Description:

Position Summary:
Reporting to the Chief Counsel, Intellectual Property, the Senior Patent Counsel will support the protection of the intellectual property of the Company.

Job Responsibilities:

Patent preparation and prosecution - primarily in the areas of biochemistry, chemistry, and molecular biology.
Advise, negotiate, and draft collaboration agreements, sponsored research agreements, and other transactions where potentially patentable intellectual property will be developed.
Advise senior scientists and business executives on issues of non-infringement and patent invalidity.
Draft memoranda related to the same.
Manage outside patent counsel in all of the above.
Support patent litigations that may be district court or administrative procedures.

Job Requirements:

Registered patent attorney in the United States with at least 7 years of experience, with extensive experience in handling patents, trade secrets, and IP transactions in the United States and abroad.
Extensive experience in preparation and prosecution of patent applications in the fields of biochemistry, chemistry, and/or molecular biology in the United States and foreign jurisdictions.
Experience preparing invalidity and non-infringement memoranda and opinions, and drafting scientific collaboration agreements and sponsored research agreements with third parties.
Excellent communication skills to advise business executives and senior scientists on legal issues related to patents, trade secrets, and the protection of intellectual property.
Experience managing outside counsel and patent litigation preferred but not required.
Work independently with general supervision and direction from the Chief Counsel, IP in furtherance of department goals and the strategic plan.
Highly motivated, proactive, self-disciplined and team-oriented.
Committed to A Food Processing Company values: integrity, respect, excellence, resourcefulness, teamwork, and responsibility.
Advanced degree is preferred.
Able to be licensed attorney in Illinois.

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