Executive Director, Patent Counsel

Alnylam Pharmaceuticals•Cambridge, MA

19h•$297,500 - $402,500•Hybrid

About The Position

The Executive Director, Patent Counsel provides strategic leadership for intellectual property initiatives, leads a team of IP professionals, and advises on business development, collaborations, and enterprise-wide IP strategy. The role also maintains an active patent prosecution practice and serves as lead patent attorney for significant company programs and technologies. The Executive Director develops and executes IP strategies across assets at various stages of development, integrating patent protection, freedom-to-operate considerations, competitive positioning, exclusivity planning, and lifecycle management. The role partners with research, development, regulatory, commercial, and business development teams to identify, protect, and maximize the value of innovations throughout the product lifecycle, including emerging technologies, new modalities, and delivery platforms. The position establishes and oversees portfolio prioritization, competitive intelligence, patent analytics, and IP governance processes. It advises on business development transactions, strategic collaborations, licenses, and alliance management, while providing hands-on management of patent prosecution and portfolio strategy for key programs from early research through commercialization. The role also leads, mentors, and develops patent attorneys and other IP professionals. Alnylam is a leader in RNAi therapeutics, a field with the potential to transform the lives of people with rare and common diseases. The company describes its culture as inclusive and guided by fierce innovation, passion for excellence, purposeful urgency, open culture, and commitment to people. This role is eligible for annual short-term and long-term incentive awards. The advertised U.S. base salary range is $297,500–$402,500.

Requirements

Advanced degree in biochemistry, chemistry, pharmaceutical sciences, or a related life sciences discipline; an M.S. or Ph.D. is preferred.
Juris Doctorate from an accredited law school.
Current membership in good standing of at least one state bar and good standing in all states where admitted.
Admission to practice before the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
At least 14 years of in-house or law firm experience in patent prosecution; in-house experience is preferred.
Demonstrated experience leading business development transactions, strategic collaborations, alliance management activities, and related IP negotiations.
Demonstrated success developing and executing patent strategies for commercial products, late-stage pipeline programs, platform technologies, and emerging modalities.
Proven people leadership experience, including management and development of attorneys, patent agents, and other IP professionals.
Strong business acumen and ability to assess IP issues through scientific, legal, commercial, and strategic lenses.

Nice To Haves

In-house patent prosecution experience.
An M.S. or Ph.D. in biochemistry, chemistry, pharmaceutical sciences, or a related life sciences discipline.

Responsibilities

Develop and execute intellectual property strategies across assets at various stages of development, incorporating patent protection, freedom-to-operate considerations, competitive positioning, exclusivity planning, and lifecycle management.
Partner with research, development, regulatory, commercial, and business development teams to identify, protect, and maximize the value of innovations throughout the product lifecycle.
Drive IP strategy for emerging technologies, new modalities, delivery platforms, and future innovation initiatives.
Establish and oversee processes for portfolio prioritization, competitive intelligence, patent analytics, and intellectual property governance.
Advise on business development transactions, strategic collaborations, licenses, and alliance management matters.
Serve as lead patent counsel for key programs, managing patent prosecution and portfolio strategy from early research through commercialization.
Lead, mentor, and develop a team of patent attorneys and IP professionals.