IP Manager

Tokamak Energy; Abingdon; Hybrid; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading fusion energy company in the UK is seeking an experienced IP Manager to oversee their Intellectual Property portfolio. You will collaborate with engineering and technology teams, manage patent strategies, and provide IP education across the organization. The ideal candidate has a strong background in Intellectual Property and passion for innovation in clean energy. This role offers hybrid working, a competitive salary based on experience, and a range of benefits including training and development opportunities.

Benefits

25 days holiday plus bank holidays

Discretionary performance related bonus

Pension scheme

Financial benefits including health cash plan

Qualifications

• Substantive experience in an Intellectual Property firm or department.
• Experience with invention harvesting and patent prosecution.
• Interest in working with fusion and high temperature superconducting technology.

Responsibilities

• Partner with engineering and technology teams to protect innovations.
• Review communications from external patent counsel.
• Provide IP education across the business.

Skills

Experience in Intellectual Property

Good organisation skills

Communication skills

Proactive approach

Ability to build relationships

Education

Background in science, engineering or technology

Job description

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Working arrangements

Please note this role does offer hybrid working, our model sets out a minimum 60% onsite / 40% home working split.

Overview

Tokamak Energy has an extensive Intellectual Property (IP) portfolio which includes over 80 patent families with applications in multiple territories alongside trademarks, trade secrets and a vast collection of know-how. In this role, you will take on day-to-day management of a portion of this IP portfolio including identifying and protecting innovations and knowledge through the best mechanisms and helping to make crucial decisions in relation to pending patents. This role will involve partnering with engineering, science and technology teams alongside various commercial stakeholders to understand our technology and business strategy to make informed recommendations and decisions. You will continue to develop and improve our existing policies and processes relating to IP, as well as ensuring that wider business policies and processes account for IP considerations. You will also play a role in ensuring our contracts are drafted and negotiated to suitably protect our IP.

In this role, you will

• Partnering with engineering, science and technology teams across the business to understand technology, identifying opportunities to protect technology through a full range of IP rights and enacting protection
• Review communications from external patent and trademark counsel in timely manner, guiding the business on decision-making in relation to patent and trademark rights
• Ensure seamless and efficient working between external patent and trademark counsel and engineering, science and technology teams by acting as intelligent customer
• Prepare reports and statistics on IP portfolio
• Review and make recommendations based on patent monitoring search results
• Conduct ad-hoc IP searches in relation to early-stage projects
• Provide IP education across the business
• Review proposed publications to eliminate IP leakage
• Input into contracting activity to ensure contracts are drafted and negotiated to suitably protect our Intellectual Property
• Provide advice on IP related matter across the business
• Assist in evolving IP strategy, processes and policies, and ensure wider business policies and processes include IP considerations

Requirements

• Substantive experience working in an Intellectual Property firm or department (in-house or private practice)
• Experience with invention harvesting, patent prosecution, monitoring searches and FTO
• Experience with holistic IP strategy and management (including protection through trademarks, trade secrets and know-how)
• Experience partnering with science, engineering and technology teams
• Appetite to review and negotiate IP clauses in commercial and research contracts
• Background in science, engineering or technology
• Good organisation and communication skills
• Ability to build relationships, influence and engage with stakeholders across all levels
• Proactive approach to work and solution-focused
• Interest in working with fusion and high temperature superconducting technology
• Passion for educating others, including members of IP and Contracts team members

Benefits

• Salary dependent on skills and experience and will be discussed from the outset
• 25 days holiday plus bank holidays
• Discretionary 3-day festive break depending on business needs
• Eligible for discretionary performance related bonus
• Share options scheme
• Pension scheme
• Financial benefits - including; group life insurance, critical illness, health cash plan and discount scheme
• Innovation and Merit bonuses
• Investment in training and development to support career progression
• Opportunity to work on and contribute to world class innovation

About Us

What if there was a limitless, safe, clean, low-cost energy source, providing much needed global energy security? What if that energy source could also help reduce climate change? We believe that's fusion energy. Tokamak Energy is a leading global commercial fusion energy company based near Oxford, UK. We have an unrivalled track record designing and operating spherical tokamaks; the optimal route to commercial fusion energy.

In addition to fusion energy, Tokamak Energy is recognised as the leader in High Temperature Superconductor (HTS) magnet, design, numerical modelling, and prototyping. Our dedicated HTS magnet team, in collaboration with key manufacturing partners, is focussed on becoming the leading supplier of HTS magnets to multiple markets.

The company, founded in 2009 as a spin-off from the UK's Culham Centre for Fusion Energy, currently employs a growing team of over 250 people with experts from the UK and around the world. It combines world leading scientific, engineering, industrial and commercial capabilities. The company has 70 families of patent applications and has raised $250 million, comprising $200m from private investors and $50m from the UK and US governments. Our US subsidiary, Tokamak Energy Inc, was established in 2019.

Come and be a part of a dynamic and innovative team who are striving to provide a solution to one of humanity's greatest challenges: clean and sustainable energy for all.

Important information

Please note that any personal data submitted to Tokamak Energy will be processed in accordance with the GDPR and related UK data protection legislation.

If you do not meet all the listed criteria for this position, we would still welcome your application.

Entry into employment with Tokamak Energy and progression within employment will be determined only by personal merit and the application of criteria which are related to the duties of each post and the relevant salary structure. In all cases, ability to perform the job will be the primary consideration.

No applicant or member of staff shall be discriminated against because of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation.