Patent Agent – Law Firm – San Francisco, Calif.

Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo, P.C. is looking for a Patent Agent with an advanced degree in the biological sciences to join our San Francisco office. Ideal candidates will have a minimum of 3 years of experience.

Responsibilities
Patent Agents work under the supervision and guidance of associates and partners in our Intellectual Property section and perform a variety of patent-related activities, primarily in the areas of patent prosecution, freedom to operate analysis, and due diligence work.

Specific duties include the following:

  • Assess scientific literature, patents and patent application documents, each encompassing a variety of biology fields, including cell biology, cancer biology, immunology, crystallography, and molecular biology, and possibly materials science and multiple chemistry areas, including organic, synthetic, and physical chemistry
  • Understand, critique and provide insightful opinion on scientific data relating to inventions.  Conduct comprehensive search for scientific articles, patents and patent application documents relevant to the subject of an invention.  Perform in-depth analysis comparing an invention with existing discoveries or inventions.  Identify essential elements, features or components of an invention.
  • Compose patent applications comprising a comprehensive background of the field of an invention, a description of critical features and components of the invention, and a set of claims clearly and distinctly defining the invention
  • Draft responses to rejection of a patent application for an invention from the United States Patent and Trademark Office and other worldwide Patent Offices, providing detailed analysis of the scientific or patent references cited in the rejection, assessing the difference between the invention and the citations, and presenting convincing arguments and reasoning why the patent application is to be allowed as a patent
  • Collaborate with colleagues on various projects.  Adapt effectively in different team environment.  Present ideas, reasoning and conclusions in a concise way to colleagues.  Provide insightful feedback and arguments to colleagues on their ideas
  • Work with clients in prosecuting patent applications.  Formulate and ask clients questions essential to clarifying the distinct features or properties of the invention.
  • Investigate and respond promptly to clients’ inquiries about the prosecution of patent applications
  • Work on IP landscapes to identify third party patents and patent applications in a field of interest
  • Assist clients in identifying white space to help shape their research and development plan

Qualifications

  • Ph.D. degree in Biology or Biochemistry
  • Demonstrated knowledge in the following scientific fields: biology, cell biology, cancer biology, immunology, crystallography, molecular biology
  • Demonstrated scientific writing ability using proper grammar and vocabulary which also includes the following skills: analyzing and explaining abstract scientific concepts and terms synthesizing a large amount of scientific or technological literature into a systematic and concise description of the state of the art; and  differentiating and describing important differences among related scientific discoveries or technological breakthroughs.
  • Demonstrated skills verbally presenting scientific concepts, terms, and discoveries to wide audiences, including scientists and non-scientists.

Contact
Apply online by visiting this link: https://www.mintz.com/careers/current-openings/detail/jobopening/339.

Additional Info
Employer Type: Law Firm
Job Location: San Francisco, California