Patent Attorney / IP Counsel (f/m/d)

SICK is one of the world’s leading solutions providers for sensor-based applications in the industrial sector. Founded in 1946 by Dr.-Ing. e. h. Erwin Sick, the company with headquarters in Waldkirch im Breisgau near Freiburg ranks among the technological market leaders. With 63 subsidiaries and equity investments as well as numerous agencies, SICK maintains a presence around the globe. SICK has more than 10,000 employees worldwide and generated a group revenue of EUR 2.1 billion in the 2024 fiscal year.

Job Description Patent Attorney / IP Counsel (f/m/d)

Our Intellectual Property team in Waldkirch is globally responsible for protecting the SICK Group’s intellectual property. As close partners to our development departments, we work directly with cutting‑edge technologies and maintain a close exchange with our inventors. Acting as an “internal law firm,” we cover the full spectrum of industrial property rights. Within our collaborative and appreciative team, IP Counsels and Paralegals support each other in managing the challenges of safeguarding our innovations in a high‑tech environment. Continuous skills development and talent growth are particularly important to us.

YOUR TASKS

• Act as the primary contact for our development departments on all matters related to industrial property rights
• Prepare patent applications, independently handle patent office procedures, and manage external attorneys
• Assess the validity of IP rights and file oppositions
• Evaluate potential patent infringements and support infringement proceedings
• Support development projects and develop and implement tailored Intellectual Property strategies
• Protect trademarks and designs
• Contribute to topics relating to employee invention law
• Draft license agreements and other IP‑related contracts

YOUR PROFILE

• Degree in engineering or natural sciences, or a comparable qualification
• Successful completion of the German patent attorney examination and/or admission as a representative before the European Patent Office
• Experience with patent databases and research tools is an advantage
• Very good English and German skills
• Structured, independent, and result‑oriented working style
• Strong communication skills and an ability to work across disciplines

At SICK, we see people, not gender.
We put great emphasis on diversity, reject discrimination and do not think in categories such as gender, ethnicity, religion, disability, age or sexual identity.