Contract Specialist
Institute for Systems Biology (ISB), Seattle, WA, United States
The Institute for Systems Biology (ISB) is creating the future of health. ISB scientists make breakthrough discoveries in cancer, health, chronic and infectious disease, and environmental issues. The Contracts Specialist is part of the Innovation team that works to expand our reach through contracts and commercialization.
Essential Duties
Develop, optimize, and document enterprise-level contract management processes to ensure efficient execution, accurate archiving, and alignment with institutional priorities.
Serve as the organization's subject matter expert on contractual rights, obligations, and risk mitigation, providing clear interpretation and guidance to internal stakeholders, including principal investigators.
Prepare, review, negotiate, and execute a broad range of agreements—including nondisclosure agreements, material transfer agreements, research collaboration agreements, data use agreements, subawards, and license agreements—while fostering effective collaboration with investigators and external partners.
Proactively address contract-related questions, amendments, and scope changes, ensuring clarity and compliance throughout the research lifecycle.
Maintain and optimize research administration systems, ensuring up-to-date functionality, seamless rollout of updates, and maximum operational efficiency.
Lead the governance, administration, and continuous improvement of the iEdison system, overseeing user access controls, system performance monitoring, data integrity, compliance requirements, and change management processes; establish and manage error notification protocols, incident response workflows, escalation procedures, root cause analysis, and post-incident reporting to ensure system reliability, regulatory compliance, and minimal operational disruption.
Assist with grants, contracts, and external partnerships, promoting consistent processes and compliance with applicable requirements.
Required Education, Skills & Experience
Two (2) or more years of work experience as a paralegal or contracts specialist or equivalent training and experience
Proven competency in written communications, contracts, and proposals
Ability to learn and operate business systems (e.g. iEdison)
Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to work effectively with a diverse population and range of personalities
Ability to prioritize competing work demands and deadlines
All ISB staff members are expected to have baseline technical skills and the ability to communicate effectively and appropriately over email, the intranet/forum, etc. Employees should be able to use Word, Excel, Outlook and PowerPoint at a functional level.
Preferred Qualifications
Certificate or degree in contracts management, law, or paralegal studies
Experience working in a research environment
Project management experience
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Essential Duties
Develop, optimize, and document enterprise-level contract management processes to ensure efficient execution, accurate archiving, and alignment with institutional priorities.
Serve as the organization's subject matter expert on contractual rights, obligations, and risk mitigation, providing clear interpretation and guidance to internal stakeholders, including principal investigators.
Prepare, review, negotiate, and execute a broad range of agreements—including nondisclosure agreements, material transfer agreements, research collaboration agreements, data use agreements, subawards, and license agreements—while fostering effective collaboration with investigators and external partners.
Proactively address contract-related questions, amendments, and scope changes, ensuring clarity and compliance throughout the research lifecycle.
Maintain and optimize research administration systems, ensuring up-to-date functionality, seamless rollout of updates, and maximum operational efficiency.
Lead the governance, administration, and continuous improvement of the iEdison system, overseeing user access controls, system performance monitoring, data integrity, compliance requirements, and change management processes; establish and manage error notification protocols, incident response workflows, escalation procedures, root cause analysis, and post-incident reporting to ensure system reliability, regulatory compliance, and minimal operational disruption.
Assist with grants, contracts, and external partnerships, promoting consistent processes and compliance with applicable requirements.
Required Education, Skills & Experience
Two (2) or more years of work experience as a paralegal or contracts specialist or equivalent training and experience
Proven competency in written communications, contracts, and proposals
Ability to learn and operate business systems (e.g. iEdison)
Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to work effectively with a diverse population and range of personalities
Ability to prioritize competing work demands and deadlines
All ISB staff members are expected to have baseline technical skills and the ability to communicate effectively and appropriately over email, the intranet/forum, etc. Employees should be able to use Word, Excel, Outlook and PowerPoint at a functional level.
Preferred Qualifications
Certificate or degree in contracts management, law, or paralegal studies
Experience working in a research environment
Project management experience
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