In-House Patents & IP Counsel — Open Source & Strategy

Lyft; Seattle (WA); Hybrid; USD 162,000 - 202,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Great medical, dental, and vision

Mental health benefits

Family building benefits

Child care benefits

401(k) plan with company match

Paid time off: 12 holidays + PTO

18 weeks paid parental leave

Subsidized commuter benefits

Company Pink membership

Job summary

Lyft seeks a senior patent leader to oversee the company’s patent portfolio and strategy, collaborating closely with engineers and researchers to advance IP goals. The role includes advising on open source, reviewing publications for IP risk, and guiding global strategy across partnerships, acquisitions, and tech deployments.

JD required with a strong technical background (BS/MS in CS/Engineering) and active Patent Bar status.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of patent prosecution experience.
• Experience in-house patent portfolio management is a plus.
• Must be a member of the Patent Bar and able to practice before USPTO.
• Proactive, detail oriented, organized, and strong communicator.
• Experience advising on open source license compliance.
• Comfort working with engineers and researchers in a hybrid setting.
• Familiarity with AI tools in daily practice.

Responsibilities

• Own the patent portfolio end to end: invention harvesting, disclosures, and prosecution oversight.
• Drive patent strategy, filing decisions, and portfolio health aligned to product roadmaps.
• Counsel on open source license reviews and compliance risk.
• Review public disclosures for IP risk and confidentiality concerns.
• Provide strategic IP guidance across the business and for partnerships or M&A.
• Educate product and engineering teams on IP matters and build scalable processes.

Skills

Patent portfolio management

Communication skills

AI fluency

Collaborative relationship building

Adaptability

Education

JD

BS/MS in CS/Engineering

Job description

Lyft seeks a senior patent leader to oversee the company’s patent portfolio and strategy, collaborating closely with engineers and researchers to advance IP goals. The role includes advising on open source, reviewing publications for IP risk, and guiding global strategy across partnerships, acquisitions, and tech deployments.

JD required with a strong technical background (BS/MS in CS/Engineering) and active Patent Bar status.