Associate Attorney

Job description

XPRIZE Overview

XPRIZE is an established global leader in designing and executing large-scale competitions to solve humanity’s greatest challenges. As a 501©3, our unique model democratizes innovation by incentivizing crowd-sourced, scientifically viable solutions to create a more equitable and abundant future for all.  Since our founding in 1994, we’ve awarded over $300M in prize purses, inspired thousands of global innovators, and collaborated with the most forward-thinking changemakers of our time. We operate across 7 areas of impact, including:

• Climate & Energy
• Biodiversity & Conservation
• Food, Water & Waste
• Quantum & Deep Tech
• Space & Exploration
• Learning, Innovation & Society
• Health

Join XPRIZE to help empower humanity to achieve breakthroughs and architect a more equitable and abundant future for all.

Position Description

The Associate Attorney will be responsible for drafting, reviewing, and managing a high volume of contracts, ensuring compliance, and streamlining our legal processes. This individual will play a key role in structuring and maintaining agreements with sponsors, competing teams, vendors, and partners, ensuring that contractual commitments are clearly defined, understood, and adhered to. This position requires a detail-oriented, highly organized professional with strong problem-solving skills and excellent communication abilities to engage with internal and external stakeholders.

This role is ideal for a legal professional who thrives in a fast-moving environment, enjoys problem-solving, and has a keen eye for contractual details. If you are looking for an opportunity to apply your legal expertise in a high-impact, mission-driven organization, we encourage you to apply!

Responsibilities

• Draft, review, and negotiate Sponsor Agreements, Competitor Agreements, Vendor Agreements, and Partner Agreements.
• Ensure XPRIZE’s contractual commitments are followed through, including compliance checks, tracking notification periods, and meeting all obligations.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for contract-related questions, interpreting and clearly communicating XPRIZE’s position to teams, sponsors, and vendors.
• Maintain an organized system for tracking agreements and compliance milestones.
• Identify recurring contract issues and systematize solutions to reduce redundancies and frequently asked questions.
• Develop standardized templates for agreements and FAQs to improve efficiency and consistency across contracts.
• Work closely with team relations managers to host information sessions addressing common contractual questions, reducing back-and-forth communications.
• Classify and manage contract modifications for different entities (e.g., corporations, non-profits, etc.).
• Collaborate with internal stakeholders to enhance training programs for externally facing personnel as it relates to contracts/agreements.
• Recognize patterns in contract-related inquiries and implement proactive solutions to prevent recurring issues.
• Communicate complex legal and contractual language in a clear and professional manner, ensuring stakeholders understand XPRIZE’s position while maintaining positive relationships.
• Stay ahead of industry trends, particularly in digital contract management, to optimize processes and ensure best practices are followed.
• Identify and implement opportunities for improvements in processes related to contracting.

Required Qualifications

• Experience in contract law, contract administration, or legal counsel with a focus on drafting, reviewing, and negotiating agreements.
• Highly organized and detail-oriented with strong problem-solving abilities.
• Exceptional communication skills, able to clearly convey legal positions while maintaining positive relationships with stakeholders.
• Experience managing and negotiating sponsor, vendor, and partner agreements.
• Ability to handle high contract volume and manage competing priorities efficiently.
• Strong systemization mindset, able to develop processes to reduce inefficiencies and enhance contract management workflows.
• Knowledge of intellectual property and conflict of interest policies.
• Familiarity with digital contract management systems and processes

Preferred Qualifications

• Juris Doctor (JD) or equivalent legal education.
• Minimum of 5 years of experience working in nonprofits, technology-driven organizations, or research-based competitions.
•  Prior experience handling contractual matters for corporations, academic institutions, and non-profits.
• Familiarity with Ethereum, Hyperledger, Solana, and other blockchain platforms used for smart contracts.
• Background in legal compliance, corporate governance, or regulatory frameworks.
• Able to work in a dynamic, fast-paced environment where legal expertise directly impacts innovation.
• Ability to optimize contract management processes and play a pivotal role in improving efficiency.
• Strong communication skills to engage with global teams, sponsors, and stakeholders, making a tangible difference in large-scale competitions

The anticipated base salary for this position is $100,000 to $125,000 and may also qualify for an annualincentive. This role is eligible for our extensive benefits package and generous paid time off,including vacation, sick leave, and holidays. The actual base salary offered will depend on a variety of factors including the qualifications of the individual applicant, years of relevant experience for therole, level of education attained, and certifications and/or other licenses held. XPRIZE is a remote-first environment.

The XPRIZE FOUNDATION is an equal opportunity employer and does not unlawfully discriminate in employment. Equal access to employment, services, and programs is available to all persons. Those applicants requiring reasonable accommodation to the application and/or interview process should notify a representative of the organization.

Please note: Though submitting a resume to the XPRIZE FOUNDATION implies that you are interested in a position(s), it does not imply that you are an applicant. You are not considered an applicant until you have been contacted directly by a Talent Acquisitions representative requesting that you begin the designated application process, which may involve phone and/or in-person interview(s), job-related testing, and background checks.