Sandia National Laboratories 
is searching for a senior level Patent Paralegal for the Legal Technology Transfer Center located in Albuquerque, NM. This is a permanent, full-time position. The candidate selected will be required to obtain and maintain a DOE-granted “L-level” Security Clearance. Security clearance is not required to start.
Department Description:
Sandia National Laboratories is seeking a Patent Assistant for its Legal Technology Transfer Center. This position will provide support for director-level patent attorneys and patent agents. Center 11500, Legal Technology Transfer, obtains intellectual property protections (patents, trademarks & copyrights) and drafts technology transfer agreements. The Center has support programs that enhance U. S. prosperity and further core missions.
Job Summary:
The position requires excellent organizational, problem solving and priority setting skills. Experience working with and understanding of the rules and regulations set forth by the United States Patent & Trademark Office, (USPTO) are essential to success in this position. The position requires reviewing and acting upon materials received from USPTO, preparing draft materials responsive to USPTO for attorney review and/or completion, maintaining attorney dockets, maintaining patent database (database entry, errors checks), and maintaining hardcopy files. The successful applicant will act as primary support for one or more attorneys, including preparing materials for attorneys signature (missing parts, certificates of correction, engagement letters, etc.), calculating filing fees, conducting database searches for attorneys (reference prior art, private PAIR, etc.), filing materials in USPTO in accordance with federal rules, maintaining USPTO deposit account, and coordinate payment of patent maintenance fees.
The successful candidate will be adept at meeting frequent deadlines with constant interruptions while maintaining a high level of accuracy and attention to detail. Excellent written and oral communication skills; demonstrated ability to work with and appropriately protect sensitive, proprietary and confidential information; and the ability to work in a team environment while exercising independent judgment and interact effectively with peers and all levels of management are necessary.
This job series typically:
Provides high-level paraprofessional legal support to in-house attorneys and external co-counsel retained to represent Sandia Corporation. The selected candidate will work under attorney supervision but with a high degree of independence to provide paralegal and administrative support of a responsible and confidential nature and helps ensure the smooth functioning of legal matters and projects.
Primary Job Duties:
• Provides initial review of documents, including complaints, contracts, leases, terms and conditions, proposed policies, regulations, management directives, and other documents.
• Conducts legal research on specific legal topics in order to familiarize attorneys with specific legal issues, summarize legal issues presented in a particular matter, and provides updates on new developments in the assigned practice area.
• Prepares drafts of correspondence, pleadings, memoranda of law, and other legal documents.
• Locates and gathers all documents and information related to specific matters from all relevant sources, such as other Sandia organizations, personnel, and federal and state agencies; reviews and analyzes those documents and information; and organizes and reports the results of research and analysis to supervising attorneys.
• Identifies and prepares documents and exhibits to be used in litigation, administrative proceedings, contract disputes and negotiations, and patent prosecutions.
• Works cooperatively with Sandia staff to ensure appropriate document management, protection, retention, and disposition in accordance with applicable policies and procedures.
• Further develops and maintains Sandia's records and database files, including scanning and coding documents into Sandia databases.
• Supports attorneys in preparation for litigation, administrative proceedings, contract disputes, and negotiations.
• Coordinates legal discovery efforts and supports both in-house and outside counsel.
• Conducts computerized searches for information.
• Remains current on processes and procedures in applicable court and administrative forums.
Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:
• Ability to prioritize and adjust to changing priorities, problems, and deadlines
• Ability to work independently
• Knowledge of Sandia's organization, history, policies, and procedures
• Computer application and database skills
• Demonstrated accuracy and judgment and a high degree of initiative, discretion, diplomacy, confidentiality, and flexibility
• Ability to meet deadlines
• Knowledge of protocol
• Adept at adjusting to changing priorities, problems, and deadlines
Required:
• This position requires the candidate to have at least 3 years of direct experience working in a patent prosecution environment within a law firm or in-house.
• The successful candidate will have experience with USPTO rules and procedures, patent docketing and supporting attorneys.
Desired:
• Paralegal degree, experience with IP Management software (i.e. Thompson Rueters IP Manager, CPA Global Memotech, or IPFoundation software suites), Adobe, Microsoft Applications (Word, PowerPoint, CRM and Outlook), SharePoint and Excel.
Security Clearance:
Position requires a Department of Energy (DOE)-granted L-level security clearance.
Sandia is required by DOE directive to conduct a pre-employment background review that includes personal reference checks, law enforcement record and credit checks, and employment and education verifications. Applicants for employment must be able to obtain and maintain a DOE L-level security clearance, which requires U.S. citizenship.
Applicants offered employment with Sandia are subject to a federal background investigation to meet the requirements for access to classified information or matter if the duties of the position require a DOE security clearance. Substance abuse or illegal drug use, falsification of information, criminal activity, serious misconduct or other indicators of untrustworthiness can cause a clearance to be denied or terminated by the DOE, rendering the inability to perform the duties assigned and resulting in termination of employment.
Contact:
To learn more about this position and to apply online, please visit us at http://www.sandia.gov/careers/search-openings.html, click Advanced Search and reference Job Opening ID Number: 643304.
U.S. Citizenship Normally Required. Equal Opportunity Employer. M/F/D/V.
Additional Info:
Employer Type: Government
Job Location: Albuquerque, New Mexico
Sandia National Laboratories is the nation's premier science and engineering lab for national security and technology innovation with major facilities in Albuquerque, New Mexico and Livermore, California. We are a world-class team of scientists, engineers, technologists, post docs, and visiting researchers all focused on cutting-edge technology, ranging from homeland defense, global security, biotechnology, and environmental preservation to energy and combustion research, computer security, and nuclear defense. To learn more, please visit our website at www.sandia.gov.