IP Counsel

About the Role

Reporting to the Senior IP Manager, you will play a key role in protecting the Group's innovations. You will be responsible for securing intellectual property rights around Research & Innovation, industrial and business projects, while ensuring Freedom to Operate for new products, processes and applications.

You will also advise and support internal teams on confidentiality and intellectual property matters, while contributing to the deployment of Adisseo's global IP strategy.

Key Responsibilities

Working autonomously, you will be responsible for:

• Partnering with R&I, industrial and business teams to identify patentable innovations and determine Freedom to Operate requirements.
• Conducting patentability searches in the fields of chemistry and biotechnology, analyzing results and providing well-reasoned opinions.
• Drafting patent applications and working closely with inventors throughout the patenting process.
• Performing Freedom to Operate, validity and non-infringement analyses under European and French patent law.
• Delivering clear, practical and well-supported legal and strategic advice to stakeholders.
• Managing relationships with external intellectual property law firms and patent attorneys.
• Developing and delivering IP awareness and training programs across the organization.
• Advising teams on intellectual property agreement requirements and supporting the legal department in drafting and negotiating:
  • Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs)
  • Material Transfer Agreements (MTAs)
  • Research Agreements
  • License Agreements
  • Joint Development Agreements (JDAs)
• Conducting patent portfolio reviews and monitoring related IP budgets.
• Supporting the implementation of Adisseo's global intellectual property strategy.
• Assisting the Senior IP Manager in patent opposition and IP litigation matters.

Profile

Education & Experience

• Qualified European Patent Attorney.
• Minimum of five years of professional experience in intellectual property.
• Strong dual scientific expertise is essential:
  • Organic Chemistry
  • Biotechnology, with a particular focus on biocatalysis and strain engineering

Technical Skills

You have proven expertise in:

• Patentability searches and assessments.
• Patent drafting and prosecution.
• Freedom to Operate, validity and non-infringement analyses under European and French patent law.
• Preparation and management of opposition proceedings.
• International patent prosecution and portfolio management.
• Intellectual property agreements and confidentiality matters.

You possess a strong understanding of:

• European patent practice.
• French patent law.
• Worldwide patent prosecution requirements and innovation protection strategies.

Soft Skills

Analytical Excellence

• Outstanding scientific and legal analytical skills.
• Strong attention to detail and rigorous approach to patent analysis and drafting.
• Excellent critical thinking, problem-solving and synthesis abilities.

Communication & Collaboration

• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
• Ability to explain complex scientific and legal concepts clearly to diverse audiences.
• Strong team spirit and stakeholder-oriented mindset.

Organization & Autonomy

• High level of autonomy and ownership.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and meet demanding deadlines.
• Proactive approach and sound judgment.
• Strong commitment to confidentiality and discretion.

International Mindset

• Full professional proficiency in English, both written and spoken.
• Ability to draft sophisticated patent and contractual documents in English.
• Experience conducting discussions and negotiations in an international environment.
• Open-mindedness and cultural adaptability.

Additional Assets

The following qualifications would be considered a strong advantage:

• Experience in opposition proceedings before the European Patent Office (EPO).
• Experience in intellectual property litigation in France.
• Interest in digital tools and Artificial Intelligence applied to intellectual property.
• Familiarity with AI-powered patent search and analysis tools, combined with a critical understanding of AI-generated outputs and strong awareness of confidentiality and data protection requirements.