Senior Patent & IP Counsel
$227,200–$340,800 year
RemoteUnited States or San Jose, California, United States
Job Summary
Own and drive Lyten's overall patent strategy and filing prioritization, developing technical fluency in product lines to align decisions with the roadmap and competitive landscape. Lead claim strategy, conduct freedom-to-operate and infringement analyses for new products and acquisition targets, and review invention disclosures to determine filing merit. Manage outside patent counsel, negotiate fee arrangements, and oversee the prosecution docket across relevant jurisdictions. Own portfolio hygiene by pruning low-value applications, maintaining the docketing system, and ensuring proper documentation. Review complex IP provisions in commercial and research agreements, lead IP diligence on acquisitions, and advise on trademark strategy, trade secret protection, and employment agreements. Coordinate with internal counsel on licensing and supplier IP issues and escalate specialized questions to outside resources.
Required Qualifications
- J.D. and active license to practice law in at least one U.S. state
- registration to practice before the USPTO
- 7+ years of IP experience
- experience personally drafting and prosecuting patent applications
- experience setting patent filing strategy and prioritization
- track record as a practicing drafter rather than solely an outside-counsel manager
- Bachelor's degree in a relevant scientific/engineering discipline (materials science, chemistry, electrical engineering, or similar)
- Demonstrated experience in competitive claim drafting
- experience in freedom-to-operate (FTO) or infringement analysis
- Experience with IP diligence in M&A or asset-purchase contexts
- Strong drafting skills for licensing, collaboration, and confidentiality agreements
- U.S. citizenship
Desired Qualifications
- Comfort using AI-assisted tools across the IP workflow, including invention identification, prior art/FTO search, drafting, and portfolio analytics
- Master's degree or Ph.D. in a relevant scientific/engineering discipline
- Experience supporting an IP at a rapidly scaling company
- Experience with battery, energy storage, or advanced materials patent portfolios
- Experience with cross-border IP issues in international jurisdictions
- Experience with trademark prosecution and opposition proceedings before the USPTO
- Familiarity with an IP management/docketing platform (e.g., Anaqua, CPI, PatSnap)
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