Director - Agreements

About St. Jude
There’s a reason St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital consistently earns a Glassdoor Employee Choice Award and is named to its "Best Place to Work" list. At our world-class pediatric research hospital, every one of our professionals shares our commitment to make a difference in the lives of the children we serve. There is a unique bond when you are part of a team that gives their all to advance the treatments and cures of pediatric catastrophic diseases. The result is a collaborative, positive environment where everyone, regardless of their role, receives the resources, support, and encouragement to advance and grow their careers.

Job Overview
The Director - Agreements role will play a critical role in supporting our innovation-driven mission by drafting, reviewing, and negotiating a wide range of agreements related to intellectual property (IP), research collaborations, and the commercialization of cutting-edge technologies.

This position may be eligible for remote work. However, St. Jude requires all remote employees to:
-Travel to our Memphis campus for the interview process and/or orientation, if selected.
-Travel to Memphis to work on-site for one week per quarter, or as requested based on business needs, if hired.

Job Responsibilities:

• Draft, review, and negotiate a variety of contracts, including technology license agreements, material transfer agreements (MTAs), nondisclosure agreements (NDAs), sponsored research agreements, collaboration agreements, and other IP-related documents.
• Advise internal stakeholders on legal risks, obligations, and best practices related to technology transfer and commercialization activities.
• Support technology transfer operations by ensuring compliance with relevant laws, regulations, and institutional policies (e.g., Bayh-Dole Act, export control, GDPR, etc.).
• Collaborate with inventors, researchers, business development, and external partners to facilitate the protection and commercialization of intellectual property.
• Conduct due diligence for potential licensing, partnership, and commercialization opportunities.
• Provide guidance on IP strategy, including patent, copyright, and trademark matters as they pertain to technology transactions.
• Develop and deliver training sessions for staff and faculty on contract processes, IP rights, and compliance topics.
• Stay abreast of legal developments and trends in technology transfer, IP law, and commercialization.

Minimum Education and/or Training:

• Bachelor’s degree required.
• Advanced degree, JD, Master’s or PhD in life sciences, engineering or business, preferred.

Minimum Experience:

• Nine (9) years experience required with a Bachelor’s degree.
• Seven (7) years experience required with Master’s/PhD.
• Five (5) years experience required with JD.
• Demonstrated expertise in drafting and negotiating complex IP-related agreements.
• Proven background/work history in life sciences mergers and acquisitions, asset purchase transactions, and licensing transactions.
• Experience with university, government, or industry research environments is a plus.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced, innovation-driven environment.

Compensation

In recognition of certain U.S. state and municipal pay transparency laws, St. Jude is including a reasonable estimate of the compensation range for this role. This is an estimate offered in good faith and a specific salary offer takes into account factors that are considered in making compensation decisions including but not limited to skill sets, experience and training, licensure and certifications, and other business and organizational needs. It is not typical for an individual to be hired at or near the top of the salary range and compensation decisions are dependent on the facts and circumstances of each case. A reasonable estimate of the current salary range is $160,160 - $329,680 per year for the role of Director - Agreements.

Explore our exceptional benefits!

No Search Firms

St. Jude Children's Research Hospital does not accept unsolicited assistance from search firms for employment opportunities. Please do not call or email. All resumes submitted by search firms to any employee or other representative at St. Jude via email, the internet or in any form and/or method without a valid written search agreement in place and approved by HR will result in no fee being paid in the event the candidate is hired by St. Jude.