In-House Legal Expert

PARIS, FRANCE       Full-time

Eligo Bioscience is a seven-year-old biotechnology company, spun out of MIT and The Rockefeller University, and based in Paris, France. Eligo Bioscience has raised more than 20 million euros from leading investors in Silicon Valley and in France to develop next-generation drugs that are based on the genetic engineering of bacteria and their viruses and aim to address unmet medical need in microbiome-associated diseases.

Eligo was elected one of the 30 Most Innovative Companies by the World Economic Forum in 2017, has received multiple international awards for pioneering work in the field of synthetic biology, and has been featured in international media and scientific journals such as Nature Biotechnology, Science, The Economist, The BBC and The New York Times.

Eligo Bioscience has attracted highly diverse top talent from all over the world, currently numbering over 40 Eligonauts from more than 10 countries, who are driven, passionate, and motivated to impact the lives of patients by applying cutting-edge science to save lives and treat chronic disease. Our pipeline is rapidly progressing towards the clinic and we are ready to scale up. 

Eligo embraces diversity, equal opportunity and inclusion and is committed to building diverse teams. We strive to create an inclusive workplace that cultivates innovation through collaboration and empowers people to unleash their full potential.

— YOUR MISSION —

At Eligo Bioscience, we are passionate about developing new drugs to address unmet medical needs! Eligo is growing and moving fast to advance projects into the clinic and expand its platforms and collaborations. A robust legal framework is required to support these efforts while minimizing risks to Eligo. 

At the onset of our growth phase, the position offers a highly diversified role on legal matters with an opportunity to support the development of Eligo as a true business partner. Your mission is to provide day-to-day support and guidance to Eligo’s operational teams on legal matters. 

This support includes drafting and managing all types of agreements (Confidentiality Disclosure Agreement, Material Transfer Agreement, Master Service Agreements, Terms and Conditions, Licensing, Collaboration or Consulting Agreements, etc…), including reviewing and challenging our legal internal processes for continuous improvements. 

Eligo anticipates reaching the clinic in 2022. To that end, you will be proactive in setting up the appropriate legal framework to support the clinical development team, including agreements with Clinical Research Organizations compliance and data privacy matters. 

In addition, you will be able to proactively identify the need for external legal expertise and rely on the most relevant experts, with strong attention to cost management.

— RESPONSIBILITIES —

  • Review, draft and negotiate contracts (Confidentiality Agreement,  Material Transfer Agreements, Master Service Agreements, Terms and Conditions, Licensing, Collaboration or Consulting Agreements, etc.) in French and in English
  • Provide legal advice and counsel on issues impacting clinical research and development activities such as informed consent and CRO or CDMO arrangements
  • Interpret existing contracts, and advise on contract interpretation issues, and provide support to operational teams with an efficient dispute-resolution approach
  • Further develop in-house contract management system, contract templates, and processes across the organization; support their implementation by internal stakeholders
  • Stay up to date with main changes in law, regulations and industry trends affecting the company (mainly focused on France, Europe, and the US)
  • Respond to issues as they arise in diverse matters affecting day-to-day business operations by assisting, advising, investigating, researching and resolving legal matters
  • Develop a network of external legal experts to support company needs 

Depending on the applicant profile and field of interest/expertise:

  • Ensure the company’s compliance with the applicable regulations and laws, including data privacy
  • Take responsibility for risk management processes (including occupational risk evaluation document until hiring of full-time Head of People)

— APPLICANT PROFILE —

  • Master legal degree at minimum with a strong preference in business law, and with a good knowledge of intellectual property law
  • 5 years of experience in a pharmaceutical or biotech company in a context of day-to-day interaction with operational teams
  • Strong attention to detail and accuracy
  • Ability to multitask without compromising quality and accuracy
  • Effective management of time and effort to meet deadlines 
  • Strong interactive skills, collaborative attitude and ability to work effectively in a team with operational staff, with a real business partner approach
  • Fluent in spoken and written English 
  • Strong verbal and written communication skills