Senior Counsel, IP

Overview

This role is part of the organization’s legal team and focuses on building and owning the Intellectual Property (IP) function. You will guide IP strategy, manage the patent portfolio end to end, partner directly with technical teams to identify patentable work early, and support product and business decisions through freedom-to-operate and clearance analyses. As an early legal hire, you will play a key role in shaping a forward-thinking, business-savvy, and dynamic IP practice.

Responsibilities

• Own the patent portfolio end to end, including invention harvesting, filing strategy, prosecution management, and lifecycle decisions on continuations, abandonments, and annuities.
• Partner directly with scientists and engineers (including PhD physicists, chemists, and ML researchers) to identify patentable work early, run invention disclosure and review, and maintain an efficient, high-value workflow with inventors.
• Direct and hold accountable outside patent firms and foreign associates on quality, cost, and timeliness.
• Run freedom-to-operate and clearance analyses to inform and shape product strategy and launches.
• Serve as the IP voice in commercial, collaboration, and corporate transactions.
• Build and maintain broader IP programs, including trade secret program and trademark clearance, prosecution, and enforcement across product brands.
• Collaborate cross-functionally to craft legal strategies that support growth while mitigating risk.

Requirements

• Juris Doctor (J.D.) or equivalent law degree, with admission to practice in at least one U.S. jurisdiction.
• 7+ years of substantive intellectual property law experience, including significant depth and expertise in patent law.
• Strong technical fluency to engage credibly and effectively with PhD-level physicists, chemists, machine learning researchers, and other technical experts.
• Strategic, agile mindset and the ability to thrive in fast-paced, high-growth environments.
• Collaborative approach and high EQ, with demonstrated ability to build relationships across diverse teams and translate complex legal concepts into actionable business strategies.

Preferred Qualifications

• Combination of in-house and Big Law experience.
• USPTO registration / patent bar admission.
• Undergraduate or graduate degree in a STEM field (physics, chemistry, computer science, electrical engineering, or similar).
• Experience with AI/ML, life sciences, or computational chemistry, including Section 101 eligibility strategy for software and algorithmic inventions.
• Experience (or strong interest) in building an IP program from an early stage.
• Experience with government-funded contracts.
• Trade secret program design experience.
• Experience with litigation or contested proceedings (IPR, PGR, oppositions).
• Use of, or interest in, AI tooling to accelerate legal work (including prior art review, disclosure drafting, portfolio analytics, docket triage, and outside counsel work product review).

Compensation & Benefits

• Compensation Range: $182.4K - $342K
• Competitive base salary and performance-based incentives or bonuses (where applicable), plus equity participation.
• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage for employees and dependents, with generous employer premium contributions.
• Retirement savings with company matching.
• Paid parental leave and inclusive family-building benefits.

Location

• Fully remote role.
• Flexible paid time off and company-wide seasonal breaks.

Equal Employment Opportunity

All qualified applicants will receive consideration regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity, or Veteran status.

Accommodations

Reasonable accommodations are available for individuals with disabilities in job application procedures for open roles.