Patent Counsel

Qualcomm; San Diego (CA); On-site; USD 170,000 - 254,000; Full time

Job summary

Qualcomm Incorporated is seeking experienced patent counsel to architect and build patent assets that protect cutting-edge wireless technologies and standards, including 5G and emerging 6G standards. The role emphasizes strategic portfolio management, collaboration with engineering teams, and coordinating with international jurisdictions.

The position requires full-time onsite work in San Diego, with responsibilities spanning infringement, patentability, and licensing analyses, and interaction

Qualifications

• Juris Doctorate degree or international equivalent.
• 5+ years of relevant experience as counsel at a law firm or in-house.
• Active bar license or other lawful ability to practice law in the state or jurisdiction where the employee will be located.

Responsibilities

• Develops patents and supports the patent portfolio based on knowledge of products, technology, and engineering principles related to one's portfolio.
• Manages dockets, cases, and/or initiatives by planning resources, aligning on expectations for work product and deliverables, and tracking progress against milestones.
• Reviews work of outside counsel and support staff to ensure work product is aligned with strategies and plans.
• Analyzes strategic importance of claims, assesses prior art, and develops arguments to present to patent offices.
• Develops and analyzes claim charts that account for all patent related information to support licensing and enforcement activities.

Education

Master's degree or PhD in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Physics, or related field

Job description

Company

Qualcomm Incorporated

Job Area

Legal Group, Legal Group > Legal Counsel

General Summary

At Qualcomm, intellectual property is not a passive asset or an item on a checklist. Each patent reflects inspired innovation, careful analysis, focused prosecution, and a clear connection to Qualcomm’s technology roadmaps and business strategies. Because Qualcomm inventors continue to push the boundaries of what is possible, Qualcomm patent attorneys must do the same: architect and build patent portfolios designed to protect innovation, enable new and growing technology and business teams, support licensing opportunities, and generate meaningful revenue that can be reinvested in R&D. This makes Qualcomm’s Patent Department unique. We apply deep experience and care to develop high-quality, high-value patents that are meaningful to Qualcomm. We seek talented and motivated patent counselors who can apply sound legal judgment, critical technical depth, and a collaborative mindset to build patent assets that are as robust and powerful as the products and technologies they protect. Patent attorneys possessing a wide array of patent experience that practice with a business focus and willing to embrace frontier patent work are desired. We are currently seeking patent attorneys with experience in wireless communications, mobile compute, and related technical standards. This, of course, includes 5G cellular standards and emerging 6G technologies. Specific responsibilities include strategic portfolio management, managing outside counsel, drafting responses to official communications, and interviewing patent examiners. Our attorneys also perform infringement, clearance, patentability, and validity analyses, and collaborate with counsel across multiple jurisdictions to ensure compliance with local practices and laws. Additional responsibilities may include legal analysis of products, licenses, standards, contracts, and potential acquisitions or investments. Candidates must be capable of understanding complex technologies, responding to rapidly changing business plans, and identifying patent opportunities with strategic significance. Candidates having experience in leveraging new and advanced computing tools will have opportunities to further enhance our cutting-edge legal practices. This is not a place to rest on prior accomplishments; it is a challenging environment for attorneys who want to expand their professional capabilities while working with similarly driven professionals in a world-class legal department.

This role requires full-time onsite work in San Diego (5 days per week).

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree or PhD in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Physics, or related field.
• Non-US: Passed bar for the country in which they practice.
• 5+ years of patent law experience at a law firm or in-house.
• 3+ years of experience in patent preparation and prosecution in wireless communication fields (with an emphasis on 5G cellular connectivity and related technical standards).
• 2+ years of engineering experience in software, electrical, communications, or related fields.
• 2+ years of experience in patent preparation and prosecution in software, electrical, communications, or related fields.
• 2+ years of managing an international patent portfolio, including a strong ability to direct the efforts of outside counsel and a familiarity with patent laws and practices in non-U.S. jurisdictions.

Principal Duties And Responsibilities

• Develops patents and supports the patent portfolio based on knowledge of products, technology, and engineering principles related to one's portfolio.
• Manages dockets, cases, and/or initiatives by planning resources (e.g., staff, time, tools), aligning on expectations for work product and deliverables, and tracking progress against milestones.
• Reviews work of outside counsel and support staff to ensure work product is aligned with strategies and plans.
• Analyzes strategic importance of claims, assesses prior art, and develops arguments to present to patent offices.
• Develops and analyzes claim charts that account for all patent related information to support licensing and enforcement activities.
• Conducts patent analyses (e.g., infringement, validity) with minimal guidance to make recommendations around litigating, protecting, and/or licensing patents.
• Maintains up-to-date awareness of domestic and foreign patent laws, rules, and best practices to prepare and prosecute patents worldwide.
• Participates in discussions, meetings, and portfolio and/or case reviews with colleagues to address requirements and understand implications of one's work.
• Helps to identify areas or technologies related to one's portfolio that need more or less IP protection.
• Collaborates with engineering teams to collect, develop, and promote submission of IDFs to support portfolio development.
• Provides advice and support on IP department initiatives and legal matters based on knowledge of laws, department policies, best practices, and legal risks.
• Works with team to recommend decisions to appeal, continue prosecution, and/or file continuation/divisional applications based on legal analysis.
• Keeps leaders, team members, and stakeholders properly updated on the status of work assignments, seeking guidance when necessary.

Minimum Qualifications

• Juris Doctorate degree or international equivalent.
• 5+ years of relevant experience as counsel at a law firm or in-house.
• Active bar license or other lawful ability to practice law in the state or jurisdiction where the employee will be located (for example, ability to gain admission as registered in house counsel).

Qualcomm is an equal opportunity employer. If you are an individual with a disability and need an accommodation during the application/hiring process, rest assured that Qualcomm is committed to providing an accessible process. You may e-mail [e-mail] or call Qualcomm's toll-free number found here. Upon request, Qualcomm will provide reasonable accommodations to support individuals with disabilities to be able participate in the hiring process. Qualcomm is also committed to making our workplace accessible for individuals with disabilities. (Keep in mind that this email address is used to provide reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities. We will not respond here to requests for updates on applications or resume inquiries).

Qualcomm is an equal opportunity employer; all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, Veteran status, or any other protected classification.

Qualcomm expects its employees to abide by all applicable policies and procedures, including but not limited to security and other requirements regarding protection of Company confidential information and other confidential and/or proprietary information, to the extent those requirements are permissible under applicable law.

Pay Range And Other Compensation & Benefits

$169,500.00 - $254,300.00

The above pay scale reflects the broad, minimum to maximum, pay scale for this job code for the location for which it has been posted. Even more importantly, please note that salary is only one component of total compensation at Qualcomm. We also offer a competitive annual discretionary bonus program and opportunity for annual RSU grants (employees on sales-incentive plans are not eligible for our annual bonus). In addition, our highly competitive benefits package is designed to support your success at work, at home, and at play. Your recruiter will be happy to discuss all that Qualcomm has to offer – and you can review more details about our US benefits at this link.

If you would like more information about this role, please contact Qualcomm Careers.