ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
 

Job Duties

• Leads drafting and reviewing complex, high risk, and high-profile contracts with various companies, stakeholders and agencies while coordinating with staff.
• Provides guidance, assistance, and training to staff and team members within OTD as necessary for implementation and negotiation of contracts for:
  • Confidentiality / Non-Disclosure Agreements (CDAs/NDAs)
  • Material & Data Transfer Agreements (MTAs/DTAs/DURCs, DUAs/NDAs for data)
  • Inter-Institutional Agreements (IIAs) and Consortium/Participation Agreements
  • Patented Intellectual Property (IP) Agreements: options, evaluation agreements, license agreements (exclusive/non-exclusive, field‑limited), software licenses, end-user licenses, background IP/access rights
  • Sponsored Research / Collaboration Agreements and unfunded research/collaboration MOUs
  • SBIR/STTR subawards and related research commercialization agreements
  • Clinical/Translational research support agreements (where TTO touchpoints exist)
  • Industry-university master agreements and template side letters
  • Revenue distribution, assignment, and royalty administration addenda (in coordination with Finance/OTL Ops)
• Leads the development of processes and procedures, including process improvement, for the area of expertise related to overall contract drafting and management activities.
• Monitors status of contracts for completion; ensures contracts move through the process from negotiated intake to execution in a timely manner.
• Drafts internal and external correspondence related to contracting activities.
• Accurately spots issues, interprets complex contract terms and conditions, and engages attorneys in the Office of Legal Affairs and UT System OGC as the offices point of contact, as needed.
• Applies extensive knowledge of the entire contracting lifecycle to meet business needs.
• Creates and implements KPIs on contracts team performance.
• Drafts, negotiates and completes revenue generating contracts
• Acts as the Point of Contact for COI, Legal Affairs, and UT System OGC offices
• Partner closely with General Counsel (for legal interpretation and negotiation strategy) and Sponsored Programs (for research agreements interfacing with IP/industry).
• Model proactive ownership and high emotional intelligence; especially when mediating between faculty urgency, industry timelines, and public-institution constraints.
• Crisp, respectful communication that defuses conflict and builds trust across faculty, counsel, and industry counterparts.
• High situational awareness; knowing when to escalate, when to offer a fallback, and how to maintain momentum without negotiating
• Performs other duties as needed.

 

Education and Experience
 

 

• Education
  Juris Doctor (JD) degree from an accredited law school
   

• Experience
  4 years of experience in a legal environment or in general business with primary responsibility for reviewing, drafting, analyzing, and negotiating complex contracts.
   

• Experience
  Life Science contracting or Venture Capital contracting.

   

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Work requires advanced knowledge of contract law, legal risk assessment, and compliance principles.
• Work requires strong negotiation, analytical, and critical thinking skills.
• Work requires excellent written and verbal communication abilities.
• Work requires proven ability to manage multiple priorities, lead complex matters, and collaborate with senior stakeholders.
• Work requires proficiency with contract management systems and standard business software (Word, Excel, etc.).
• Work requires good organizational skills.
• Work requires clear written and oral communication skills.
• Work requires analytical and critical thinking skills
• Work requires working knowledge of spreadsheets and word-processing software.

 

• Working Conditions
  Office Setting
   

• P-Problem Solving: Employees take ownership in solving problems effectively, efficiently, and to the satisfaction of customers, or managers. They show initiative in addressing areas of concern before they become problems.
• A-Ability, Attitude and Accountability: Employees exhibit ability to perform their job and conduct themselves in a professional and positive manner reflecting a professional environment readily assuming obligations in a dependable and reliable manner.
• C-Communication, Contribution, and Collaboration: Who are our Customers? Anyone who requests our help, needs our work product, or receives our services. Employees focus on customer service with creative solutions while improving the customer experience through clear, courteous, and timely delivery and communication. Sharing ideas with others helps expand our contribution to department goals.
• T-Teamwork: Employees work to contribute to the department’s success by supporting co-workers, promoting excellence in work product and customer service, and in maintaining a satisfying, caring environment for each other.

Salary
Salary Negotiable

This position is security-sensitive and subject to Texas Education Code 51.215, which authorizes UT Southwestern to obtain criminal history record information.
 

UT Southwestern Medical Center is committed to an educational and working environment that provides equal opportunity to all members of the University community. As an equal opportunity employer, UT Southwestern prohibits unlawful discrimination, including discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, disability, genetic information, citizenship status, or veteran status.