Intellectual Property Counsel

AV; Virginia; On-site; USD 139,000 - 237,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical coverage

Dental coverage

Vision coverage

401K match

9/80 work schedule

Paid holidays

Job summary

AeroVironment’s Intellectual Property Counsel will manage and expand the global IP portfolio, focusing on patents and trademarks for uncrewed systems, robotics, and related tech. The role collaborates with leadership, engineering, and compliance to shape IP strategy and support strategic growth.

Ideal candidates have at least five years in patent and IP practice, including prosecution, portfolio management, IP transactions, and government contracts support.

Qualifications

• J.D. from ABA-accredited law school.
• Admission to at least one US state bar in good standing.
• Minimum 5 years of substantive IP practice including patent/trademark portfolio prosecution and management, IP litigation, licensing and government contracts.
• Registration to practice before the USPTO as a patent attorney.
• Technical degree with aerospace/defense/robotics or related engineering background.

Responsibilities

• Prepare, file, and prosecute patent and trademark applications before USPTO and foreign offices.
• Conduct invention harvesting with engineering/product teams to protect key innovations.
• Manage domestic and international patent/trademark portfolios aligned with business objectives.
• Support CTO’s IP Management Committee and manage prosecution budgets and actions.
• Monitor changes in IP laws and best practices to keep portfolio practices current.

Skills

Patent portfolio management

Trademark portfolio management

Patent prosecution

Trademark prosecution

US government contracts

USPTO registration

Legal research

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

J.D. degree

US Bar admission

Technical degree in STEM

Job description

Worker Type

Regular

Job Description

Summary

Reporting to the Associate General Counsel, Intellectual Property, the Intellectual Property (IP) Counsel will be directly involved in managing and expanding AeroVironment’s global intellectual property portfolio, with a focus on patents and trademarks covering uncrewed systems, munitions, robotics, autonomy, communications, and related technologies. The IP Counsel will work directly with AeroVironment’s leadership, engineering, business and compliance teams to help shape and implement AeroVironment’s intellectual property strategy to help the organization achieve its strategic and growth objectives.

The ideal candidate will have at least five (5) years of substantive experience in patent and intellectual property practice, including patent and trademark prosecution, portfolio management, IP transactions, and IP support for U.S. government contracts. This role requires strong prior experience, the ability to work independently and in cross-functional teams, and the ability to operate with significant autonomy under the guidance of more senior counsel.

Core Position Responsibilities

• Work with inventors and outside counsel to prepare, file, and prosecute patent and trademark applications before the USPTO and foreign patent offices.

• Conduct invention harvesting sessions and work closely with engineering, product, and business teams to identify and protect key innovations.

• Assist AV’s Associate GC for IP in managing and strategically developing the company’s domestic and international patent and trademark portfolios in alignment with AeroVironment’s business objectives.
• Support the operation of the CTO’s IP Management Committee, including managing IP prosecution budgets, preparing agendas and materials, capturing action items, and driving follow‑up activities.

• Monitor changes in laws, regulations, and industry best practices to help keep IP portfolio practices current.

Additional Responsibilities May Include

• Evaluate IP risk, including freedom‑to‑operate (FTO) and clearance analyses for new products and technologies.

• Conduct infringement, validity, and prior art analyses; assist in the development of written opinions and risk assessments.

• Draft, review, and negotiate IP‑related agreements, including licenses, joint development agreements, NDAs, technology transfer agreements, and collaboration agreements.

• Advise on IP ownership, assignment, and rights allocation in complex commercial relationships and U.S. government contracts.

• Support IP litigation matters (patent, trademark, trade secret) and related appeals, including management of outside IP litigation counsel.

• Support IP aspects of mergers and acquisitions, including due diligence, IP valuation, and risk assessment.

Basic Qualifications (Required Skills & Experience)

• Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from an ABA-accredited law school.

• Admission to at least one U.S. state bar in good standing.

• Minimum of 5 years of experience in substantive IP practice, including patent and trademark portfolio prosecution and management, IP litigation, licensing and technology agreements, and U.S. government contracts (data rights, FAR, DFARS, CRADAs, SBIRs, etc.).

