Job Description

The National Physical Laboratory's (NPL) science helps save lives, protect the environment and enable citizens to feel safe and secure. For over a century, we have worked with industry to encourage innovation and translate scientific expertise into economic prosperity, skilled employment and improved quality of life.



Who sets the standards, to ensure that anything that can be measured is done so with consistency and reliability? We do. Through our vital research, the National Physical Laboratory is helping support scientific and commercial innovations, international trade, environmental protection and health and wellbeing. And we're finding more ways than ever in which to put our products and services to good use. As our Contract Manager, you'll help us maximise income by managing and safeguarding our commercial interests. At NPL, we touch ordinary lives in extraordinary ways and you could too.

As part of the legal team at NPL you will be supporting all areas of the business and will be involved in the negotiation of a wide range of commercial contracts and collaborations. NPL works with companies in a number of cutting edge industries and are at the forefront of pioneering science in the UK. You will develop strong relationship with key stakeholders, both internal and external, and will need to be reactive to live issues as they develop.

Responsibilities include

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Draft, negotiate and advise on a wide variety of commercial and collaborative agreements. Provide support to the business on any legal or compliance matters including supporting colleagues/teams throughout the organisation. Develop and manage relationships with a variety of stakeholders in addition to scientists including the finance, procurement, project management, strategic business development and commercial functions.


You will be pragmatic, commercially-minded and keen to work in an exciting and ever-changing environment. You will be a team player, quick learner and be used to managing and prioritizing a varied workload. This role would suit an LPC graduate with subsequent commercial experience or a newly qualified lawyer with some in house experience.

Skills and Experience required

Qualified solicitor or LPC graduate with substantial paralegal experience. A background working within universities, tech, pharma or defence would be helpful but not essential. Highly organised and efficient to enable management of large and varied workload. Ability to plan ahead and deliver on targets and deadlines. Effective and clear communicator.

We actively recruit citizens of all backgrounds, but the nature of our work in specific departments means that nationality, residency and security requirements can be more tightly defined than others. You will be asked about this throughout the recruitment process. To work at NPL, you will need to obtain BPSS security clearance.

Please note: Applications will be reviewed, and interviews conducted throughout the duration of this advert therefore we may at any time bring the closing date forward. We encourage all interested applicants to apply as soon as practical.




The National Physical Laboratory (NPL) is a world-leading centre of excellence that provides cutting-edge measurement science, engineering and technology to underpin prosperity and quality of life in the UK. NPL and DSIT have strong commitments to diversity and equality of opportunity, and welcome applications from candidates irrespective of their background, gender, race, sexual orientation, religion, or age, providing they meet the required criteria. All disabled candidates (as defined by the Equality Act 2010) who satisfy the minimum criteria for the role will be guaranteed an interview under the Disability Confident Scheme.

At NPL, we believe our success is a result of the diversity and talent of our people. We strive to nurture and respect individuals to ensure everyone feels valued by treating everyone on the basis of their own individual merits and abilities regardless of their own or perceived identity, as part of our commitment to diversity & inclusion, we hold memberships and accreditations to ensure we're creating an environment where all our colleagues feel supported and welcome, please see our Diversity & Inclusion page.


We are committed to the health and well-being of our employees. Flexible working and social activities are embedded in our culture to create a positive work-life balance, along with a broad range of benefits. Our values are at the heart of what we do, and they shape the way we interact, develop our people and celebrate success.


To ensure everyone has an equal chance, we're always willing to make reasonable adjustments to the recruitment process. If you would like to discuss, please contact us.