Cochlear’s mission is to help people hear and be heard. As the global leader in implantable hearing solutions, Cochlear is dedicated to helping people with moderate to profound hearing loss experience a world full of sound. We aim to transform the way people understand and treat hearing loss and innovate to connect people with future technologies. Our employees tell us that the number one reason they enjoy working for Cochlear is the opportunity to make a difference to people’s lives. Learn and grow with us as we tackle the most complex challenges in helping more people to experience a lifetime of hearing.
Legal Counsel (12-Month Fixed-Term Contract)- Partner with leaders across R&D, IP and Clinical to support cutting edge healthcare technology.
- Work on a unique mix of research collaboration, clinical, intellectual property and product-related legal matters.
- Gain breadth, visibility and stakeholder exposure with real opportunity to influence outcomes
The Opportunity
Cochlear has an opportunity for a 12-month full-time fixed-term Legal Counsel role based at our global headquarters in Macquarie University, Sydney.
Reporting to the Deputy General Counsel - R&D, IP & Global Strategic Marketing, you will join a high-performing global legal team supporting one of Australia's most recognised medical technology companies.
This role offers an exceptional opportunity for a commercially minded lawyer to work closely with senior stakeholders in Research & Development, Intellectual Property, Clinical and other business functions. You'll play a key role in helping bring innovative hearing solutions to market by providing practical legal advice across a diverse portfolio of commercial, regulatory, intellectual property and dispute-related matters.
This is an ideal opportunity for a lawyer seeking to build deep business partnering capability while gaining exposure to the strategic, commercial and innovation-focused issues that shape the future of healthcare technology.
Responsibilities Include
- Partner with business stakeholders to provide pragmatic and commercially focused legal advice that enables business objectives while appropriately managing risk.
- Draft, review and negotiate a broad range of commercial agreements, including research, collaboration, IP, services and technology-related agreements.
- Support intellectual property, product, marketing and commercial initiatives across multiple business functions.
- Assist with disputes and litigation matters, including those involving marketing, intellectual property and product-related issues.
- Develop and maintain legal templates, playbooks and knowledge resources that improve consistency and efficiency.
- Contribute to continuous improvement initiatives, including the adoption of legal technology and AI-enabled solutions that enhance legal service delivery.
What Makes This Opportunity Unique?
Few in-house legal roles offer exposure to such a broad range of work.
You'll work at the intersection of healthcare innovation, product development, intellectual property, and commercial strategy, partnering directly with leaders who are developing and commercialising technology that has a meaningful impact on people's lives.
The role provides significant visibility and the opportunity to influence important business decisions while working alongside experienced legal professionals in a collaborative, supportive and globally connected environment.
In addition to remuneration, Cochlear offers flexible working arrangements, professional development opportunities and the chance to contribute to technology that changes lives around the world.
About YouAs we continue to innovate and grow, we're looking for a lawyer who combines strong technical capability with sound commercial judgement, intellectual curiosity and a collaborative approach.
You may currently be working in private practice or in-house and are seeking an opportunity to broaden your experience, develop trusted adviser relationships with business leaders and build the skills required to influence at the highest levels.
Essential- Qualified to practise law in Australia.
- Approximately 8 years' post-qualification experience.
- Demonstrated experience drafting, negotiating and advising on complex research, collaboration or other commercial agreements.
- Excellent communication, stakeholder management and influencing skills.
- Strong commercial judgement and the ability to deliver practical, solutions-focused legal advice.
- Ability to thrive in a complex, highly regulated and fast-paced environment.
- Experience within medical technology, pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, healthcare or another highly regulated industry.
- Experience supporting product, R&D, innovation or commercialisation activities.
- Experience advising on therapeutic goods advertising and marketing requirements.
- Exposure to intellectual property, disputes, product liability or regulatory matters.
- Experience driving process improvement, knowledge management or legal operations initiatives.
- Interest in legal technology, AI and innovative approaches to legal service delivery.
If you feel that you have the skills and experience to be successful in this role and take on new challenges to build your career with Cochlear, please start your application by clicking the apply button below.
#CochlearCareers
How we recognise your contribution
At Cochlear we value and welcome the unique contributions, perspectives, experiences, and backgrounds of our employees and aim to build a culture that celebrates and leverages these differences, creating a sense of belonging and enabling our people to realise their full potential. Through our internal programs and employee benefits, we aim to create an environment where our people will feel value and supported. Whether your focus is on continuous learning, professional development or simply finding an environment which enables you to thrive whilst balancing family or personal life commitments, then we have several programs in place to support you.
For more information about Life at Cochlear, visit www.cochlearcareers.com
Skills Required
- Qualified to practise law in Australia
- Approximately 8 years of post-qualification legal experience
- Experience drafting, negotiating, and advising on complex research, collaboration, or commercial agreements
- Excellent communication, stakeholder management, and influencing skills
- Strong commercial judgment and ability to provide practical, solutions-focused legal advice
- Ability to work in a complex, highly regulated, and fast-paced environment
- Experience in medical technology, pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, healthcare, or another highly regulated industry
- Experience supporting product, R&D, innovation, or commercialisation activities
- Experience advising on therapeutic goods advertising and marketing requirements
- Exposure to intellectual property, disputes, product liability, or regulatory matters
- Experience driving process improvement, knowledge management, or legal operations initiatives
- Interest in legal technology, AI, and innovative legal service delivery approaches
Cochlear Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about Cochlear and has not been reviewed or approved by Cochlear.
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Leave & Time Off Breadth — Flexible work policies—such as work-from-home options and structured time away—are seen as a major asset for many corporate and hybrid roles. Offerings include PTO, paid sick leave, floating holidays, parental leave, and hybrid/remote flexibility by department.
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Healthcare Strength — Medical, dental, and vision coverage are described as comprehensive, with access to HSA/FSA and TeleHealth services. This forms a solid foundation within what is viewed as a standard corporate benefits package.
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Wellbeing & Lifestyle Benefits — Wellness events, free office lunches, and food trucks are appreciated as day-to-day perks. Employee assistance programs, tuition reimbursement, and employee hearing aid discounts add to the lifestyle-oriented offering.
Cochlear Insights
What We Do
Hear now. And always As the global leader in implantable hearing solutions, at Cochlear (ASX: COH) we are committed to our mission to help people hear and be heard. Our story started more than four decades ago when Professor Graeme Clark pioneered the world's first multi-channel cochlear implant and created an entirely new treatment for hearing loss. Since our formation in 1981, we continue Professor Clark’s work to help people with moderate to profound hearing loss experience a life full of hearing. We have provided more than 650,000 implantable devices. Each recipient helps form a global community of millions, through families, friends, colleagues, teachers and more. And they’re not just connected to their own community — each shares a link with each other and to Professor Clark’s childhood desire to help people hear. We aim to give people the best lifelong hearing experience and access to innovative future technologies. We understand the privilege of connecting people to a life lived with hearing. And we listen, respond and move with the times – to continue to bring hearing within reach of all those who need it. That's how we live our mission every day. Our global workforce of more than 4,000 people shares a collective determination to give more people the opportunity to enjoy a life of hearing. Cochlear’s global headquarters are on the campus of Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia with regional headquarters in Asia Pacific, Europe and the Americas. Through our offices in over 180 countries we help people of all ages to hear. Social Media Terms of Use http://bit.ly/2qRMEvY
