Chief IP Counsel - Oilfield Services & Equipment

Baker Hughes•Houston, TX

About The Position

Baker Hughes is an energy technology company that provides solutions across the energy value chain. We design, manufacture, and service the technologies that drive the oilfield services and equipment business—supporting our customers with innovative, differentiated, and reliable solutions. As Chief Intellectual Property Counsel for Oilfield Services & Equipment (OFSE), you will lead the IP strategy for one of Baker Hughes’ largest and most technology‑intensive segments. You will serve as a trusted advisor to senior business, engineering, R&D, and digital leaders, ensuring that intellectual property strategy is tightly aligned with commercial objectives, technology roadmaps, and risk management priorities across both traditional OFSE offerings and digitally enabled solutions. This position directly reports to the Vice President and General Counsel, Oilfield Services & Equipment, and has an indirect reporting relationship to the Senior Vice President – OFSE Strategy & Technology and the Vice President – OFSE Digital Technology. Fuel your passion In this role, you will be responsible for setting and executing the IP strategy for OFSE, overseeing a broad global portfolio of patents, trade secrets, technology licenses, and IP‑related transactions. The role also provides IP leadership and support to the OFSE Digital organization, which delivers digitally enabled products, services, analytics, and software solutions that integrate hardware, data, and digital platforms across the upstream value chain. You will partner closely with product lines, engineering, digital, manufacturing, and legal leadership to protect innovation, enable growth, and manage risk in a highly competitive and fast‑moving technology environment.

Requirements

Hold a Juris Doctor (JD) from an accredited law school
Be admitted to practice law and in good standing in at least one U.S. jurisdiction (or equivalent)
Have a minimum of 12 years of post‑qualification experience focused directly on intellectual property, including patent strategy, licensing, and IP transactions
Possess significant in‑house experience supporting complex, technology‑driven businesses, including industrial, energy, manufacturing, and/or digital or software-enabled offerings
Demonstrate deep expertise in patent portfolio strategy, IP transactions, and IP risk management, with the ability to translate complex technology into practical legal and business advice
Have experience partnering directly with engineering, R&D, digital, and senior business leaders in a matrixed, global organization
Show proven leadership and people-management capability, including developing high‑performing legal teams
Exhibit strong judgment, executive presence, and communication skills, with the ability to influence at senior levels

Responsibilities

Lead and execute the end‑to‑end IP strategy for the OFSE segment, including support for digitally enabled products, software, analytics, and data‑driven solutions
Serve as the primary IP advisor to OFSE leadership, engineering, product, and digital teams on innovation, competitive positioning, and freedom‑to‑operate
Oversee patent portfolio development and prosecution, including invention harvesting, portfolio optimization, and lifecycle management across global jurisdictions
Advise on and negotiate technology‑driven commercial transactions, including licenses, joint development agreements, digital collaborations, M&A‑related IP matters, and strategic partnerships
Manage IP risk assessment and mitigation, including infringement analysis, defensive strategies, and support of IP disputes and litigation in coordination with litigation counsel
Provide leadership on trade secret protection, IP governance, and best practices across engineering, digital, manufacturing, and supply chain functions
Lead, mentor, and develop IP attorneys and professionals supporting OFSE, fostering a high‑performing and business-embedded IP team
Stay abreast of emerging technologies, competitive IP landscapes, and legal developments impacting oilfield services, energy technology, and digital industrial solutions

Benefits

You will be eligible to participate in Company-sponsored benefit programs, including health & welfare programs and the Thrift Plan (401k).
You will have a choice of coverage options that best suit your needs.
Coverage options and contribution amounts are related to your benefit elections, base salary level, and specific requirements of each of these plans.
This position is eligible for our comprehensive and competitive benefits package, which can be found here, and is further eligible for additional forms of compensation such as bonuses subject to the terms of the applicable benefit plans or policies.

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