Paralegal Specialist

About the role

Dow has an exciting opportunity for a Paralegal Specialist located onsite in Midland, MI; Houston, TX; or Lake Jackson, TX. In this role you will provide complex legal support across legal practice areas (excluding Litigation) as a member of the Core Legal Practices team. You will independently manage varied assignments involving multiple legal entities, stakeholders, and business considerations, applying legal knowledge, sound judgment, discretion, analytical thinking, and attention to detail. The position offers broad exposure to meaningful legal and business matters that support timely decisions and effective risk management. You will collaborate with lawyers, paralegals, other legal professionals, and business and functional stakeholders; build capabilities across multiple subject areas; and help improve legal‑service delivery through technology, standardized workflows, and continuous improvement.

Responsibilities

• Manage assignments with initiative, accuracy, discretion, and sound judgment under limited supervision; recognize when guidance, coordination, or escalation to counsel is required.
• Review incoming requests for completeness, ambiguity, process requirements, and potential legal or business risk; obtain missing information and route matters according to established procedures.
• Identify potential legal, financial, operational, or reputational risks and involve counsel or leaders in significant strategic or tactical decisions.
• Meet committed turnaround times and contribute to team, department, and company service and performance measures.
• Communicate clearly, promptly, and professionally with internal and external stakeholders, adapting the approach to the audience and circumstances.
• Interact with external agencies, partners, and counsel within established parameters and with appropriate oversight.
• Contribute as a team member on departmental and cross‑functional projects.
• Within authorized parameters and established guidance, review, draft, revise, and negotiate contract terms and conditions; identify issues and escalate matters requiring legal advice or additional approval.
• Prepare and process contract extensions, amendments, and terminations; explain contract provisions and coordinate input and approvals from relevant stakeholders.
• Maintain accurate and complete contract records and systems; assist in resolving contract‑related process or documentation issues.
• Maintain working knowledge of applicable company policies, guidelines, internal controls, authorization requirements, delegation‑of‑authority standards, contract approval and signature requirements, and third‑party due‑diligence processes.
• Use legal, company, and vendor systems effectively, including approved artificial intelligence and automation tools; identify opportunities to improve efficiency through technology, data, standardized workflows, and process simplification; provide input, analysis, and testing support for technology or process changes.
• Help coordinate communication between legal practice areas, business stakeholders, and the immediate team to support consistent and effective service delivery.
• Partner with team members to balance workload, provide backup support, share accountability, and promote continuity and business resilience.
• Participate in knowledge transfer, cross‑training, and continuous improvement activities; share best practices and apply experience and institutional knowledge to improve team capability and work processes.
• Contribute to a professional, collaborative, and inclusive work environment that values diverse perspectives, candid communication, learning, and shared success.

Required qualifications

• A minimum of a bachelor’s degree or relevant military experience at or above a U.S. E5 or Canadian Petty Officer 2nd Class or Sergeant ranking AND a minimum of 5 years of relevant work experience; OR a minimum of 10 years of relevant work experience.
• Demonstrated substantive contract experience, including reviewing and interpreting contract language and performing several of the following activities: drafting, revising, redlining, summarizing, negotiating within authorized parameters, preparing amendments, and applying defined terms.
• Experience managing contract intake and processing and identifying issues that require guidance, escalation, or additional approval.
• Ability to work legally in the United States; no visa sponsorship or green‑card support is available for this position.

Preferred qualifications

• Experience supporting commercial contracts in a corporate legal department or comparable environment.
• Experience using contract management, legal intake, workflow, and similar systems.
• Familiarity with corporate policies, internal controls, delegated authority, contract approval and signature requirements, and third‑party due‑diligence.
• Experience using automation, artificial intelligence, data, or standardized workflows to improve legal‑service delivery.

Skills

• Genuine interest in reading, analyzing, and working closely with detailed written material; strong reading comprehension and ability to work accurately with complex contract language.
• Strong written and verbal communication, interpersonal, collaboration, and negotiation skills; ability to adapt communication for different audiences and work effectively with employees at all organizational levels, customers, and third parties.
• Strong analytical, critical‑thinking, organizational, and problem‑solving skills; attention to detail and ability to identify errors, inconsistencies, dependencies, and potential risks.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a dynamic, complex, client‑ and team‑focused environment with limited supervision.
• Demonstrated commitment to continuous learning, process improvement, teamwork, and effective use of technology.

Additional notes

Relocation assistance is not available for this position.

Benefits – What Dow offers you

• Equitable and market‑competitive base pay and bonus opportunity, along with locally relevant incentives.
• Benefits and programs to support physical, mental, financial, and social well‑being.
• Competitive retirement program that may include company‑provided benefits, savings opportunities, financial planning, and educational resources.
• Employee stock purchase programs (availability varies by location).
• Student Debt Retirement Savings Match Program (U.S. only) – Dow matches monthly student‑debt payments as if they were contributions to the Employees’ Savings Plan (401(k)).
• Robust medical and life insurance packages with a variety of coverage options; travel insurance available in certain countries/locations.
• Opportunities to learn and grow through training, mentoring, work experiences, community involvement, and team building.
• Workplace culture that empowers role‑based flexibility to maximize personal productivity and balance personal needs.
• Competitive yearly vacation allowance.
• Paid time off for new parents (birthing and non‑birthing, including adoptive and foster parents).
• Paid time off to care for sick or injured family members.
• Paid time off to support volunteering and Employee Resource Group participation.
• Wellbeing Portal – a one‑stop shop to promote overall wellbeing.
• On‑site fitness facilities (availability varies by location).
• Employee discounts for online shopping, cinema tickets, gym memberships, and more.
• Optional transportation allowance, meal subsidies, and carbon‑neutral transportation incentives (availability varies by location).