Senior Director, Intellectual Property Counsel

Spyre Therapeutics

5d • $320,000 - $336,000 • Remote

About The Position

Spyre Therapeutics is seeking an experienced Senior Director, Intellectual Property Counsel to develop and execute intellectual property strategies supporting the company’s pipeline and long-term business objectives. The role leads global patent portfolio development, prosecution, and risk assessment in close partnership with Research, Development, CMC, Clinical, and Business Development. It also covers trade secret protection and support for product brand-name creation and protection.

This hands-on senior IP leadership role is intended to become Spyre’s principal intellectual property counsel. The successful candidate will take increasing responsibility for company-wide IP priorities, advising executive leadership, and leading the IP function, with potential to assume Chief Intellectual Property Counsel responsibilities depending on business needs and performance. The role calls for scientific fluency, sound legal judgment, leadership experience, and budget management capability, as well as a proactive approach to protecting innovation in a growing biotechnology company.

Spyre Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing next-generation immunology therapies. Its investigational pipeline includes extended half-life antibodies targeting α4β7, TL1A, IL-23, and IL-17A/F, along with rational combination programs. The position is remote, with frequent in-person meetings to address complex problems and build relationships.

Requirements

• J.D. from an accredited law school.
• Active admission to at least one U.S. state bar and registration to practice before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
• At least 12 years of relevant biotechnology or pharmaceutical patent law experience.
• Experience at a leading intellectual property law firm and within an in-house biotechnology or pharmaceutical legal department.
• Strong technical understanding of biological and pharmaceutical drug discovery and development, particularly biologics, antibodies, immunology, and inflammation.
• Extensive hands-on experience drafting and prosecuting U.S. and international patent applications and managing complex global patent portfolios.
• Experience with patent disputes, oppositions, or other post-grant proceedings.
• Demonstrated experience conducting freedom-to-operate, patentability, validity, and infringement analyses.
• Experience supporting IP due diligence and negotiating IP provisions in licensing and collaboration agreements.
• Proven ability to oversee outside counsel, manage budgets, and prioritize competing demands.
• Strong communication skills and the ability to explain complex legal and scientific issues clearly and provide actionable advice.
• Ability to work independently, exercise sound judgment, and build effective relationships across scientific and business teams.
• Leadership experience and budget management capability.
• A combination of law firm and in-house biotechnology experience.

Nice To Haves

• In-house experience at an early-stage or rapidly growing biopharmaceutical company.
• Experience supporting antibody therapeutics, combination therapies, and programs in immunology or inflammatory diseases.
• Experience with patent disputes, oppositions, or other post-grant proceedings.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute global intellectual property strategies aligned with the company’s pipeline, research priorities, and corporate objectives.
• Build and manage patent portfolios covering drug candidates, formulations, manufacturing processes, methods of use, and other innovations.
• Draft, review, and oversee preparation and prosecution of U.S. and international patent applications.
• Evaluate invention disclosures and partner with scientists to identify patentable discoveries and develop filing strategies.
• Identify and ensure protection of trade secrets.
• Conduct and oversee freedom-to-operate, patentability, validity, and infringement analyses; communicate findings and recommend approaches to address risks.
• Support life-cycle and exclusivity planning, including patent term extension opportunities, in coordination with Regulatory and other relevant functions.
• Monitor competitor patent activity and emerging intellectual property developments relevant to company programs.
• Support trademark clearance and protection for product brand names.
• Advise discovery, translational science, CMC, clinical development, and other internal teams on intellectual property matters.
• Translate scientific findings and development plans into actionable patent strategies.
• Review proposed publications, presentations, and other external disclosures to protect intellectual property while supporting scientific communication.
• Provide guidance on inventorship, ownership, confidentiality, trade secrets, and intellectual property risks.
• Educate internal stakeholders on intellectual property practices and encourage timely invention identification and disclosure.
• Partner with Business Development and Legal colleagues on IP aspects of licensing, research collaborations, co-development agreements, material transfer agreements, and other strategic transactions.
• Conduct and support IP due diligence for potential partnerships, licensing opportunities, and other business development activities.
• Draft, review, and negotiate IP provisions addressing ownership, prosecution, enforcement, and licensing rights.
• Support IP obligations and governance under existing collaboration and license agreements.
• Select, direct, and oversee outside patent counsel and other IP service providers globally.
• Ensure patent preparation and prosecution reflect the company’s scientific priorities, business objectives, and quality standards.
• Oversee patent dockets, filing deadlines, annuities, and portfolio records in coordination with external providers.
• Manage IP budgets, forecasts, and outside counsel spending.
• Recommend portfolio prioritization and resource allocation as programs and business needs evolve.
• Advise senior business and scientific leaders, manage outside counsel and budgets, and make portfolio and risk-prioritization decisions tied to company objectives.

Benefits

• Market-competitive compensation and benefits package, including health, welfare, and retirement benefits.
• Performance bonus.
• Equity grant opportunities.
• Unlimited PTO.
• Two one-week company-wide shutdowns each year.
• Professional development opportunities.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree