Research Contract and Operations Associate

Beth Israel Lahey Health•Boston, MA

About The Position

The Research Contract and Operations Associate supports routine research contracting and coordinates activities that improve the organization, efficiency, and responsiveness of the Sponsored Programs Contracting Office (SPC). Reporting to the Associate Director, Sponsored Programs Contracting Office, the role generates, reviews, and negotiates amendments and standard agreements using established templates and institutional guidance, escalating complex issues as appropriate. The associate collaborates with investigators, research administrators, institutional offices, and external partners to support timely review and execution of agreements. The role also supports office operations by organizing workflows, tracking priorities and agreement progress, collecting and analyzing operational data, maintaining templates and records, and developing or updating procedures and workflow resources. It identifies bottlenecks and opportunities to streamline processes, coordinates follow-up on pending agreements, and helps implement and track process improvements. The associate serves as a resource on contracting procedures, documentation requirements, and agreement status.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree.
1–3 years of related work experience; this may include 1–2 years of direct research administration duties involving pre-award and post-award management of grants and contracts.
Ability to manage a varied caseload with minimal supervision, exercise strong judgment, and apply appropriate legal principles and Medical Center policies and practices to specific legal issues.
Ability to work as a member of an interdisciplinary team.
Strong organization and time-management skills, including the ability to multitask while remaining detail-oriented in a highly time-sensitive environment.
Outstanding verbal and written communication skills demonstrated in a legal, university, or academic medical center setting.
Advanced skills with Microsoft applications, which may include Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, or Access, and other web-based applications.
Ability to produce complex documents, perform analysis, and maintain databases.

Nice To Haves

Knowledge of contract law, legal terms and conditions, and FAR and OMB Circulars related to sponsored research.
Experience drafting, reviewing, and negotiating research-related terms and conditions with universities, academic medical centers, for-profit and nonprofit organizations, and foreign entities.

Responsibilities

Review, prepare, and negotiate routine amendments and other standard research agreements within assigned authority and established institutional guidance.
Refer complex terms and exceptions to the Associate Director, an associated SPC team member, or the appropriate institutional office.
Coordinate agreement processing from intake through execution, ensuring required information, acceptable terms, supporting documents, approvals, and signatures are obtained and accurately recorded.
Support the Associate Director in organizing daily office workflows, tracking priorities, and identifying requests requiring additional attention or escalation.
Monitor pending agreements, identify causes of delay, report outcomes, and follow up with SPC.
Work with counterparties to resolve outstanding items and advance contracts toward completion.
Collect and maintain operational data on contract volume, status, turnaround times, and reasons for delays.
Prepare reports to help assess workload, identify bottlenecks, and prioritize improvements.
Document, develop, and update standard operating procedures, workflow guides, and related resources.
Maintain agreement templates and standard language in coordination with the Associate Director and appropriate institutional reviewers.
Evaluate contracting processes and recommend practical improvements to reduce unnecessary steps, improve handoffs, and strengthen communication.
Support implementation of process improvements and track results.
Maintain accurate contracting records and tracking systems to support reliable reporting and visibility into agreement status.
Serve as a resource for investigators, research administrators, and institutional partners regarding contracting procedures, documentation requirements, and agreement status.