Patent Engineer

Stratasys is a world leader in 3D printing!

Stratasys is leading the global shift to additive manufacturing with innovative 3D printing solutions for industries such as aerospace, automotive, consumer products and healthcare. Through smart and connected 3D printers, polymer materials, a software ecosystem, and parts on demand, Stratasys solutions deliver competitive advantages at every stage in the product value chain. The world’s leading organizations turn to Stratasys to transform product design, bring agility to manufacturing and supply chains, and improve patient care.

The Patent Engineer acts as a point of contact and strong interface between Regional Patent Law department and the Research & Development (R&D), Product Development, the Business Development and other relevant groups. The Patent Engineer provides execution in the continued development and implementation of intellectual property protection strategy, including patents, inventions, copy rights and trademarks. Serves as IP portfolio expert to provide business advantage/value through the creation and usage of the Stratasys’ IP portfolio, as well as to advise on competitive IP portfolios

Essential Duties and Responsibilities include the following:

FTO needs:

• Supports Corporate Development/M&A function with IP assessments and recommendations as needed.
• Conducts freedom to operate searching and provides assessment, analyses and recommendations as needed.
• Conducts competitive searches and creates competitive overview assessments; provides competitive IP reporting for the organization to raise competitive awareness

PLCM (R&D project support):

• Supports all PLCM IP-related gate requirements
• Attends key R&D meetings when needed, to insure PLCM-related IP needs are appropriately scoped, and met

Patent Portfolio Management:

• Co-Facilitate IP committee reviews with internal or external attorneys, support invention submission activity needs with Inventors, for IP review and decision-making process.
• Co-lead patent annuity review process with Attorneys, with the use of Anaqua, to assess the cost/value of the portfolio, and implement portfolio status decisions
• Assist with IP team annual budgeting needs for patent portfolio
• Administrate patent award and compensation program
• Catalogs and annually updates key company trade secrets, and insure awareness from leadership and experts
• Provide insights and expertise on the SSYS portfolio as it pertains to business needs; develops and maintains Stratasys IP catalogue and patent portfolio maps for each business, to increase portfolio understanding and optimized use
• Creates and maintain patent portfolio comprehension tools, such as patent maps for each of the portfolios

Inventions:

• Works closely with internal attorneys to manage IP, from invention submission, to patent expiration
• Works closely with R&D and product teams to mine inventions and assist in submission of invention disclosures
• Coordinates & facilitates IP workshop meetings for large R&D initiatives – for idea capture and IP/confidentiality awareness
• Manages invention submission system, and aggregates information for next step evaluations
• Prioritizes and coordinates in the drafting, filing and prosecution of individual cases of the Stratasys patent portfolio, with attorney and outside counsels; leads filing initiative interactions with outside counsel; provides application input and drafting support; reviews subsequent prosecution responses
• Prior Art Searching – conducts assessments of invention disclosures and submittal of IDS’s by outside counsel
• Monitors and reports on overall Stratasys filing, issuance and portfolio culling activities; develops and implement customized IP reporting for leadership; conducts annual summary/overview of the entire Stratasys IP portfolio

Training

• Prepares and delivers a variety of IP training materials for new and existing employees, on inventions, confidentiality and Intellectual Property, to raise level of acumen across the organization

Anaqua Administration

• Administrator on Anaqua as the point of contact to provide system configuration and operational requirements. Contact point for in-house attorneys, outside counsels, internal inventors, Anaqua license managers, and annuity representatives. Lead on Anaqua functionality and legal processes (inventions, patents, agreements, trademarks).  Insure integrity of data and functions; interface with Anaqua personnel; triage issues; insure payments of quarterly annuities; initiate updates of 3-year contracts for Anaqua and Acclaim; insure proper function of IT interfaces (license handshake) and dictate and manage Anaqua version upgrades.

Must have for this role:

• Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Chemistry, or Electrical Engineering.
• 5+ years of technical work-related experience,
• 5+ years patent practice and IP management approaches to include understanding of patent law 
• 5 years experience in using patent search software
• Proficient in use of Anaqua software or other patent maintenance databases

Nice to have:

• Patent agent registration
• Experience in Project Management

Travel required:None

What you will be part of:

• Company Overview - https://www.stratasys.com/en/about-us/history/
• Our Culture and Values - https://www.stratasys.com/en/about-us/culture/
• Our Sustainability “3D Printing a Better Tomorrow” - https://www.stratasys.com/en/about-us/sustainability/
• Our Locations - https://www.stratasys.com/en/contact-us/office-locations/
• Check out our Video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6wmDfmt2bNI

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. Stratasys will provide reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities. In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete the required employment eligibility verification form upon hire.

Stratasys is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to their protected Veteran or disabled status and will not be discriminated against for their race, color, religion, sex, age, disability, military status, or national origin or any other characteristic protected under federal, state, or applicable local law. Please view Equal Employment Opportunity Posters provided by OFCCP here