Head of Research Contracts

Research Support Office

The Royal Veterinary College is the UK’s largest and longest-established independent vet school. As a world leading specialist veterinary and biological science research institution, the RVC brings together talented individuals; all of whom share a passion for human and animal health and welfare. 

We are seeking a motivated and qualified candidate with an excellent track record in research contract drafting and negotiation to join our Research and Innovation Office. Leading a small team and working closely with academic colleagues, the post-holder will play a critical role in managing risk within our research and innovation portfolio, and in providing specialist contracting advice across a range of transactions.  The role will include supporting our academic staff through the delivery of an effective service that reviews, drafts and negotiates a range of research and commercial agreements in biological science, veterinary medicine / science and allied disciplines and fields.

The post-holder will have opportunities to play an important role in the further development of policies and processes related to the RVC research and innovation portfolio, and will work with relevant colleagues to agree mitigation strategies for identified risks at project and strategic levels. The post-holder will have a good awareness of compliance and third-party due diligence, specifically as it pertains to research and innovation collaborations.

This role is likely to appeal to candidates with experience of service delivery within a university or comparable research contracts office, and who are motivated by developing the service and their team. A comprehensive knowledge of research and innovation contracts with an appreciation of issues relating to intellectual property, publication, indemnity and liability is essential, alongside excellent communication skills.

For an informal discussion about the role, please contact Claire Bensusan at cbensusan@rvc.ac.uk