Principal Patent Attorney

Cari; København; On-site; DKK 932,000 - 1,370,000; Full time

Job summary

Novo Nordisk is seeking a Principal Patent Attorney to lead due diligence for licensing or acquisition opportunities and oversee onboarding of patent portfolios after transactions. You will translate complex assessments into clear recommendations, manage portfolio strategies, and align patent work with R&D and business priorities.

The role requires strong experience in the pharmaceutical sector, global collaboration, and the ability to influence senior stakeholders across regions.

Qualifications

• Advanced degree in chemistry, biology, pharmaceutical sciences or related field.
• Qualified European Patent Attorney or US Patent Attorney.
• 6–8 years of patent experience in pharma or life sciences, in-house or private practice.
• Proven management of complex patent portfolios and freedom-to-operate matters.
• Experience conducting patent due diligence for licensing or acquisition.
• Strong understanding of pharmaceutical industry aligning patent decisions with R&D and business.
• Ability to influence senior stakeholders and collaborate across disciplines and geographies.

Responsibilities

• Lead patent due diligence for external pipeline opportunities (licensing or acquisition).
• Translate due diligence findings into actionable recommendations and risk mitigation plans.
• Lead onboarding and integration of patent portfolios after successful transactions, aligned with strategies.
• Develop and execute patent strategies for internal R&D projects.
• Manage global patent portfolios including drafting and prosecution.
• Assess third-party patents and FTO risks, translating findings into practical mitigations.
• Lead European patent opposition and appeal proceedings; contribute to patent litigation.
• Advise senior stakeholders and governance bodies on complex patent matters.
• Mentor colleagues and evolve patent practices, including AI-enabled workflows.

Skills

Advanced science degree

European Patent Attorney

Patent experience 6-8 years

FTO experience

Portfolio management

Risk mitigation

Patent due diligence

Pharma industry knowledge

Stakeholder influence

Cross-functional collaboration

Opposition & appeal

Education

Advanced scientific degree in chemistry/biology/pharmaceutical sciences

Job description

Your impact begins here

Join us in protecting scientific innovation and shaping decisions that influence Novo Nordisk’s future portfolio. As Principal Patent Attorney, you will lead patent due diligence for external pipeline opportunities being considered for licensing or acquisition and oversee the onboarding and integration of patent portfolios following successful transactions. You will bring deep expertise in patent exclusivity and freedom to operate, translating complex assessments into clear, actionable recommendations for senior decision-makers. Your work will help Novo Nordisk identify opportunities, manage risk and protect future innovation.

What you’ll bring

• An advanced scientific degree in chemistry, biology, pharmaceutical sciences or another relevant field.
• Qualification as a European Patent Attorney or US Patent Attorney.
• At least 6–8 years of relevant patent experience, including substantial experience in the pharmaceutical or life sciences sector, gained in-house, in private practice advising pharmaceutical clients, or through a combination of both.
• Proven experience managing complex patent portfolios and freedom-to-operate matters, including developing risk mitigation strategies.
• Experience conducting or leading patent due diligence for licensing or acquisition opportunities.
• A strong understanding of the pharmaceutical industry and the ability to align patent decisions with research, development and broader business priorities.
• A demonstrated ability to influence senior stakeholders, build trusted relationships and collaborate across disciplines, organisations and geographies

What you’ll do

• Lead patent due diligence for external pipeline opportunities being considered for licensing or acquisition, assessing patent protection, exclusivity and freedom-to-operate risks.
• Translate patent due diligence findings into clear, actionable recommendations and risk mitigation plans to inform strategic business decisions.
• Lead the onboarding and integration of patent portfolios following successful transactions, ensuring a smooth transition and alignment with Novo’s patent strategies and practices.

You will also:

• Develop and execute patent strategies for internal R&D projects.
• Manage global patent portfolios, including drafting and prosecution.
• Assess third-party patents and freedom-to-operate risks, translating findings into practical recommendations and mitigation options.
• Lead European patent opposition and appeal proceedings.Contribute patent expertise and technical insight to patent litigation.
• Advise senior stakeholders and governance bodies on complex patent matters and strategic choices.
• Mentor colleagues and help evolve patent practices, including the responsible use of approved AI-enabled workflows.

Who you’ll work with

You will join Novo Nordisk’s global intellectual property team, working closely with patent colleagues in Denmark, the United States, China and India. Your internal partners will include Business Development, Legal, R&D scientists and R&D project leaders.

You will manage substantial parts of your work through external counsel and engage with counterparts at companies whose pipeline opportunities are under assessment. Across these relationships, you will translate patent analysis into clear, structured recommendations that support informed business decisions.

The role may involve occasional short international business trips.

What you can expect here

You can expect substantial professional independence and the opportunity to influence matters of significant business importance. The role brings together advanced patent practice, science, strategic decision-making and international collaboration. You will also contribute to the development of colleagues by sharing your specialist knowledge and mentoring experienced patent professionals.

Salary

For this role, the Annual Base Salary ranges from 931,700.00 to 1,369,700.00 DKK, corresponding to the level of the position. The placement within the salary range will be assessed during the recruitment process based on the candidate’s skills, competencies, knowledge and relevant experience.

Incentives and Benefits

The salary package may include short-term and/or long-term incentives as well as other employee benefits based on position level, location, functional area and relevant market benchmarks. Learn more about our Reward Philosophy here.

We commit to an inclusive recruitment process and equality of opportunity for all our job applicants.