Jabil Circuit, Inc., 
together with its subsidiaries, provides diversified manufacturing services and solutions in the Americas, Europe, and Asia. The company offers electronics and mechanical design, production, product management, and after-market services to companies in the aerospace, automotive, computing, consumer, defense, industrial, instrumentation, medical, networking, peripherals, solar, storage, and telecommunications industries.
This person will lead the Company’s intellectual property (“IP”) group and guide its IP strategy, including assessing the commercial and strategic value of the Company’s IP portfolio, identifying gaps and areas of opportunity (both offensive and defensive), preparing for and managing IP litigation, supporting the Company’s global R&D and Product Development initiatives, and advising senior management. This person will also build, lead, and manage a global team.
Key Responsibilities
• Define and oversee the Company’s global IP strategy
• Litigation preparation, support and management
• Providing strategic leadership on third party challenge matters including oppositions, interference and litigation
• Support the R&D organization on all aspects of patents, including development of global patent strategy consistent with corporate growth strategies, management of company’s extensive patent portfolio, identification of new inventions and assessment of patentability, and opinion work (freedom to operate and infringement).
• Supervising the preparation and prosecution of the Company’s patent trademark applications (globally), preparation of copyright applications (globally), and management of the IP folder.
• Supervising outside IP counsel and providing strategic direction and guidance to outside counsel with respect to the Company’s objectives.
• Coordinating with senior management, as appropriate, to ensure IP matters that affect their business units are handled in a timely, appropriate, and cost-effective manner.
• Developing awareness throughout the organization of the need for methods of protecting the Company’s IP rights and respecting the IP rights of others.
• Keeping senior management abreast of significant IP decisions, legislation, and regulatory matters that may affect the Company’s business or politics
• Generating and/or reviewing a variety of IP-related agreements, including non-disclosure, joint development, and licensing
Qualifications & Experience
The individual will be a highly trained intellectual property attorney with a minimum of 15 years of experience. An advanced degree in engineering would be preferred. A degree from a top tier law school and experience in a well-regarded law firm or IP environment is preferable. In additional, familiarity with a fast paced environment and the intense, team oriented leadership milieu will also be key priorities.
In addition, the successful candidate will have the following requirements:
• Experience in the technology industry or with leading technologies is highly desired but not required. Pharma and other relevant industries would be considered.
• Strategic leadership ability, which transcends the technical and tactical requirements of the position, is required.
• Experience in all phases of patent infringement litigation including conducting infringement risk assessment and evaluations, preparing infringement and validity opinions, and developing and coordinating pre-litigation plans and strategies.
• Experience managing litigation and trial teams composed of outside counsel, client technical and management representatives, administrative and legal support personnel, and financial and technical testifying and non-testifying experts.
• Ability to think like a business person and integrate legal and business issues, so as to partner effectively with business leaders
• Ideally, experience recruiting and leading a global team
• Finely tuned sense of what is important in business dealings; knowing the sensitivities or breakpoints surrounding an issue based on personal experience
• Ability to find creative solutions to complex IP issues
• Ability to communicate in a clear, concise, understandable manner, both orally and in writing; ability to convey complex legal issues in a manner useful to management
• Proven leadership skills and a strong team orientation; does not operate or encourage a “star” mentality. Encourages an open expression of ideas and opinions
• Excellent presence, with the ability to quickly gain the confidence of senior management and business partners
• Experience in leading, managing and mentoring an internal professional staff
• Highly strategic with excellent legal and business judgment
• Strong negotiation, counseling and listening skills
• Ability to direct and delegate, but also have a “hands-on” approach to handling day-to-day legal issues
• Ability to bring “best practice” thinking to the company
Personal Characteristics
The successful candidate will possess the following personal characteristics:
• Personal and professional integrity of the highest order
• An imaginative and thoughtful approach to problem-solving, not just a legal technician
• Highly collaborative approach (both with business and the rest of the legal group)
• Strong business sense; results oriented
• Superior intellect, with the ability to think critically and make clear and well-reasoned decisions
• Self-starter with a sense of urgency; ability to multi-task and work independently
• Ability to work in an entrepreneurial, fast moving environment
• Highly global in orientation and outlook
• Flexibility to adapt to ambiguity and rapidly changing situations
• Proven management skills and a strong team orientation; someone who encourages teamwork and cooperation across organizations and functions
• High level of energy, enthusiasm and motivation skills to make the company successful
• Values core behaviors integral to the Jabil culture
Contact:
Apply by emailing Scott Crisco at: scott_crisco@jabil.com.
Additional Info:
Employer Type: Large Corporation
Job Location: Tampa/St. Petersburg, Florida
Our services comprise integrated design and engineering; component selection, sourcing, and procurement; automated assembly; design and implementation of product testing; parallel global production; enclosure services; and systems assembly, direct-order fulfillment, and configure-to-order services.
The company also provides mobility products and set-top boxes, as well as peripheral products, such as printers and point of sale terminals; and aftermarket services consisting of warranty and repair services. In addition, it offers a range of UL and IEC photovoltaic certification and testing services, including material characterization, certification testing, on-going reliability testing, and long-term field exposure to support solar panel manufacturers; and material and failure analysis based on industry requirements, such as electroluminescence, dynamic load testing, and extended environmental cycles in solder joint characterization.
The company was founded in 1966 and is headquartered in St. Petersburg, Florida. Jabil reported revenues in 2012 of $17 billion.
This position will be located in St. Petersburg, FL.
More information about the Company can be found on its website at http://www.jabil.com