Contracts and Agreements Officer

The Office of Sponsored Programs at Cornell University seeks a Contracts and Agreements Officer (Grant Contract Officer II) to join its Industry Team. This new position will play a key role in facilitating research collaboration by reviewing, drafting, and negotiating complex incoming non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) and material transfer agreements (MTAs). The successful candidate will manage a high-volume workload with minimal supervision, possess strong attention to detail and sound judgment, and communicate effectively with faculty, staff, legal counsel, and external partners.

The Opportunity

As Contracts and Agreements Officer, you will focus on NDAs and MTAs that relate to research collaborations and industry partnerships. You will ensure these agreements protect the university's interests, comply with relevant policies and regulations, and support the exchange of information and materials that are vital to advancing academic research. Reporting to the Associate Director of the Industry Team, you will add your contracting experience and strong customer service orientation to a team of highly dedicated research administration professionals. In addition to your OSP colleagues, you regularly will interact with faculty, academic department administrators, sponsoring agencies, private industry leaders, and colleagues in Cornell's Center for Technology Licensing, Office of General Counsel, and Office of Research Integrity & Assurance.

As part of the Cornell community, you will help foster a culture of belonging and a healthy work environment by communicating across differences; being cooperative, collaborative, open, and welcoming; showing respect, compassion, and empathy; engaging and supporting others regardless of background or perspective; speaking up when others are being excluded or treated inappropriately; and supporting work/life integration of oneself and others.

Duties will include:

• Serving as the primary point of contact for negotiating NDA and MTA terms with corporate and non-profit partners, collaborators and institutions.
• Coordinating with Cornell's Center for Technology Licensing on NDAs related to Cornell proprietary information.
• Coordinating with faculty, researchers, legal counsel, and administrative staff to ensure that agreement terms align with institutional policies, legal and regulatory requirements, and project objectives.
• Identifying and addressing compliance issues, including intellectual property rights, publication rights, export control, and use of proprietary materials.
• Providing guidance and training to faculty and staff on best practices for information and material sharing agreements.
• Tracking agreement status, monitoring deadlines, and ensuring timely execution and renewal of contracts as well as maintaining accurate records within an electronic system.
• Collaborating with other offices to resolve complex or high-risk terms.
• Staying current on relevant laws, regulations, and trends in academic research and contract management.
• Assisting in implementation of best practices for agreement tracking, template use, and continuous improvement.

What We Need
Send us a cover letter and resume outlining your interest in this position and explaining how your experience and qualifications match the position requirements. Your letter is an important component of your application.

When evaluating your candidacy, we will look for evidence of the following:

• Bachelor's degree and 3-5 years of experience in contract review and negotiation, preferably in a university, research environment, or legal setting; or an equivalent combination of education and relevant experience.
• Knowledge of legal and regulatory requirements related to NDAs, MTAs, and research agreements (e.g., Bayh-Dole Act, export control laws, etc.).
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Detail-oriented with excellent organizational and analytical abilities.
• Ability to manage multiple agreements concurrently and work effectively with a variety of stakeholders.
• Ability to cultivate and develop inclusive working relationships with students, faculty, staff, and community members.

Additionally, although not required, we would like to see evidence of:

• JD, master's degree in a related field, or a paralegal certification.

About Us

The Office of Sponsored Programs (OSP) oversees the administration of sponsored programs at Cornell University, including sponsored research, instruction, and extension. OSP is part of Cornell Research & Innovation.

Cornell Research & Innovation creates an environment that unifies and advances Cornell's scholarship, research, and discovery through state-of-the-art facilities, domain expertise, and partnership to enable innovation and impact. We leverage external funding and partnerships, enable interdisciplinary research, and ensure regulatory compliance. We collaborate to successfully translate and commercialize research through large and small companies, including startups launched by our entrepreneurial faculty, staff, and students.

Rewards and Benefits

• Cornell receives national recognition as an award-winning workplace for our health, wellbeing, and sustainability. This position is eligible for a hybrid work arrangement. The university reserves the right to modify, suspend, revoke or terminate the hybrid work arrangement at any time.
• Our benefits programs include comprehensive health care options, generous retirement contributions, access to wellness programs, and employee discounts with local and national retail brands. We invite you to follow this link to get more information about our benefits: Understand Your Benefits | Working at Cornell.
• Our leave provisions include health and personal leave, three weeks of vacation and 13 holidays: Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and the day after, and an end of the year winter break from December 25-January 1. To offer greater flexibility for observing faiths and traditions, we also offer two additional floating holidays. Learn more about our generous leave provisions: Holiday and Accrued Time Off | Working at Cornell.
• Cornell's impressive educational benefits include tuition-free Extramural Study and Employee Degree Program, tuition aid for external education, and Cornell Children's Tuition Assistance Program. Learn more about our extensive educational benefits: Education Benefits | Working at Cornell.
• Follow this link to learn more about the Total Rewards of Working at Cornell: Total Rewards | Working at Cornell.

Visa sponsorship is not available for this position.

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