Research Contracts Officer

Based in the Research and Innovation Services Unit at the Mawson Lakes campus
- Full-time, continuing position
- Commencement Salary: $84,539 per annum (plus 17% superannuation)

**About the Role**

The Contract Establishment Officer supports the Manager Contracts Establishment to expedite and streamline the review, administration, management and processing of legal agreements for research at UniSA. The position is responsible for efficiently and effectively preparing, reviewing, negotiating, and arranging execution of research agreements.

The position is responsible for advising UniSA to enable satisfaction of its contractual responsibilities, particularly in relation to requirements of research funders, and that its exposure to risk is minimised by ensuring research contract provisions are consistent with UniSA's policies, standards, applicable legislative framework, and approach to risk management.

**About UniSA**

The University of South Australia is Australia’s University of Enterprise. Our culture of innovation is anchored around global and national links to academic, research and industry partners. Our graduates are the new urban professionals, global citizens at ease with the world and ready to create and respond to change. Our research is inventive and adventurous and we create new knowledge that is central to global economic and social prosperity.

**Research and Innovation Services** (RIS) provides support for the management of research, and administers sponsored research projects, along with contract research and consultancy agreements. It is also responsible for ensuring the responsible and ethical conduct of research, and for developing and implementing strategic initiatives to improve the quality of the experience and outcomes for postgraduate research students.

The **Contracts Establishment Team** provides strategic, legal and operational support to the Director, RIS and RIS senior management to support the core functions of RIS in support of responsible, compliant and ethical conduct of research. The team works closely with researchers and stakeholders in the preparation, review, negotiation, and execution (in accordance with the University’s delegation framework) of various types of research contracts, including both standard form contracts and bespoke research agreements.

**Core Responsibilities**
- Provide expedient strategic review, interpretation, advice and guidance on research agreements and research funding agreements, legislation and regulations relating to research projects and contract activity including reviewing terms and conditions aligned to the University’s framework
- Manage standard and non-standard research agreements from initial negotiation with external partners to execution and notification, including drafting clauses or agreements to suit the particular needs of a research project where this may be required or to ensure compliance with obligations to a funding body or partner
- Ensure appropriate and full approvals are in place before proceeding to finalisation, including confirming with researchers and other relevant stakeholders that research project level information is complete and correct (e.g., in schedules to agreements), and researchers have a full understanding of the contractual milestones, deliverables, and other obligations
- Proactively liaise with other professional service areas of the University to ensure the efficient, compliant, and effective negotiation and administration of research contracts and briefings to the signatory, and to obtain complex specialist or legal advice where it may be required
- Liaise and negotiate with granting agencies, partner research organisations, industry partners and researchers

**Essential Skills and Experience
- A tertiary law degree or recognised legal, paralegal, or business qualifications and demonstrated relevant experience, training, education, and expertise in legal review and advice, drafting, negotiating, administering, and advising on contracts within the tertiary education or research sector, or in a commercial or government environment
- A good working knowledge of contract law and commercial contracting with demonstrated ability to critique legal documents and provide feedback to key stakeholders such as professional, administrative, legal, and academic staff across the research ecosystem
- Demonstrated ability to interpret funding rules and guidelines when managing research grant or research funding related agreements, with an ability understand and identify key risk issues or considerations in the research context
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills with experience in drafting or negotiating bespoke research agreements or contractual terms for some of the University’s research funders/partners

**Benefits**

Getting a great job working with the best is just the start. UniSA rewards its staff with a wide variety of benefits such as:

- Access to great personal development opp