Senior Patent Counsel

Make your mark for patients

We are looking for a Senior Patent Counsel who is proactive, collaborative, and strategic to join us in our Boston Research Hub, Cambridge, MA office.

About the role

As a member of a Global IP team, you will be providing intellectual property counsel to research hubs in Boston (Cambridge & Bedford), North Carolina (Durham) and Washington (Bainbridge), acting as the primary point of contact for local IP matters and collaborating globally with teams in Europe and beyond. You will help shape and implement the IP strategy for both local and global research projects.

Who you'll work with

You will be working in a diverse, cross-functional team that includes local research groups, global IP colleagues, and legal partners in the US and Europe. The team values open communication, collaboration, and a proactive approach to problem-solving.

What you'll do

• Provide day-to-day IP counsel for US research hubs, including patentability and freedom-to-operate opinions.
• Collaborate actively with European-based IP teams and act as liaison with legal partners.
• Implement and adapt global IP policies & processes at US sites
• Deliver IP training and increase awareness at local research hubs
• Develop and implement IP strategy for US and global research projects, including US Research platform technologies.
• Draft and review IP agreements and support partnering initiatives.

Interested? For this role we're looking for the following

Minimum requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Biology or related technical area. Knowledge of gene therapy would be considered a plus.
• US Patent Agent or Attorney certification (or European Patent Attorney with a US qualification).
• Strong knowledge of US and European patent law.
• Minimum 5 years' post-qualification experience as in-house or law firm patent attorney/counsel.
• Ability to travel to Europe and North Carolina site at least twice a year.
• Legal skills in drafting IP agreements and supporting partnerships.
• Fluent in English

Preferred requirements

• Experience working in a global, cross-functional environment
• Knowledge in computer sciences/AI would be considered a plus.
• Excellent communication and problem-solving skills
• Proactive and collaborative.
• Strong business acumen and strategic thinker.

This positions reasonably anticipated base salary range is $184,000 to $241,500 per year. The actual salary offered will take into account internal equity and may also vary depending on the candidate's geographic region, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience, among other factors.

Are you ready to 'go beyond' to create value and make your mark for patients? If this sounds like you, then we would love to hear from you!

About us
UCB is a global biopharmaceutical company, focusing on neurology and immunology. We are over 9.000 people in all four corners of the globe, inspired by patients and driven by science.

Why work with us?
At UCB, we don't just complete tasks, we create value. We aren't afraid to push forward, collaborate, and innovate to make our mark for patients. We have a caring, supportive culture where everyone feels included, respected, and has equal opportunities to do their best work. We 'go beyond' to create value for our patients, and always with a human focus, whether that's on our patients, our employees, or our planet. Working for us, you will discover a place where you can grow, and have the freedom to carve your own career path to achieve your full potential.

At UCB, we've embraced a hybrid-first approach to work, bringing teams together in local hubs to foster collaborative curiosity. Unless explicitly stated in the description or precluded by the nature of the position, roles are hybrid with 40% of your time spent in the office.

UCB is an equal opportunity employer. All employment decisions will be made without regard to any characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law. UCB invites you to voluntarily self-identify during the application process. Provision of self-identification information is entirely voluntary and a decision to provide or not provide such information will not have any effect on your application for employment, your employment with UCB, or otherwise subject you to any adverse treatment. Any information you provide will be considered confidential and will be kept separate from your application and/or personnel file and will only be used in accordance with applicable laws, orders, and regulations.

Should you require any adjustments to our process to assist you in demonstrating your strengths and capabilities contact us on US-Reasonable_Accommodation@ucb.com for application to US based roles. Please note should your enquiry not relate to adjustments; we will not be able to support you through this channel.