

Skills

Negotiation skills

Contract negotiation

Legal drafting

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent

Juris Doctor (J.D.) preferred

Tools

eRA Commons

Research.gov

Proposal Central

Job description

The University of Michigan seeks an experienced Contracts Officer to draft, negotiate, and accept complex sponsored project contracts and related agreements. You will review terms, ensure compliance with FAR, and balance sponsor needs with the university's interests.

Under the Office of Research and Sponsored Projects, you will work with PI teams and central offices to secure approvals, manage risk, and maintain sponsor relations through effective negotiations and clear communications.