Director, Intellectual Property

Deciphera Pharmaceuticals • Waltham, MA

6h • Onsite

About The Position

The Director, IP position will provide numerous development opportunities and report to and work directly with the Vice President, global Head of Intellectual Property. The primary responsibilities will involve the preparation and prosecution of complex patents while interacting with an impressive team of scientists, engineers, and executives, as well as outside counsel. You will be involved in all aspects of U.S. and ex-US patent prosecution related to Chemistry IP including small molecules, biologics, formulation, and process chemistry.

Requirements

• Advanced scientific degree: Ph.D. in the field of Organic Chemistry, Medicinal Chemistry, Biochemistry preferred, with 8+ years OR MS with additional relevant experience and 12+ years of hand-on experience will also be considered
• Registration with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO)
• Minimum of 8 years’ relevant professional experience in biopharmaceutical company, law firm, and/or life sciences industry
• Minimum of 5 years of hands-on experience at a law firm considered ideal, especially in: Drafting and prosecuting patent applications directly related to the life sciences industry, IP strategy and/or development and management of patent portfolio, Conducting prior art database searches for patentability and freedom-to-operate analysis
• Ability to work proactively, both independently and collaboratively, in a multi-disciplinary team environment, and to communicate clearly and effectively
• Self-directed: Ability to work independently and accommodate last-minute requests. Ability to prioritize multiple tasks and respond effectively to rapidly changing priorities and deadlines.
• Excellent organizational skills with the ability to handle multiple patent applications simultaneously in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment while providing strong attention to detail
• Strong professionalism and commitment to ethical conduct; ability to handle confidential and proprietary information using excellent discretion and judgment

Nice To Haves

• Excellent interpersonal skills to develop and maintain strong relationships across multiple functional teams; Strong service-oriented disposition. Ability to communicate across disciplines and functions.
• Skilled at managing outside counsel
• Proficient skills in MS Suite applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook), ChemDraw, SciFinder and other AI applications and IP software
• Positive Energy: Strong work ethic with a can-do attitude. Strong collaborator who brings energy, enthusiasm, and inspiration
• Patient Focus: Motivation to work with urgency and go the extra mile. The patient is waiting.
• Innovation: Open-mindedness and flexibility to embrace change
• Strategic Thinker: ability to grasp the overall landscape and design focused IP strategies to maximize protection and value of company’s assets
• Approach to Problem Solving: Analysis and evaluation of issues. Identifying pros and cons of issues. Proactively proposing strategies and solutions

Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary point of contact for the various groups within R&D which are developing new products and discovering new technologies
• Collaborate with scientific teams to identify patentable inventions and draft patents applications
• Liaising with/managing external counsel to draft patent applications, develop and implement global prosecution strategy for maximizing IP protection while avoiding infringement of valid third-party patents
• Performing extensive critical reviews of patents, patent applications, patent amendments, patent opinions and other patent-related documents for technical accuracy and full protection of company invention
• Supporting R&D colleagues by performing comprehensive searches of patent databases for invalidity, patentability, landscape, and freedom-to-operate analyses
• Developing and maintaining a deep understanding of the business, including: the research being conducted; products being developed, in/out - licensed, and commercial products in relation to the existing IP portfolio
• Assisting in providing guidance to R&D and commercial teams regarding patent and trade secret matters, and displaying ability to independently identify and develop IP strategies to benefit the business
• Traveling, up to 20% as needed, to Deciphera/ONO sites
• Other duties and responsibilities as assigned

Benefits

• Competitive salary and annual bonus.
• Comprehensive benefits package including medical, dental, vision insurance, 401(k) retirement plan with company match, and more.
• Generous parental leave and family planning benefits.
• Outstanding culture and opportunities for personal and professional growth.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director