Patent Prosecution Associate – Life Sciences / Biotechnology – Silicon Valley

plug-legal; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 225,000 - 435,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Market-leading medical, dental, and vision insurance

401(k) eligibility with profit sharing

Exceptional paid time off

Parental leave

Professional development support

Job summary

plug-legal is seeking a Patent Prosecution Associate specializing in life sciences to guide innovators through intellectual property protection. This role involves building and managing global patent portfolios and drafting applications for groundbreaking therapies.

The ideal candidate will have 1–5 years of experience in patent prosecution, a Ph.D. in a life sciences discipline, and familiarity with USPTO processes. The firm offers competitive compensation and a comprehensive benefits package.

Qualifications

• 1–5 years of patent prosecution experience, ideally in biotechnology.
• Advanced degree in life sciences; Ph.D. preferred.
• USPTO registration or eligibility within 12 months.

Responsibilities

• Guide life sciences innovators through IP protection lifecycle.
• Build and manage global patent portfolios.
• Draft complex applications and conduct FTO analyses.

Skills

Patent prosecution experience

Advanced knowledge in life sciences

Familiarity with USPTO processes

Education

Ph.D. in life sciences

Job description

Patent Prosecution Associate – Life Sciences / Biotechnology – Silicon Valley

Practice Area: Intellectual Property / Patent Prosecution

Experience: 1–5 years

Requirements: Advanced degree in life sciences (Ph.D. preferred); USPTO registration or eligibility to sit for the patent bar within 12 months.

The Work

You will guide life sciences and biotech innovators through the entire lifecycle of intellectual property protection. This is not a repetitive, back‑office drafting role; you will be directly involved in building and managing global patent portfolios, drafting complex applications for breakthrough therapies, and conducting critical freedom‑to‑operate (FTO) and patentability analyses.

The practice covers everything from venture‑backed startups to multinational pharmaceutical giants, ensuring your portfolio exposure remains broad and sophisticated.

Who This Is For

You are an intelligent, scientifically driven attorney with one to five years of patent prosecution experience within a dedicated biotechnology practice. You possess a deep technical foundation—ideally a Ph.D. in a life sciences discipline (molecular biology, biochemistry, genetics, or related fields)—and can speak the language of founders and chief scientific officers. You either hold a USPTO registration number or have the foundational credentials to sit for and pass the patent bar exam within your first year in the role.

The Platform

The firm offers a rare combination of an elite, global footprint with a deeply collaborative, partner‑led mentorship structure in Silicon Valley. You will work alongside recognized leaders in the life sciences space who invest in your development, ensuring you gain the strategic advisory skills necessary to transition from an associate who executes work to a trusted advisor who commands a room.

Why Silicon Valley

As a key hub for global biotechnology innovation, Silicon Valley offers an unparalleled concentration of venture capital, research institutions, and emerging life sciences companies. Working from this office positions you at the absolute epicenter of the industry, providing a steady stream of high‑stakes, market‑defining IP work that cannot be replicated in smaller markets.

Compensation and Benefits

The base salary range for this position is $225,000 to $435,000, commensurate with your class year, technical expertise, and depth of experience. The comprehensive benefits package includes market‑leading medical, dental, and vision insurance; 401(k) eligibility with profit sharing; exceptional paid time off; parental leave; and robust professional development and bar association support.