MedTech IP Portfolio Manager (Hybrid)

Stryker; Indianapolis (IN); Hybrid; USD 118,000 - 256,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health benefits

401(k) plan

Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP)

Wellbeing program

Job summary

Stryker is seeking an Intellectual Property Manager to oversee the full patent lifecycle, collaborate with R&D, and guide filing decisions across U.S. and international jurisdictions. The role emphasizes strategic portfolio management and cross-functional partnership.

The position offers a hybrid work arrangement based in Cary, Illinois, with on-site days and potential remote work, reporting to IP and R&D leadership. Requires strong patent experience and USPTO credentials.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in engineering or related technical field.
• Minimum 8 years in engineering, IP, or related IP functions.
• Experience with patent portfolio management and prior-art analyses.

Responsibilities

• Manage the full patent lifecycle, including invention intake, preliminary patentability assessments, patent application development, prosecution support, and maintenance and annuity decisions.
• Lead invention review boards, evaluate new inventions, and guide patent filing decisions in partnership with R&D stakeholders and IP counsel.
• Develop patent portfolio strategies and manage related IP budgets in alignment with product development and business priorities.
• Coordinate with outside counsel to prepare, file, and prosecute U.S. and international patent applications and responses to patent office actions.
• Conduct patentability, prior-art, state-of-the-art, and competitive patent analyses to support product development and intellectual property strategy.
• Evaluate invention commercialization plans, patent utilization, and potential offensive and defensive value to inform international filing, maintenance, and abandonment decisions.
• Coordinate intellectual property risk assessments, including freedom-to-operate analyses for new product launches, and support IP activities related to acquisitions, licensing, patent monetization, assertions, and defenses.
• Improve IP processes, systems, portfolio metrics, stakeholder reporting, and training to increase efficiency and provide R&D and IP leadership with actionable insights.

Skills

Patent portfolio management

Invention disclosures

Collaboration with R&D

USPTO procedures

Patent filings & office actions

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering

Tools

Patent management systems

Patent search databases

Job description

Stryker is seeking an Intellectual Property Manager to oversee the full patent lifecycle, collaborate with R&D, and guide filing decisions across U.S. and international jurisdictions. The role emphasizes strategic portfolio management and cross-functional partnership.

The position offers a hybrid work arrangement based in Cary, Illinois, with on-site days and potential remote work, reporting to IP and R&D leadership. Requires strong patent experience and USPTO credentials.