Job Description Summary:
University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR) is accepting applications for a Chief Legal Officer (CLO). This position will provide critical strategic and tactical legal guidance to our leadership on topics spanning sponsored research, employment law, export control, and contract law. Ultimately, the CLO enables organizational success in providing legal and regulatory direction that helps further UCAR’s mission of “advancing research and training in Earth system science.”
UCAR is a dynamic community-driven enterprise that supports the critical research of the National Center for Atmospheric Research. Our workplace is filled with people who embody our mission to lead world-class science. We are looking for a leader who will contribute to a welcoming, inclusive, and high-performing culture. Join our team!
Position Details:
Visa Sponsored Job:
No
Relocation Assistance Eligible:
Yes
Job Location:
Boulder, Colorado
Position Type & Term:
Full time, Regular
$292,702 - $325,000
*Final salary and rates are based on education, experience, and skills relevant to the role.*
Application Notes
Application Deadline: This position will be posted until July 5. Applications will not be accepted past this date.
Required application materials (preferably in PDF Format):
Resume
Cover Letter - Please address how your skills and experience meet the needs of this position (for more information, please refer to the Key Responsibilities and Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities sections of this job posting).
Questionnaire (to be completed within the application) - Candidates will be asked to respond to the following prompts:
This position will require the successful candidate to be licensed to practice law in the State of Colorado. Are you a member in good standing of the Colorado Bar or are you eligible to be?
Briefly describe your experience with the following: FFRDC, National Lab, or Public Research University, Employment Law, Sponsored Research, Export Control.
This role is hybrid, and based in Boulder CO. Do you currently reside or plan to move within transit distance of this location?
Inclusion Statement (for those selected to interview) - Select candidates will be asked to (1) provide their approach to building a psychologically safe environment, (2) describe metrics used for assessing this, and (3) examples of where they were responsible for building diverse, equitable, and inclusive environments on projects and programs.
Background checks are conducted for candidates selected for hire.
Learn more.
Work Location: This position is open to candidates seeking hybrid work opportunities. There will be an expectation of some weekly work days on-site in Boulder, CO. Regardless of flexible work arrangements, UCAR requires ALL positions to be performed within the U.S., excluding U.S. Territories.
What You Will Do
Here is a summary of what is generally expected of this role.
Key Responsibilities
Organizational Leadership
Responsible for all the legal affairs of the corporation, including directing the activities of outside counsel as appropriate to ensure constructive, efficient, and cost-effective outcomes.
Anticipate and identify legal issues of concern to senior management and develop strategies and solutions, often in situations of great financial, political, and/or public relations risk or significance and with limited time for assessing alternatives.
Report to the Board of Trustees Chair as needed with the ability to maintain independence and confidentiality with high regard for ethics.
Chief Legal Counsel
Manage staff in the Office of General Counsel (OGC) and Export Compliance, including decisions relating to hiring, firing, promoting, conducting annual performance reviews, staff development, and training, and determining future departmental staffing requirements.
Make critical decisions regarding the level of risk the corporation can assume related to legal, contractual, insurance, and export issues that have potential impacts on the organization of the magnitude of tens of millions of dollars or more.
Determine when litigation, contractual/legal liabilities, and risks are acceptable to UCAR on multi-million dollar domestic and international research programs.
Who We'd Love To Join Our Team
Successful candidates will ensure their application materials speak to the following criteria:
Education & Experience
J.D. Degree, a bachelor’s degree in business, science, or technical field;
15 years of experience in corporate, business, IP, and employment law;
Or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
An ideal candidate will have experience in an academic and/or research environment and with government contracting, corporate governance, litigation, intellectual property, technology transfer, employment, ethics, export, and research security compliance in a university, nonprofit, or high technology research environment.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
Excellent skill in building and leading teams with the ability to influence others to perform in the corporation’s best interest.
Ability to work with the President, BOT, and Senior Management in a manner that creates trust.
Advanced knowledge of government contracts, government ethics, regulations, corporate contracts, and contract law, and a demonstrated ability to apply such knowledge to solve a broad range of legal and contractual issues.
