IP Strategist

National University of Singapore; Singapore; On-site; SGD 160,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

The National University of Singapore (NUS) invites an experienced IP Strategist to shape protection pathways for cutting-edge research. You will collaborate with inventors, commercialisation colleagues, and external IP counsel to craft strategies that align with licensing, venture creation, and industry partnerships.

A deep understanding of patent systems, know-how protection, and portfolio management will be essential as you steer portfolio quality, guide external resources, and build IP

Qualifications

• 8+ years of experience in IP strategy, patent law, patent portfolio management, technology transfer, or related field.
• Demonstrated experience developing IP strategies that support technology commercialization.
• Strong understanding of patent systems, know-how protection, prosecution strategy, portfolio management, and IP value creation.
• Experience evaluating invention disclosures and developing protection strategies.

Responsibilities

• Develop IP strategies that support licensing, venture creation, industry partnerships, and other impact-enabling pathways.
• Translate commercialization priorities into actionable direction for external counsel and teams.
• Review patent application drafts and prosecution strategies from strategic/commercial perspectives.
• Monitor portfolio performance and refine strategies to align with objectives.

Skills

IP strategy

Patent portfolio

Technology transfer

Commercialisation

Stakeholder management

Communication skills

Deep-tech exposure

Education

Law degree

Patent attorney qualification

Tools

Patent Analytics Tools

Patent databases

Job description

Company description:

The National University of Singapore is the national research university of Singapore. Founded in 1905 as the Straits Settlements and Federated Malay States Government Medical School, NUS is the oldest higher education institution in Singapore

Job description:

Job Description

About Us

NUSX is where NUS talent, research, and ideas meet the people, pathways, and resources that can take them further. That includes founder development, research translation, venture creation, industry partnerships, and access to capital and global networks. Across NUSX, our programs and people bring different capabilities to a shared ambition: helping more NUS talent, research, and ideas create real-world impact at scale.

Through thoughtful stewardship of its intellectual property (IP) portfolio, NUS seeks to transform research excellence into real-world impact through licensing, venture creation, industry partnerships, and other innovation pathways.

As our innovation ecosystem continues to grow in scale and ambition, we are building a world-class IP Strategy team that combines IP expertise, commercial judgment, and practical execution to help bring NUS innovations to market.

The Role

We're seeking an IP Strategist to help ensure NUS innovations are protected in ways that support their intended path to impact.

Working closely with inventors, commercialisation colleagues, and external IP counsel, you'll develop protection strategies, provide portfolio recommendations, and help ensure IP supports intended commercialisation objectives.

Success in this role requires deep IP expertise, commercial awareness, sound judgment, and the ability to make high-quality decisions under uncertainty.

What You'll Do

Develop IP Strategies

• Evaluate invention disclosures and commercialisation objectives to determine appropriate protection pathways.
• Develop IP strategies that support licensing, venture creation, industry partnerships, and other impact-enabling pathways.
• Recommend appropriate protection approaches, including patents, know-how, trade secrets, publication, and other mechanisms.
• Assess opportunities and develop recommendations regarding IP investment, protection approaches, and portfolio support.

Translate Strategy into Execution

• Translate commercialisation priorities into actionable direction for external counsel.
• Review patent application drafts, prosecution strategies, and portfolio recommendations from a strategic and commercial perspective.
• Ensure external IP resources are deployed effectively and aligned with portfolio objectives.

Steward Portfolio Quality

• Monitor portfolio performance and ensure protection strategies remain aligned with commercialisation objectives.
• Conduct portfolio reviews and develop recommendations relating to filing, maintenance, abandonment, jurisdictional coverage, and portfolio investment decisions.
• Continuously refine IP strategies to improve portfolio quality and alignment with commercial objectives.

Build IP Fluency

• Develop and deliver workshops, office hours, educational content, and practical tools that strengthen IP awareness and capability across the research community.
• Develop scalable resources and self-service tools that enable researchers to address common IP considerations independently.

Please be informed that only shortlisted candidates will be notified.

Qualifications

What You Bring

• 8+ years of experience in IP strategy, patent law, patent portfolio management,technology transfer, research commercialisation, or a related field.
• Demonstrated experience developing IP strategies that support technology commercialisation.
• Strong understanding of patent systems, know-how protection, prosecution strategy, portfolio management, and IP value creation.
• Experience evaluating invention disclosures and developing protection strategies.
• Experience working with patent agents, patent attorneys, inventors, researchers,founders, and commercialisation professionals.
• Strong communication skills and the ability to explain IP concepts to both technicaland non-technical audiences.
• Sound judgment and the ability to balance legal, technical, commercial, and strategicconsiderations when making recommendations.
• Experience supporting innovations in biotechnology, healthcare, computing, AI,semiconductors, advanced manufacturing, materials, or other deep-technologysectors.

Bonus Points For

• Experience working within a university technology transfer office, research institution, or public-sector innovation environment.
• Qualification as a patent attorney, patent agent, or equivalent IP professional.
• Experience supporting founder-led commercialisation activities.
• Experience developing IP strategies across multiple technology sectors or working at the intersection of traditionally distinct disciplines.

Why Join NUSX

This is a rare chance to shape the future of innovation in Asia — from Singapore, with global reach. You'll sit at the intersection of technology, entrepreneurship, and capital, with the freedom to take big swings and the platform to land them.