We are Europes flagship research laboratory for the life sciencesan intergovernmental institution performing scientific research in disciplines including molecular biology, physics, chemistry and computer science. We are an international, innovative and interdisciplinary laboratory with approx. 2000 employees from many nations, operating across six sites, in Heidelberg (HQ), Barcelona, Hinxton near Cambridge, Hamburg, Grenoble and Rome. Legal Services is part of EMBLs Administration and Operations reporting to the Chief Operating Officer, with lawyers based in Headquarters in Heidelberg (Germany) and in Hinxton, near Cambridge (UK) at EMBLs European Bioinformatics Institute (EBI), which is a world-leading bioinformatics centre providing biological data to the scientific community. We have overall responsibility for all legal matters involving EMBL. Given EMBLs status as an International Organisation, its operation is governed by the rules of Public International Law. EMBL offers and maintains a vibrant, cooperative, team-oriented and open working atmosphere, and Legal Services is a diverse team of different nationalities and gender. We are now looking for a Legal Officer who can draft, review, negotiate and advise on a wide variety of agreements including those for the procurement of goods and services. Given EMBLs dynamic nature, coupled with its unique status, the EMBL lawyers often need to be creative, think outside of the box and deal with the unusual; this makes for an interesting and varied caseload. EMBL has a successful history in identifying and obtaining external funds to further its research activities. The current external grant income to EMBL is in excess of 70 million per annum and in 2023 we had 474 collaborative grants. In the UK, major funders include the European Commission, the US National Institutes of Health, UK Research and Innovation councils, Wellcome, and other charitable organisations (e.g., Chan Zuckerberg Initiative and Cancer Research UK). In this role you will also draft, review and negotiate agreements related to research grants, related consortia and collaboration agreements and whilst its important that you can demonstrate a keen interest in this area, we are willing to provide training to the right candidate, on this aspect of your role, if necessary. We support hybrid working and whilst we are recruiting for a full-time post, we may consider part time (minimum 4 days per week) for the right candidate. If you dont meet all of the requirements but you meet most of them and are interested, we still encourage you to apply. Your roleYou will be part of EMBL Legal Services under the local remit and guidance of the EMBL-EBI Principal Legal Officer based in Hinxton, near Cambridge in the UK, who you will report to. Main duties and responsibilities include: Drafting, reviewing, negotiating and advising on a wide variety of agreements including those for the procurement of goods and services including IT related contracts and those relating to external grant funding and research collaborations (we are willing to provide training on the latter if necessary)Day-to-day legal advisory to internal stakeholders on a wide variety of sometimes complex mattersYou are expected to work collaboratively and effectively with various stakeholders, both at Headquarters and locally; these include scientific clients and scientific service teams, Grants Office, Procurement, Technology Transfer/IP, Data Protection and ComplianceYou will have the opportunity to contribute to the development and improvement of processesYou may be required to travel to Heidelberg, Germany from time to time to ensure alignment with the Legal Services team members based in HQYou will be provided with training and support to understand relevant processes, tools, systems and EMBLs status as an intergovernmental organisation.You have We anticipate that you will have a minimum of 5 years relevant experience post-qualification;A law degree (or equivalent such as the PGDL in the UK ), and are qualified to practice (although current bar or similar admission is not required);The ability to deal with the unusual. A keen sense for developing practical solutions and problem solving, whilst ensuring risks are mitigated to an appropriate level is key;Demonstrated ability to work effectively independently, but you know when you need to escalate matters;We expect that you will have solid commercial contracts experience, gained either in-house or in private practice, ideally supporting the procurement of goods and services including IT contracts;Excellent legal drafting skills;Fluency in English, including excellent legal review and writing;Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to effectively communicate and manage relationships with a range of internal stakeholders;Strong analytical skills and proficiency in legal research;Ability to handle different legal matters in parallel;Tact, discretion, and the ability to work harmoniously in a multi-cultural environment.You may also have An LLM or other relevant advanced degree (e.g. PhD);Some corporate or governance experience;Relevant expertise gained in a scientific environment;Prior International Organisation experience;Fluency in other languages which are relevant to EMBLs work (German and French as EMBLs other two official languages, or Spanish or Italian).Apply now! Benefits and Contract Information Financial incentives:depending on circumstances, monthly family/marriage allowance of 272 monthly child allowance of 328 per child. Non resident allowance up to 556per month. Annual salary review, pension scheme, death benefit, long-term care, accident-at-work and unemployment insurancesHybrid working arrangementsPrivate medical insurancefor you and your immediate family (including all prescriptions and generous dental & optical cover)Generous time off: 30 days annual leave per year, in addition to eight bank holidaysRelocation packageincluding installation grant (as applicable)Campus life:Free shuttle bus to and from work, on-site library, subsidised on-site gym and cafeteria, casual dress code, extensive sports and social club activities (on campus and remotely)Family benefits:On-site nursery, child sick leave, generous parental leave, holiday clubs on campus and monthly family and child allowancesContract duration:This position is a 3 year contractrenewable up to 9 yearsSalary:Monthly salary from 3612 to4111 after tax but excl. pension & insurances) + benefits (Total package will be dependent on family circumstances)International applicants:We recruit internationally and successful candidates are offered visa exemptions. Read more on our page for international applicants.Diversity and inclusion:At EMBL-EBI, we strongly believe that inclusive and diverse teams benefit from higher levels of innovation and creative thought. We encourage applications from women, LGBTQ+ and individuals from all nationalities.Job location:This role is based in Hinxton, near Cambridge, UK. You will be required to relocate if you are based overseas and you will receive a generous relocation package to support you.To apply, please submit a covering letter and CV via our online system. Applications will close on15/05/2025.TPBN1_UKTJ
Job Title
Legal Officer