• Registration to practice before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) as a patent attorney.

• Technical Degree with significant experience with technologies relevant to AV’s business (e.g., aerospace, mechanical/electrical engineering, robotics, systems engineering, computer systems and software, communications, autonomy and artificial intelligence).

• Ability to learn quickly and to assist and advise on non-IP legal matters.

• Strong business acumen with the ability to balance competing demands and priorities.

• Excellent analytical, communication, and project management skills with the ability to provide clear, concise advice on complex topics to business partners, including senior leadership, engineering, business development, finance and compliance personnel.

• Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. government security clearance, if required.

• Proficient in MS Office and other office software productivity tools.

• Occasional travel within the continental U.S.

Other Qualifications & Desired Competencies

• Combination of law-firm and in-house or U.S. government experience.

• Experience working with or for a technology‑driven company, preferably in aerospace/defense or a related field.

• Uses vision to think beyond the immediate situation, explore multiple potential paths, and adapt decision‑making style based on the situational circumstances.

• Demonstrates the ability to develop and maintain internal and external trusting, professional relationships.

• Assesses the degree of risk and opportunity in plans or actions and takes appropriate action to mitigate them or makes plans to build on the opportunity.

Physical Demands

• Ability to work in an office environment (Constant).

Special Requirements

• U.S. Citizen, U.S. Permanent Resident (Green Card holder) orasylee/refugee status as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3) required.

Clearance Level

No Clearance

The salary range for this role is:

$139,000 - $236,500

AeroVironment considers several factors when extending an offer, including but not limited to, the location, the role and associated responsibilities, a candidate’s work experience, education/training, and key skills.

ITAR Requirement

This position requires access to information that is subject to compliance with the International Traffic Arms Regulations (“ITAR”) and/or the Export Administration Regulations (“EAR”). In order to comply with the requirements of the ITAR and/or the EAR, applicants must qualify as a U.S. person under the ITAR and the EAR, or a person to be approved for an export license by the governing agency whose technology comes under its jurisdiction. Please understand that any job offer that requires approval of an export license will be conditional on AeroVironment’s determination that it will be able to obtain an export license in a time frame consistent with AeroVironment’s business requirements. A “U.S. person” according to the ITAR definition is a U.S. citizen, U.S. lawful permanent resident (green card holder), or protected individual such as a refugee or asylee. See 22 CFR § 120.15. Some positions will require current U.S. Citizenship due to contract requirements.

Benefits: AV offers an excellent benefits package including medical, dental vision, 401K with company matching, a 9/80 work schedule and a paid holiday shutdown. For more information about our company benefit offerings please visit: http://www.avinc.com/myavbenefits.

We also encourage you to review our company website at http://www.avinc.com to learn more about us.

About AV

AV isn’t for everyone. We hire the curious, the relentless, the mission-obsessed. The best of the best.

We don’t just build defense technology—we redefine what’s possible. As the premier autonomous systems company in the U.S., AV delivers breakthrough capabilities across air, land, sea, space, and cyber. From AI-powered drones and loitering munitions to integrated autonomy and space resilience, our technologies shape the future of warfare and protect those who serve.

Founded by legendary innovator Dr. Paul MacCready, AV has spent over 50 years pushing the boundaries of what unmanned systems can do. Our heritage includes seven platforms in the Smithsonian—but we’re not building history, we’re building what’s next.

If you're ready to build technology that matters—with speed, scale, and purpose—there’s no better place to do it than AV.

We are proud to be an EEO/AA Equal Opportunity Employer, including disability/veterans. AeroVironment, Inc. is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) employer and welcomes all qualified applicants. Qualified applicants will receive fair and impartial consideration without regard to race, sex, color, religion, national origin, age, disability, protected veteran status, genetic data,sexual orientation, gender identity or other legally protected status.

ITAR

U.S. Citizen, U.S. Permanent Resident (Green Card holder), asylee/refugee status as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3) or a person approved for an export license from the appropriate governing agency.