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Counsel, R&D and Commercial Contracts

JustiaNew York, NYApril 11th, 2026
Job Overview We are seeking a Counsel, Contracts and Legal Affairs (Director level) to join our legal team and lead high impact contracting matters across R&D, commercial operations, market access and G&A functions as we prepare to launch our first commercial product. This is a hands-on role for an experienced in-house attorney who enjoys ownership, cross-functional partnership, and operating in a fast moving, scaling organization. Location Hybrid in our New York City office. (eventually will be NJ office location) Reports to VP, Associate General Counsel. Roles and Responsibilities Draft, review, and negotiate complex R&D and clinical development agreements, including: Clinical trial agreements (CTAs) CRO, CDMO, and other strategic vendor agreements Research collaboration and services agreements Draft, review, and negotiate commercial contracting agreements, including: Commercial vendor and services agreements Supply, manufacturing, distribution, and logistics agreements Support negotiation of payer and market access agreements, including managed care, reimbursement, and innovative contracting models (where applicable) Advise business partners on contractual risk, deal structure, and practical solutions aligned with company strategy Help build and scale contracting processes, templates, and negotiation playbooks Partner cross-functionally with clinical, commercial, market access, finance, and compliance teams Candidate Profile JD from an accredited law school and active bar membership in at least one U.S. jurisdiction Typically 3-5+ years of legal experience, with meaningful in-house experience in the pharmaceutical or biotechnology industry strongly preferred or relevant law firm experience supporting life sciences clients, with exposure to in-house-style responsibilities Significant experience negotiating R&D and clinical development contracts Commercial vendor and operational agreements Payer or market access–related agreements Other vendor agreements Strong understanding of the legal and compliance considerations facing emerging commercial-stage life sciences companies Proven ability to lead matters independently and exercise sound judgment Business-oriented mindset with excellent communication and stakeholder management skills The ideal candidate should have the following characteristics Legal smarts, analytic rigor, business sense, and a strong work ethic Ability to operate independently and work cross-functionally with various teams across the organization Excellent interpersonal communication skills and exemplary attention to detail Likes finding solutions to complex problems and works well under pressure Strong written and oral communication (including analysis, interpretation, & reasoning) and organizational skills (project management) Flexible, with excellent ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously Believes in holding themselves and others accountable Nice to Have Experience supporting a clinical to commercial transition or first product launch Exposure to market access, reimbursement, or payer contracting strategy Experience building scalable contracting frameworks in a growing organization Why Join our Legal team Play a leadership role at a company approaching a major commercialization milestone Work closely with senior stakeholders across development and commercial team Make a meaningful impact in a lean, collaborative legal environment Compensation Base salary per annum: $200,000 – $260,000 USD. Benefits & Compensation For an overview of our benefits package and compensation information, please visit "Working at Compass". Equal Opportunities We are proud of our commitment to diversity and equality (pursuant to the Equality Act 2010). We do not discriminate based upon race, religion or belief, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin, gender, pregnancy or maternity, marital or civil partner status, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, age or disability. (UK applicants) Compass Pathways is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All employment decisions are based on business needs, job requirements, and individual qualifications, without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, and related medical conditions), ethnicity, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, military service, genetic information, familial or marital status, or any other status, category, or characteristic protected by applicable law. (US applicants) Reasonable Accommodation We are committed to building a workplace where everyone's wellbeing matters. If you need reasonable accommodation during the interview process to be at your best, please let our recruiting team know. Sponsorship Unfortunately, we cannot sponsor employment visas and can only accept applications if you have employment rights in the country to which you are applying. Data Privacy All data is confidential and protected by all legal and data privacy requirements, please see our recruitment Privacy Notice to learn more about how we process personal data. J-18808-Ljbffr