Ability to provide expert legal advice on a wide variety of general business issues and balance business requirements in a scientific/academic environment.
Advanced knowledge of U.S. and foreign patent, trademark, and copyright laws and government licensing and disclosure requirements.
Advanced knowledge of export laws and regulations
Advances knowledge of corporate governance, Robert's Rules of Order, Colorado nonprofit law, tax-exempt IRS regulations
Ability to analyze non-technical aspects of field projects in order to evaluate risk (domestic and foreign)
Demonstrated ability to manage a staff of professionals in a team environment.
Skill in the evaluation and planning for risk and loss prevention and in formulating effective plans to mitigate risk.
Knowledge of insurance practices and principles in a corporate setting and ability to evaluate the capabilities of insurance consultants.
Advanced skills in oral and written communications and in dealing effectively with a wide range of people at the upper levels of an organization.
Ability to make oral presentations on complex business issues and interact successfully with a wide range of scientific and administrative staff, management personnel, executives, and board members.
Demonstrated ability to work independently and exercise sound business judgment, work under tight time schedules and upper management job pressures, handle confidential and sensitive information with discretions, and understand policy-level issues with sensitivity to organizational culture and external political nuances.
Skill in the use of business software, with the ability to self-prepare legal and other business documents.
Highest level of ethics and ability to handle confidential and sensitive legal and business information with discretion.
Benefits Overview
UCAR affirms its commitment to employees through
competitive benefits
. In addition to medical, dental, vision, retirement, and life insurance, UCAR offers a variety of programs focused on work-life balance and professional, and personal development. These include:
Tuition Assistance, time off allowance to attend classes, and other professional development opportunities
UCAR contributes 10% of your eligible pay into your retirement account; 100% fully vested on day one
Starting minimum accrual of 20 days of personal time off each year (prorated for less than full-time positions)
10 paid holidays
10 days of sick leave each year
12 weeks of paid parental leave
Short-term medical leave paid at 100% of your regular salary
EcoPass for local Colorado residents to use the Denver and Boulder-area transit system at no cost
Commitment to Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
Our organization is committed to creating a diverse, equitable, and inclusive work environment and fostering a culture where everyone feels welcome and supported. To learn more about these efforts, visit the
Office of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Strategic Plan
and our
Diversity & Inclusion: A Welcoming Workplace
site.
Research shows that women and people of color are less likely to apply for a position if they do not meet almost 100% of the desired skills and experience. Please note this is not necessary! If you meet the minimum requirements and have a passion for the work, you are encouraged to apply. We can provide on-the-job training for the rest!
Commitment to Job Application Fairness
Applicants are not required to provide age or age-related information and may redact information related to age, date of birth, or dates of attendance at or graduation from an educational institution from any submissions during the initial application process.
Some Final Considerations
At UCAR|NCAR|UCP, you will work alongside a dedicated team of professionals conducting critical research and community outreach to solve complex Earth system science problems including climate change, air pollution, extreme weather, floods, drought, wildfires, and space weather, all with the goal of improving human life and reducing economic loss. Each of us, from scientists to the professionals who support their work, serves the public and a collaborative community of scientists in our mission to understand the complex processes that make up the Earth system, from the ocean floor to the Sun’s core.
Flexible Work
At UCAR, we are committed to supporting our mission by giving staff the flexibility to find the schedule and location that works best to maintain their own work-life circumstances and reach their full potential as professionals. Many positions within our organization are eligible for fully on-site, hybrid, fully-remote and/or flexible work schedules.
Equal Opportunity Employer
UCAR is committed to providing equal opportunity for all employees and applicants for employment and does not discriminate on the basis of race, age, creed, color, religion, national origin or ancestry, sex, gender, disability, veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or pregnancy. Whatever your intersection of identities, you are welcome at UCAR.
Export Control
All positions are required to comply with U.S. export compliance regulations work location requirements regarding access to facilities and research systems.
Visa Wait Times
Please consider the length of visa procurement when applying for this posting, understanding that you will not be able to begin employment until you are able to get a visa and enter the U.S.
