Patent Agent

Scout Motors • Charlotte, NC

2d • $120,000 - $145,000 • Onsite

About The Position

Scout Motors is bringing back an iconic American vehicle brand, electrifying and digitizing it with American innovation. We are seeking a Patent Agent to join our team and contribute to revolutionizing the electric pick-up truck & rugged SUV marketplace. This role involves serving as a key resource for identifying and documenting inventions, building relationships with various teams to develop patent and trade secret portfolios, conducting patentability and landscape searches, performing freedom-to-operate analyses, monitoring competitive intellectual property, and facilitating patent application preparation and prosecution. You will also assist in maintaining the patent database. This role is based in Charlotte, NC, and requires 4-5 days per week in the office, with regular in-person meetings and occasional travel.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, computer science / engineering, automotive technology, or related field, advanced degree preferred.
• Highly preferred admittance to practice and in good standing with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
• Minimum 8+ years of relevant experience in patent practice, automotive industry preferred.
• Excellent attention to detail and organizational ability, including managing priorities and meeting deadlines.
• Excellent communication skills and the ability to work closely and build relationships with domestic and international business and technical colleagues.
• Ability to manage uncertainty and novelty and to thrive in a fast-paced start-up environment.

Nice To Haves

• Automotive industry experience preferred.

Responsibilities

• Serve as a key resource for encouraging, identifying and documenting Scout Motors’ inventions and innovations.
• Build relationships with the Engineering, Product, Design, Growth and Strategy Teams, and provide training, guidance and encouragement, to facilitate the development of Scout Motors’ patent and trade secret portfolios, including conducting invention mining sessions and participating in the product review process.
• Conduct patentability and landscape searches and analyses to support patent filing strategy and process.
• Conduct freedom-to-operate searches, prepare analyses, and formulate informal opinions on patent clearance/non-infringement.
• Monitor competitive intellectual property on an ongoing basis.
• Facilitate and monitor patent application preparation and prosecution.
• Assist with maintaining Scout Motors’ patent database, including adding tags/keywords to disclosures and patent filings to help with generating relevant reports for business leaders.

Benefits

• Competitive insurance including: Medical, dental, vision and income protection plans
• 401(k) program with an employer match and immediate vesting
• Generous Paid Time Off including: 20 days planned PTO, as accrued
• 40 hours of unplanned PTO and 14 company or floating holidays, annually
• Up to 16 weeks of paid parental leave for biological and adoptive parents of all genders
• Paid leave for circumstances related to bereavement, jury duty, voting time, or military leave
• Pay Transparency
• Annual performance bonus program

What This Job Offers

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