Director, Patent Legal

Job Description

The attorney will provide patent support functions for our Company’s discovery and development programs in the human health area.

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Drafting and prosecuting patent applications to protect our Company’s products, product candidates and platform technologies;

• Conducting freedom to operate analyses for our Company’s extensive Research & Development (R&D) activities;

• Conducting intellectual property due diligences for various types of corporate transactions, including research collaborations and acquisitions;

• Providing legal counseling services that are consistent with law and Company policies, furthering business objectives and appropriately balancing divisional/functional/corporate business objectives and legal risks;

• Reviewing and advising on intellectual property provisions in various types of agreements including licensing and collaboration agreements;

• Exercising judgment to drive decisions on routine and non-routine matters within areas of practice; and

• Supervising activities and managing relationships with outside counsel.

Some domestic and international travel may be required.

Qualifications:

Education:

• A bachelor's degree in the pharmaceutical, chemical or biological sciences from an accredited institution; and

• Graduate of an accredited US law school.

Required:

• Registered to practice before the USPTO;

• Member in good standing of a Bar of at least one state or the District of Columbia;

• Five (5) or more years of experience as an attorney in a law firm or corporate setting, practicing in the patent area (Note: time accrued as a practicing patent agent may be considered);

• Expertise in drafting and prosecuting biologic/vaccine (large molecule) patents, with a willingness to develop expertise in the other area;

• Strong technical background; and

• Excellent communication and analytical skills.

Preferred:

• Advanced degree in the biological or chemical sciences;

• Experience in counseling clients on intellectual property issues;

• Experience in managing a significant workload, with the ability to juggle multiple projects simultaneously;

• Ability to work in cross-functional teams; and

• Ability to be proactive and take initiative.

Our Support Functions deliver services and make recommendations about ways to enhance our workplace and the culture of our organization. Our Support Functions include HR, Finance, Information Technology, Legal, Procurement, Administration, Facilities and Security.

Who we are …

We are known as Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, New Jersey, USA in the United States and Canada and MSD everywhere else. For more than a century, we have been inventing for life, bringing forward medicines and vaccines for many of the world's most challenging diseases. Today, our company continues to be at the forefront of research to deliver innovative health solutions and advance the prevention and treatment of diseases that threaten people and animals around the world.

What we look for …

In a world of rapid innovation, we seek brave Inventors who want to make an Impact in all aspects of our business, enabling breakthroughs that will affect generations to come. We encourage you to bring your disruptive thinking, collaborative spirit and diverse perspective to our organization. Together we will continue Inventing For Life, Impacting Lives while Inspiring Your Career Growth

NOTICE FOR INTERNAL APPLICANTS

In accordance with Managers' Policy - Job Posting and Employee Placement, all employees subject to this policy are required to have a minimum of twelve (12) months of service in current position prior to applying for open positions.

If you have been offered a separation benefits package, but have not yet reached your separation date and are offered a position within the salary and geographical parameters as set forth in the Summary Plan Description (SPD) of your separation package, then you are no longer eligible for your separation benefits package. To discuss in more detail, please contact your HRBP or Talent Acquisition Advisor

Residents of Colorado

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US and Puerto Rico Residents Only:

Our company is committed to inclusion, ensuring that candidates can engage in a hiring process that exhibits their true capabilities. Please click here if you need an accommodation during the application or hiring process.

For more information about personal rights under Equal Employment Opportunity, visit:

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We are proud to be a company that embraces the value of bringing diverse, talented, and committed people together. The fastest way to breakthrough innovation is when diverse ideas come together in an inclusive environment. We encourage our colleagues to respectfully challenge one another’s thinking and approach problems collectively. We are an equal opportunity employer, committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse workplace.

Search Firm Representatives Please Read Carefully
Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, NJ, USA, also known as Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp., Kenilworth, NJ, USA, does not accept unsolicited assistance from search firms for employment opportunities. All CVs / resumes submitted by search firms to any employee at our company without a valid written search agreement in place for this position will be deemed the sole property of our company. No fee will be paid in the event a candidate is hired by our company as a result of an agency referral where no pre-existing agreement is in place. Where agency agreements are in place, introductions are position specific. Please, no phone calls or emails.

Employee Status:

Relocation:

VISA Sponsorship:

Travel Requirements:

Flexible Work Arrangements:

Shift:

Valid Driving License:

Hazardous Material(s):

Number of Openings:

Requisition ID:R132688