Associate Director, Research Contracts

UAE nationals are encouraged to apply.

New York University Abu Dhabi (NYUAD) seeks to appoint an Associate Director, Research Contracts, reporting to the Director, Pre-Award & Research.

The Associate Director of Research Contracts assumes a pivotal role within the Research Administration & Services Office, reporting to the Director of Research Administration & Services. The Associate Director of Research Contracts is responsible for leading the research contracts function, including the management, comprehensive review, and negotiation of research grants and contracts, ensuring their alignment with the university's objectives and policies. This entails providing faculty and leadership with specialized legal and business advisory services tailored to research agreements, offering strategic direction to facilitate informed decision-making processes.

Key Responsibilities:

• Draft, review, and negotiate a variety of research-related agreements (e.g. award terms, subawards, collaborations agreements, NDA’s, MTAs) on behalf of the University in collaboration with sponsors and collaborators
• Conduct thorough analyses of research grants and agreements received for negotiation or execution, methodically examining each agreement to identify and mitigate potential risks, liabilities, or discrepancies against University policies and standards
• Collaborate and offer expert advisory and legal support to faculty and research staff, guiding and assisting with navigating complex contractual provisions, and support for research initiatives and sponsored activities. By offering tailored solutions and strategic advice, contribute to the success and growth of the university's research endeavors, whilst ensuring consistency and alignment with internal policies and industry best practices
• Maintain a curated reference library of research contracts, ensuring accessibility and accuracy for compliance and reporting purposes
• Other Duties

Required Education:

• Law Degree - either LLM or JD

Required Experience:

• 7 + Years in research university environment in contract management, drafting and negotiations of terms and conditions or an equivalent combination of education and experience

• Extensive experience and expertise in negotiating diverse research-related agreements, encompassing grants, collaboration agreements, subawards, and non-disclosure agreements (NDA's), with a range of sponsors, including industry, foundations, and other research stakeholders

• Strong knowledge of university research management fundamentals, including US federal Uniform Guidance
• Strong communication skills, both verbal and written and analytical skills
• Ability to meet deadlines, work under pressure and understand and respond to the needs of a wide range of divergent interests
• Exercise good judgment, manage disparate tasks, and exhibit a pleasant attitude in a busy environment

NYU Abu Dhabi is a degree-granting research university with a fully integrated liberal arts and science undergraduate program in the Arts, Sciences, Social Sciences, Humanities, and Engineering. NYU Abu Dhabi, NYU New York, and NYU Shanghai, form the backbone of NYU’s global network university, an interconnected network of portal campuses and academic centers across six continents that enable seamless international mobility of students and faculty in their pursuit of academic and scholarly activity. This global university represents a transformative shift in higher education, one in which the intellectual and creative endeavors of academia are shaped and examined through an international and multicultural perspective. As a major intellectual hub at the crossroads of the Arab world, NYUAD serves as a center for scholarly thought, advanced research, knowledge creation, and sharing, through its academic, research, and creative activities.