IP Counsel

Beckman Coulter Diagnostics; Chaska (MN); Hybrid; USD 160,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Bonus eligibility

Medical/dental/vision insurance

401(k) plan

Job summary

Beckman Coulter Diagnostics in Chaska, MN, seeks an IP Counsel to partner with R&D and business teams to protect innovation and enable product freedom to operate.

You will manage patent filings, analyze landscapes, and guide IP terms in contracts, while embedding with cross-functional groups to assess risks and opportunities.

Qualifications

• J.D. from an accredited law school and 4+ years patent law experience in life sciences.
• Advanced degree in biology, biochemistry, or related life sciences.
• Active bar member in at least one US jurisdiction and USPTO in good standing.
• Experience drafting patent applications and office actions with strong claim strategy.
• Experience managing patent portfolios, disclosures, filings, and decisions.

Responsibilities

• Support IP portfolio strategy and manage day-to-day prosecution with outside counsel.
• Conduct landscape and FTO analyses, review third-party IP, monitor patent activity.
• Provide input on IP terms in NDAs, MTAs, collaborations and licenses.
• Support trade secret protection and safeguarding proprietary know-how.
• Embed with R&D, product, and business teams to assess IP risks and opportunities.

Skills

Patent drafting

FTO analyses

IP portfolio management

NDA/ MTA negotiation

R&D collaboration

Education

J.D. from accredited law school

Advanced life sciences degree

Job description

Bring more to life. Are you ready to accelerate your potential and make a real difference within life sciences, diagnostics and biotechnology? Bring more to life. Are you ready to accelerate your potential and make a real difference within life sciences, diagnostics and biotechnology? At Beckman Coulter Diagnostics, one of Danaher’s 15+ operating companies, our work saves lives—and we’re all united by a shared commitment to innovate for tangible impact. You’ll thrive in a culture of belonging where you and your unique viewpoint matter. And by harnessing Danaher’s system of continuous improvement, you help turn ideas into impact – innovating at the speed of life. As a global leader in clinical diagnostics, Beckman Coulter Diagnostics has challenged convention to elevate the diagnostic laboratory’s role in improving patient health for more than 90 years. Our diagnostic solutions are used in routine and complex clinical testing, and are used in hospitals, reference and research laboratories, and physician offices around the world. Every hour around the world, more than one million tests are run on Beckman Coulter Diagnostics systems, impacting 1.2 billion patients and more than three million clinicians per year. From uncovering the next clinical breakthrough, to rapid and reliable sample analysis, to more rigorous decision making—we are enabling clinicians to deliver the best possible care to their patients with improved efficiency, clinical confidence, adaptive collaboration, and accelerated intelligence. Learn about the Danaher Business System which makes everything possible.

IP Counsel

The IP Counsel will partner closely with R&D and business teams to capture and protect innovation, clear the path for product freedom to operate, and ensure IP is strategically protected and leveraged in contracting. This position reports to the Senior IP Counsel and is part of the IP Legal team, which operates as an integral part of the overall legal department. The role will be an on-site role located in Chaska, MN.

In This Role, You Will Have The Opportunity To

• Support IP portfolio strategy by contributing to strategic decisions on patent filings and by managing day-to-day prosecution tasks in coordination with outside counsel.
• Conduct landscape and freedom-to-operate analyses, review third-party IP, and monitor competitors’ patent activity.
• Provide input on IP terms in NDAs, MTAs, collaboration, licensing and other vendor agreements.
• Support trade secret and confidential information protection by implementing and maintaining processes for safeguarding proprietary know-how and data.
• Act as a trusted partner to R&D, product, and business teams by embedding closely with their workflows and proactively assessing IP-related risks and opportunities.

The Essential Requirements Of The Job Include

• J.D. from an accredited law school & 4+ years of experience in patent law in the area of life sciences; Advanced degree in biology, biochemistry, or related life sciences field
• Active bar membership in good standing in at least one US jurisdiction & admission to practice and in good standing before the USPTO
• Substantial experience drafting patent applications and office action responses, with a strong grasp on claim strategy and how to engage with the USPTO.
• Experience supporting broader patent portfolio management, including tracking and prioritizing invention disclosures, managing filing strategies, and making strategic portfolio decisions.
• Experience in conducting patent landscape, freedom-to-operate (FTO), and competitive intelligence analyses to identify potential IP risks and inform client/business decision-making.

Travel, Motor Vehicle Record & Physical/Environment Requirements: if applicable for role

Ability to travel – <5 % travel, overnight, within US

Must have a valid driver’s license with an acceptable driving record

It would be a plus if you also possess previous experience in

• Developing, enforcing, or advising on trade secret protection strategies
• Supporting IP litigation or disputes, including analyzing asserted claims, assisting with claim charting, managing internal document holds, and collaborating with outside counsel on case strategy and filings.
• Experience reviewing and advising on IP-related contract provisions including NDAs, MTAs, collaboration agreements, or license agreements.
• Demonstrated ability to identify and advise on complex IP risks and opportunities as they arise, providing clear strategic guidance to support client/business decision-making.

Beckman Coulter Diagnostics, a Danaher operating company, offers a broad array of comprehensive, competitive benefit programs that add value to our lives. Whether it’s a health care program or paid time off, our programs contribute to life beyond the job. Check out our benefits at Danaher Benefits Info.

At Beckman Coulter Diagnostics we believe in designing a better, more sustainable workforce. We recognize the benefits of flexible, remote working arrangements for eligible roles and are committed to providing enriching careers, no matter the work arrangement. This position is eligible for a remote work arrangement in which you can work remotely from your home. Additional information about this remote work arrangement will be provided by your interview team. Explore the flexibility and challenge that working for Beckman Coulter Diagnostics can provide.

The annual salary range for this role is $160000 - $180000. This is the range that we in good faith believe is the range of possible compensation for this role at the time of this posting. This range may be modified in the future.

This job is also eligible for bonus/incentive pay.

We offer comprehensive package of benefits including paid time off, medical/dental/vision insurance and 401(k) to eligible employees.

Note: No amount of pay is considered to be wages or compensation until such amount is earned, vested, and determinable. The amount and availability of any bonus, commission, benefits, or any other form of compensation and benefits that are allocable to a particular employee remains in the Company's sole discretion unless and until paid and may be modified at the Company’s sole discretion, consistent with the law.

For more information, visit www.danaher.com.

Danaher Corporation and all Danaher Companies are committed to equal opportunity regardless of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, marital status, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or other characteristics protected by law.

The U.S. EEO posters are available here.

We comply with federal and state disability laws and make reasonable accommodations for applicants and employees with disabilities. If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and/or to receive other benefits and privileges of employment, please contact: 1-202-419-7762 or [e-mail].