Paralegal, Contracts

About Acadia Pharmaceuticals   Acadia is committed to turning scientific promise into meaningful innovation that makes the difference for underserved neurological and rare disease communities around the world. Our commercial portfolio includes the first and only FDA-approved treatments for Parkinson’s disease psychosis and Rett syndrome. We are developing the next wave of therapeutic advancements with a robust and diverse pipeline that includes mid- to late-stage programs in Alzheimer’s disease psychosis and Lewy body dementia psychosis, along with earlier-stage programs that address other underserved patient needs. At Acadia, we’re here to be their difference.

Position Summary:

The Paralegal, Contracts provides essential support to Acadia’s contracts group by reviewing, revising, drafting, and administering a broad range of commercial agreements. Working under the supervision of an attorney, this role collaborates with legal counsel and business partners to facilitate timely contract review, maintain accurate records, and help ensure agreements align with company policies and applicable master agreements.   Typical agreements include consulting agreements, vendor agreements, confidentiality disclosure agreements, statements of work, and amendments. This opportunity is well suited for an experienced contracts paralegal who thrives in a high-volume legal environment and is interested in supporting a mission-driven biopharmaceutical organization.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Review, revise, and assist with drafting a high volume of contracts, including consulting agreements, vendor agreements, confidentiality disclosure agreements, statements of work, and amendments
• Evaluate contract terms for alignment with company policies, legal requirements, and applicable master agreements
• Coordinate with internal business partners, external legal counsel, and other stakeholders to address non-standard contract terms and facilitate approvals
• Manage and track contract requests throughout the review, negotiation, execution, and filing processes
• Gather, organize, analyze, and validate information from multiple sources to prepare contracts and related materials for legal review
• Prepare, review, and edit correspondence, legal forms, memoranda, and contract documents for accuracy and completeness
• Maintain accurate contract records and electronic filing systems, including contract lifecycle management platforms
• Support contract-related projects and administrative activities as directed by the contracts group
• Perform other duties as assigned

Education/Experience/Skills:

• Bachelor’s degree and a minimum of five years of corporate or contracts paralegal experience, or an equivalent combination of relevant education and applicable professional experience
• Demonstrated experience reviewing, drafting, negotiating, and administering a variety of commercial contracts and related documents
• Experience using electronic contract management systems
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications

Preferred Qualifications

• Certificate in paralegal studies
• Knowledge of legal principles, legal research methods, and contract terminology
• Experience with AI-enabled legal or contract management solutions
• Experience in the pharmaceutical or biotechnology industry

Physical Requirements:

This role involves regular standing, walking, sitting, and the use of hands for handling or operating equipment. The employee may also need to reach, climb, balance, stoop, kneel, crouch, and maintain visual, verbal, and auditory communication both in a standard office environment and while working independently from remote locations. Employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 20 pounds.  This position requires the ability to travel independently overnight and/or work after hours as required by travel schedule or business needs.

In addition to a competitive base salary, this position is also eligible for discretionary bonus and equity awards based on factors such as individual and organizational performance. Actual amounts will vary depending on experience, performance, and location. 

Salary Range$97,800—$122,300 USD

What we offer US-based Employees:

• Competitive base, bonus, new hire and ongoing equity packages
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• Employer-paid life, disability, business travel and EAP coverage
• 401(k) Plan with a fully vested company match 1:1 up to 5%
• Employee Stock Purchase Plan with a 2-year purchase price lock-in
• 15+ vacation days
• 13 -15 paid holidays, including office closure between December 24th and January 1st
• 10 days of paid sick time
• Paid parental leave benefit
• Tuition assistance

EEO Statement (US-based Employees): Studies have shown that women and people of color are less likely to apply for jobs unless they believe they meet every one of the qualifications in the exact way they are described in job postings. We are committed to building a diverse, equitable, inclusive, and innovative company, and we are looking for the BEST candidate for the job. That candidate may be one who comes from a less traditional background or may meet the qualifications in a different way. We strongly encourage you to apply, especially if the reason you are the best candidate isn’t exactly what we describe here.

It is the policy of Acadia to provide equal employment opportunities to all employees and employment applicants without regard to considerations of race, including related to hairstyle, color, religion or religious creed, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, gender transition, country of origin, ancestry, citizenship, age, physical or mental disability, genetic information, legally-protected medical condition or information, marital status, domestic partner status, family care status, military caregiver status, veteran or military status (including reserve status, National Guard status, and military service or obligation), status as a victim of domestic violence, sexual assault or stalking, enrollment in a public assistance program, or any basis protected under federal, state or local law.

As an equal opportunity employer, Acadia is committed to a diverse workforce. If you are a qualified individual with a disability or a disabled veteran, you have the right to request a reasonable accommodation. Furthermore, you may request additional support if you are unable or limited in your ability to use or access Acadia’s career website due to your disability, along with any accommodations throughout the interview process. To request or inquire about your reasonable accommodation, please complete our Reasonable Accommodation Request Form or contact us at talentacquisition@acadia-pharm.com or 858-261-2923.

Please note that reasonable accommodations granted throughout the recruiting process are not guaranteed to be the same accommodations given if hired. A new request will need to be submitted for any ADA accommodations after starting employment.

California Applicants: Please see Additional Information for California Residents within our Privacy Policy. 

Canadian Applicants: Please see Additional Information for Canadian Residents within our Privacy Policy. 

Applicants in the European Economic Area, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and Serbia: Please see Additional Information for Individuals in the European Economic Area, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and Serbia within our Privacy Policy. 

Notice to Search Firms/Third-Party Recruitment Agencies (Recruiters): The Talent Acquisition team manages the recruitment and employment process for Acadia Pharmaceuticals Inc. (“Acadia”). Acadia does not accept resumes from recruiters or search firms without an executed search agreement in place. Resumes sent to Acadia employees in the absence of an executed search agreement will not obligate Acadia in any way with respect to the future employment of those individuals or potential remuneration to any recruiter or search firm. Candidates should never be submitted directly to our hiring managers or employees.