[Hiring] Patent Counsel @The businesses of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany

Role Description

In this role, you have an active part in patent portfolio management, including:

• Drafting, filing, prosecuting, and defending patents
• Preparing opinions and advising on intellectual property matters
• Working directly with R&D teams and cross-functional colleagues around the world
• Identifying IP opportunities, assessing risks, developing solutions, and supporting strategic decision-making

Our Life Science technologies are broad and diverse, including areas such as:

• Filtration
• Chromatography
• Substrates
• Ligands
• Bioreactors
• Sensors
• Chemistry
• Biology

Success in this role requires:

• The right technical expertise
• Curiosity
• Sound judgment
• Strong communication skills
• The ability to build trusted relationships with colleagues across technical and business functions

Qualifications

• Undergraduate degree in a relevant scientific or technical field, particularly engineering, biotechnology or a related discipline
• JD from an accredited law school
• Registered to practice before the United States Patent and Trademark Office
• Minimum of 3 years of patent law experience
• Fluency in English

Requirements

• Advanced degree and/or research and development experience (preferred)
• Experience supporting technologies relevant to Life Science, such as engineering, filtration, chromatography, bioprocessing, chemistry, or biology (preferred)
• Effective communicator (preferred)
• Skilled in, and adopter of, current and new digital tools (preferred)
• Keen attention to detail and commitment to high-quality work (preferred)
• Diligent time management skills and ability to meet deadlines (preferred)
• Proactive, collaborative working style, with the confidence to take initiative and the judgment to know when to seek input or guidance (preferred)
• Sound judgment and awareness of legal, business, and reputational risks (preferred)
• Strong business orientation and ability to connect IP strategy with business objectives using a practical, solutions-focused approach to complex IP matters (preferred)

Benefits

• Health insurance
• Paid time off (PTO)
• Retirement contributions
• Other perquisites