Patent Liaison/ Senior Patent Liaison

About AbbVie
AbbVie’s mission is to discover and deliver innovative medicines that solve serious health issues today and address the medical challenges of tomorrow. We strive to have a remarkable impact on people’s lives across several key therapeutic areas: immunology, oncology, neuroscience, eye care, virology, women’s health and gastroenterology, in addition to products and services across its Allergan Aesthetics portfolio. For more information about AbbVie, please visit us at www.abbvie.com. Follow @abbvie on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and LinkedIn.

In partnership with Discovery project teams and Intellectual Property-Legal attorneys, create patent applications, which will be used to support patentable inventions.  The Patent Liaison will be responsible for the drafting and prosecution support of patent applications submitted to the United States Patent and Trademark Office with minimal supervision from the Legal Department.  The Patent Liaison Group works collaboratively yet autonomously with the Legal staff.  The Patent Liaison Group is responsible for translating R&D small molecule and biologic intellectual property into patent applications through the drafting process.  By having knowledge of both drug discovery and patent law, the Liaisons are in the unique position to ensure that AbbVie's intellectual property is protected.

Major Responsibilities:

• Acts as a primary contact for attorneys and scientists, applies his/her scientific knowledge to draft patent applications which satisfy the legal requirements for patentability while differentiating the invention from the prior art.  Interacts with R&D scientists to ensure experimental sections are accurate and patent applications are properly enabled.
• Reads prior art and determines how in-house and in-licensed technologies differ.
• Autonomously and yet collaboratively with IP Legal, prepares U.S. and ex-U.S. patent applications that are consistent with federal regulations and are drafted with supported claims.
• Supplies awareness of competitor's intellectual property (IP) strategies and how they relate to AbbVie’s intellectual property.  Participates as needed in defining AbbVie IP strategy.
• May assist in patent prosecution and other IP determinations with technical expertise as required.
• Provides supervision to one or more Patent Liaisons or Associate Patent Liaisons as needed.

Qualifications

The position grade level can be adjusted commensurate with education and experience levels.

• Degree in Biology (molecular biology, biochemistry, or pharmacology) or Chemistry (medicinal, organic)  
  • PhD & 0-4+ years of experience 
  • Masters & 5-8+ years of experience 
  • Bachelors & 7-10+ years of experience   
• Registration as a patent agent with the USPTO (Required for Senior Patent Liaison level)
• This role requires an extensive scientific background and experience with practical medicinal chemistry and/or biology carried out in a drug discovery laboratory.  The Patent Liaison needs to be intimately knowledgeable about the drug discovery data as related to composition of matter patent applications.

The position would be preferentially located at Headquarters in North Chicago, IL with interactions with science and intellectual property attorneys at North Chicago, IL, Worcester, MA, Ludwigshafen, Germany, and South San Francisco, CA sites.

Significant Work Activities
N/A
Travel
Yes, 5 % of the Time
Job Type
Experienced
Schedule
Full-time
Job Level Code
M
Equal Employment Opportunity
At AbbVie, we value bringing together individuals from diverse backgrounds to develop new and innovative solutions for patients. As an equal opportunity employer we do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex (including pregnancy), physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, marital status, protected veteran status, or any other legally protected characteristic.