Patent Agent - JMCRS

The Jackson Laboratory•Bar Harbor, ME

5d•$106,020 - $153,729•Hybrid

About The Position

Tasked with safeguarding the intangible assets of JAX, the Patent Agent – JMCRS will identify, capture, maintain, and protect intellectual property rights. This is a unique opportunity to substantially leverage client and strategic portfolio management skills while building and streamlining IP processes to drive efficiencies. The role is crucial to helping researchers navigate complex intellectual property landscapes and develop strategies to secure and enforce IP rights of The Jackson Laboratory that align with organizational goals and maximize value. A strong candidate can demonstrate the ability to apply scientific expertise together with commercial and legal considerations to support short- and long-term objectives. Both approachable and proactive with clients. Excellent communicator, comfortable conducting oral presentations. Ability to work independently. Exhibits intellectual curiosity.

Requirements

Registered to practice before the USPTO.
At least 3 years of experience as a patent agent, in-house or at an IP law firm, supporting global IP matters related to prosecution (filing and securing patents) in a field(s) related to life science and/or data science.
Strong attention to detail, organizational, writing, and project management skills.

Nice To Haves

MS or PhD in life and/or data science.
BS in life sciences such as genetics, molecular or cell biology, immunology, cell physiology/biophysics, biochemistry, data, or a comparable life data science field, with at least 4 years applicable prior research and/or product development experience.
Familiarity with stage-gate, product development processes.

Responsibilities

Partner closely with research teams and cross-functionally (e.g., research, business development) to provide strategic, proactive, and practical guidance regarding intellectual property opportunities, strategies, and risk.
Present and engaged in technology reviews.
Support day-to-day IP needs across JAX Mouse Clinical Research Services (JMCRS) across a variety of scientific disciplines.
Keep a pulse on workstreams, collaborations, and publications.
Strong awareness of timing (when to disclose, file, publish, engage third parties, etc.).
Able to identify issues and engage stakeholders when relevant.
Setting IP portfolio strategy and implementing through effective patent drafting and prosecution.
Advise and actively manage strategy, drafting, prosecution, and maintenance of patent matters (both directly and with outside counsel).
Support regular portfolio review sessions and occasionally prune the portfolio to align with organizational initiatives.
Assist in the review of invention disclosures and patent landscape searches.
Able to weigh pros/cons of the various forms of IP protection with organizational goals in light of the overarching landscape.
Influence and engage inventors on their support and collaboration in pursuit of the recommended IP protection strategy/approach.
Collaborate with inventors to gather and provide appropriate guidance on technical details, drawings, and experimental data to deliver optimal patent protection.
Translating IP needs to actionable feedback for product/business development teams.
Identify white space, underutilized capabilities, and risks.
Conduct patent searches for prior art, patentability, clearance, and freedom-to-operate analyses, both directly and through management of outside counsel, for new products and support to development teams.
Provide Sponsored Research Administration with patent filing data for annual progress reports, renewal applications, award closeouts, and final invention statements reported in iEdison under the Bayh-Dole Act.
Report inventions and patents that have resulted from federally funded research grants/contracts to the funding agency via iEdison.
Support IP enforcement initiatives and organizational compliance programs to ensure IP rights are respected within JAX and externally.
Provide educational presentations and other training on IP matters to JAX employees to build an IP savvy culture.