Patent Agent

Nextpower•Nashville, TN

1d•$100,000 - $120,000

About The Position

At Nextpower, we are driving the global energy transition with an integrated clean energy technology platform that combines intelligent structural, electrical, and digital solutions for utility-scale power plants. Our comprehensive portfolio enables faster project delivery, higher performance, and greater reliability, helping our customers capture the full value of solar power. Our talented worldwide teams are redefining how solar power plants are designed, built, and operated every day with smart technology, data-driven insights, and advanced automation. Together, we’re building the foundation for the world’s next generation of clean energy infrastructure. Nextpower is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. We are Nextpower

Requirements

Registered to practice before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) as a Patent Agent.
Bachelor's degree or higher in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechatronics, Civil/Structural Engineering, Physics, or equivalent relevant professional experience.
Approximately 3+ years of patent preparation and prosecution experience, whether in-house, at a law firm, or in a combination of both.
Demonstrated experience drafting/reviewing high-quality utility patent applications and responding to USPTO Office Actions.
Strong ability to understand mechanical systems and communicate effectively with engineers and inventors.
Excellent technical writing, analytical, and organizational skills.
Ability to independently manage multiple patent matters and deadlines.
Practical judgment about what should be patented and how patent claims can support business objectives—not simply how to obtain a patent.

Nice To Haves

Solar trackers or utility-scale solar systems
Power storage
Power conversion
IPfolio platform
Solar foundations and related installation equipment.
AI and Digital Twin modeling
Design patents
Patent portfolio development for manufactured products
International patent prosecution
Competitive patent landscaping and freedom-to-operate analysis

Responsibilities

Partner directly with engineers and technical leaders to identify potentially patentable inventions.
Conduct invention-disclosure meetings with engineering teams to recognize innovations worth protecting and to describe them in writing.
Oversee and review outside counsel drafts of U.S. patent applications.
Conduct prior-art searches and patentability analyses.
Evaluate invention disclosures and recommend appropriate protection strategies, including utility patents, design patents, trade secrets, and defensive publication where appropriate.
Help develop patent portfolios around strategically important products and technology platforms.
Work with outside patent counsel on domestic and international patent prosecution and manage matters for quality, consistency, cost, and strategic alignment.
Support foreign filing decisions and coordinate international patent prosecution.
Assist with freedom-to-operate, competitive patent landscape, and third-party patent analyses in coordination with legal counsel.
Monitor relevant competitor patent activity and emerging IP trends in solar tracking and adjacent technologies.
Maintain clear patent portfolio records, deadlines, invention disclosures, and prosecution status.
Help establish practical IP processes and training that make intellectual property protection part of the engineering and product-development lifecycle.
Support evaluation of Nextpower's existing portfolio and identify opportunities for continuations, divisionals, design protection, or additional claim coverage.
Maintain portfolio in online management system.