Opportunities

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Science Commons is hiring counsel for its MIT office in Cambridge, MA.

Science Commons are looking for the right person to run their licensing work. The original job posting can be found here.

Organization:  Creative Commons Corporation

Title: Counsel, Science Commons

Description:  Creative Commons is a technology-based charitable corporation with offices in Boston, San Francisco, London and Berlin.  CC explores novel ways to reduce barriers to the effective exchange of knowledge and information and to fortify the public domain.  CC has developed creative software applications that enable authors to easily express permissions for use of their work.  The recently-launched Science Commons division addresses mechanisms to promote and protect the ability of researchers to widely share data and materials and to reduce IP barriers to the adoption of new technology. 

CC seeks full-time counsel for its Science Commons division located on the MIT campus in Cambridge, MA.

Qualifications:

• JD degree.
• Substantial experience applying intellectual property law to scientific research, including patent and copyright licensing.
• Excellent interpersonal and communications skills including listening, public speaking, and superior writing skills. and a record of interaction
• Negotiation experience with academic scientists, attorneys, and/or business development professionals.
• Ability to attend to detail, grasp technical information, establish priorities, manage multiple projects, and bring extended projects to completion.
• Ability to seek innovative solutions without losing sight of practical objectives.
• Highest level of ethics and integrity in professional matters
• Experience in basic computer software applications (e.g., Word and Excel).

Preferred Qualifications include:

• License to practice law in Massachusetts or California.
• Bachelor’s degree in engineering or the biological sciences.
• Familiarity with open access, open publishing concepts.
• Grace under pressure.

Responsibilities:

• Oversee and implement Science Commons’ legal strategy.
• Advise on legal policies and ongoing legal issues that arise for Science Commons and for the various Science Commons projects.
• Review, draft and negotiate model licensing agreements and other legal documents.
• Respond appropriately to public queries about Science Commons, Creative Commons' licenses, general licensing and intellectual property law issues.
• Review and draft grant applications, press releases and other documentation necessary to promote Science Commons.
• Represent Science Commons publicly in a variety of fora including at conferences, with stakeholders and potential partners

Additional Information:  
Please send
(1) a letter of application, describing experience, qualifications, and salary expectations and
(2) a resume including the names, addresses, and telephone numbers of three (3) professional references.

Send all materials and any additional questions by email to wilbanks@creativecommons.org.

John Wilbanks, Executive Director
Science Commons
c/o MIT CSAIL
Building 32-386D
Cambridge, MA

References will not be contacted without the permission of the applicant and not before the initial screening of applications has commenced.