Salary Range: 180000 to 210000 (Currency: USD) (Pay period: per-year-salary)

WHAT YOU’LL DO:

• Patent Strategy: Develop and execute a comprehensive patent strategy aligned with ZURU’s business goals and objectives in the construction and mechanical engineering domains.
• Patent Drafting and Prosecution: Prepare, draft, and file high-quality patent applications to secure intellectual property rights for ZURU’s inventions. Manage the prosecution process, responding to office actions and working closely with the patent examiners to ensure successful outcomes.
• Freedom-to-Operate Opinions: Conduct and analyze patent searches to provide freedom-to-operate opinions.
• Work with the NZ office lead to build a team of 2-3 attorneys to support you in your work then manage their output and check their work 
• Patent Portfolio Management: Strategically manage and maintain ZURU’s patent portfolio, conducting regular patent reviews, identifying opportunities for expansion, and making recommendations to enhance IP protection.
• Intellectual Property Research and Analysis: Conduct in-depth patent searches and analysis to assess the patentability of ZURU’s products and technologies. Provide guidance and recommendations to product development teams based on the results.
• Collaboration and Team Building: Collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams, including R&D, product development, marketing, and legal, to identify inventions, evaluate patentability, and ensure seamless integration of IP strategies within product development processes.
• Competitive Intelligence: Monitor and analyze competitor activities, identifying potential infringement risks and taking proactive measures to protect ZURU’s intellectual property rights.
• Patent Litigation Support: Collaborate with external legal counsel when necessary to provide technical support and guidance in patent litigation matters.
• Stay Updated: Keep abreast of industry trends, changes in patent laws, and emerging technologies in the construction and mechanical engineering domains. Provide internal training and education on patent-related matters to relevant teams within ZURU

WHAT YOU’LL BRING:

• Education: Bachelor’s degree or higher in mechanical engineering, mechatronics, physics, or a related discipline is required.
• Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree or equivalent from an accredited law school and admission to at least one bar
• Experience: Around 6 to 10 years of experience in patent prosecution and portfolio management, with a focus on construction or mechanical engineering. Strong knowledge of patent law (including prosecution procedures and providing freedom-to-operate opinions) is required. Experience in a law firm or corporate patent department is preferred. Ideal candidate will also have experience in trademark, copyright, registered designs, litigation support, and IP clauses in contracts.
• Management Experience: Needs experience with running small teams of people in the patent attorney field.
• World wide experience: Needs experience in patent protection options for the world and have contacts they can work with in various jurisdictions around the world.
• Technical Expertise: In-depth knowledge and understanding of construction and mechanical engineering principles and practices. Ability to analyse and interpret technical documents, engineering drawings, and specifications.
• You are registered to practice before the USPTO, IPONZ, or EPO.
• Proven track record of successfully prosecuting patents before the USPTO, IPONZ, or EPO
• Strong Legal Skills: Solid understanding of patent laws and regulations, including patentability requirements, prior art searches, and patent drafting and prosecution procedures.
• Strategic Thinker: Proven ability to develop and execute effective patent strategies aligned with business objectives.
• Team Player: Excellent collaboration and interpersonal skills, with the ability to work effectively within cross-functional teams and build relationships with stakeholders at all levels of the organization.
• Communication Skills: Excellent written and verbal communication skills. Ability to effectively communicate complex technical and legal concepts to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Adaptability: Demonstrated ability to thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic environment and handle multiple projects with competing priorities.
• You are excited to contribute to our office culture! The right person should be willing to relocate to Auckland, New Zealand.