Chief IP Counsel & Patent Strategy Leader

Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc.; Cambridge (MA); On-site; USD 250,000 - 420,000; Full time

Job summary

Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc. seeks an Executive Director, Patent Counsel to provide strategic IP leadership and oversee a team of IP professionals in Cambridge, MA.

You will lead prosecution on key programs and collaborate across business development, research, and regulatory teams to maximize value and lifecycle management. The role involves hands-on patent strategy development for novel modalities and platform technologies, with a focus on commercial products and late-stage programs.

Qualifications

• Advanced degree (MS or PhD) in biochemistry, chemistry, pharmaceutical sciences, or related life sciences.
• Juris Doctorate from an accredited law school and current bar in good standing.
• Admitted to practice before the USPTO.
• Minimum of 14 years of in-house or law firm patent prosecution experience.
• Experience leading BD transactions, strategic collaborations, alliance management, and IP negotiations.
• Proven patent strategies for commercial products, late-stage pipelines, platform technologies, and modalities.
• Demonstrated people leadership spanning attorneys, patent agents, and IP professionals.
• Strong business acumen to assess IP issues across scientific, legal, commercial, and strategic lenses.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute IP strategies across assets at various development stages.
• Partner with R&D, regulatory, commercial, and BD teams to protect innovations.
• Drive IP strategy for emerging technologies, modalities, and delivery platforms.
• Establish processes for portfolio prioritization, competitive intelligence, patent analytics, governance.
• Advise on BD transactions, collaborations, licenses, and alliance matters.
• Lead, manage, and contribute to patent prosecution and portfolio strategy for key programs.
• Lead, mentor, and develop a team of patent attorneys and IP professionals.

Skills

People leadership

Strategic thinking

Business development

Education

MS/PhD in life sciences

Juris Doctorate (JD)

Bar admission in qualifying states

Tools

USPTO admission

Patent prosecution experience

Legal research databases

Job description

Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc. seeks an Executive Director, Patent Counsel to provide strategic IP leadership and oversee a team of IP professionals in Cambridge, MA.

You will lead prosecution on key programs and collaborate across business development, research, and regulatory teams to maximize value and lifecycle management. The role involves hands-on patent strategy development for novel modalities and platform technologies, with a focus on commercial products and late-stage programs.