Ph.D. Patent Agent / Technical Specialist — Life Sciences & Chemistry

Hylton-Rodic Law; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 90,000 - 135,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

401(k)

Life insurance

Short- and long-term disability

Commuter benefits

Paid time off

Mental health days

Birthday leave

Annual holiday break

Sunshine Fridays

Job summary

Hylton-Rodic Law seeks a Ph.D.-trained scientist to join our IP practice as a Patent Agent or Technical Specialist in Washington, DC. You will engage across sophisticated life-science IP matters, drafting applications and guiding prosecution, while translating science into strong patent work.

Whether you are already practicing patent law or exploring a transition from academia, we value scientific depth, writing ability, curiosity, and resilient judgment. Must be US-work-authorized.

Qualifications

• Ph.D. in a relevant scientific discipline.
• Exceptional written and oral communication skills.
• Demonstrated scientific and academic achievement.
• Ability to understand and communicate sophisticated technical concepts.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving ability.
• Exceptional attention to detail; and
• Authorization to work in the United States.

Responsibilities

• Patent application drafting.
• U.S. patent prosecution.
• Foreign prosecution strategy and coordination.
• Inventor interviews and invention harvesting.
• Prior-art and patentability analysis.
• Portfolio management and strategy.
• Patent clearance and freedom-to-operate analysis.
• Technical and claim analysis in support of opinion work.
• Other strategic IP projects as your capabilities develop.

Skills

Written & oral communication

Analytical thinking

Attention to detail

Problem-solving

Learning velocity

Education

Ph.D. in a relevant scientific discipline

Job description

Description

What if leaving the lab didn't mean leaving science?

You spent years becoming a scientist. Learning how to ask difficult questions. Working through experiments that didn't behave the way you expected. Diving into unfamiliar literature. Defending your reasoning. Finding the detail everyone else missed. And figuring out what to do when there wasn't an obvious answer. Those skills have value far beyond the bench. At Hylton-Rodic Law, we are looking for an exceptional Ph.D.-trained scientist to join our intellectual property practice as a Patent Agent or Technical Specialist. You may already be practicing patent law. Or you may be an accomplished scientist beginning to wonder whether there is another way to build a career around the science you love. We are interested in both. What matters most to us is the intellectual and professional foundation you bring with you—and what you are capable of becoming. This Is Not a Role for Someone Who Simply Has a Ph.D. The degree is required. But it is only the starting point.

We Are Looking For Someone Who Is

• Intellectually curious and genuinely loves understanding how things work;
• Able to absorb complicated science quickly;
• Comfortable moving beyond the narrow boundaries of their own research;
• An exceptional scientific communicator;
• Highly detail-oriented;
• Resourceful when the answer isn't obvious;
• Adaptable when new information changes the problem;
• Comfortable receiving rigorous feedback;
• Driven to produce excellent work; and
• The kind of person who takes ownership rather than waiting to be told every next step.

When you encounter something you don't know, we want your instinct to be:

“How do I figure this out?”

What You'll Do

This is not a narrow drafting position. You will have the opportunity to work across sophisticated intellectual property matters for innovative life-sciences clients, including:

• Patent application drafting;
• U.S. patent prosecution;
• Foreign prosecution strategy and coordination;
• Inventor interviews and invention harvesting;
• Prior-art and patentability analysis;
• Portfolio management and strategy;
• Patent clearance and freedom-to-operate analysis;
• Technical and claim analysis in support of opinion work; and
• Other strategic IP projects as your capabilities develop.

Your level of responsibility will grow with your demonstrated ability. We work with sophisticated scientists and companies developing complex technologies. You should eventually be as comfortable talking science with an inventor as you are translating that science into excellent patent work.

Two Ways Into This Role

You're Already a Patent Professional

You may be a Ph.D. Patent Agent or Technical Specialist looking for a practice where your scientific sophistication is central to the value you provide. For experienced candidates, we are particularly interested in substantive experience with patent drafting and prosecution, inventor interaction, technical analysis, and increasingly independent matter responsibility. USPTO registration is required for appointment as a Patent Agent.

You're an Exceptional Scientist Considering Patent Law

You may be working in biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, academia, a research institution, or a postdoctoral position and considering a transition away from traditional research. Prior patent-law experience is not required for an exceptional candidate. We can teach patent practice. We are much more interested in whether you have the scientific depth, writing ability, curiosity, resilience, judgment, and learning velocity to become excellent at it. You do not need to have your entire career mapped out before applying. You do need to be genuinely curious about using your scientific training in a new and demanding way.

Requirements

Required Qualifications

• Ph.D. in a relevant scientific discipline;
• Exceptional written and oral communication skills;
• Demonstrated scientific and academic achievement;
• Ability to understand and communicate sophisticated technical concepts;
• Strong analytical and problem-solving ability;
• Exceptional attention to detail; and
• Authorization to work in the United States.

Relevant disciplines may include chemistry, organic or medicinal chemistry, chemical biology, biochemistry, molecular biology, biotechnology, pharmaceutical sciences, pharmacology, immunology, cell biology, and related life-sciences disciplines relevant to our practice.

A master's degree without a Ph.D. does not satisfy the educational requirement for this position.

For Patent Agent candidates, USPTO registration is required. Technical Specialist candidates may join without USPTO registration.

Location & Work Arrangement

This is an in-person position based in our Washington, DC office. Candidates must currently reside in the DMV area or be willing to relocate.

This Role May Not Be for You If...

You are looking for patent law primarily because you want an easier alternative to research. You prefer staying exclusively within the scientific area you already know. You tend to stop when instructions run out. You are uncomfortable having your work challenged or substantially revised. You need someone else to catch the details. Or you want a position where doing what was assigned is the definition of excellent performance. That's Not How We Work. We are looking for someone who wants to become exceptionally good at a demanding profession.

Why Hylton-Rodic Law

Hylton-Rodic Law is a boutique intellectual property firm serving sophisticated life-sciences clients.

We believe excellent work and a humane professional culture are not competing ideas.

We Are Deliberately Building a Firm That Combines

• Sophisticated work.
• High standards.
• Exceptional client service.
• Modern technology and systems.
• Meaningful professional development.
• And a sustainable approach to high performance.

Because we are a growing boutique, capable people don't have to disappear into a large hierarchy before they're trusted with meaningful responsibility.

You will work closely with experienced patent professionals, interact directly with scientists and inventors, and have opportunities to expand the sophistication of your work as your capabilities grow.

For someone entering patent law, this is an opportunity to discover just how valuable your scientific training can become outside the laboratory.

For an experienced Patent Agent or Technical Specialist, it is an opportunity to build a sophisticated practice in an environment where your scientific expertise is an essential part of the value you bring to clients.

Compensation & Benefits

Base salary: $90,000–$135,000 annually, commensurate with relevant experience and qualifications. The position is also eligible for performance-based bonus opportunities.

Additional Benefits Include

• Health, dental, and vision insurance;
• 401(k);
• Life insurance;
• Short- and long-term disability coverage;
• Commuter benefits;
• Paid time off;
• Mental health days;
• Birthday leave;
• Annual holiday break, including a half-day on Christmas Eve and firm closure through New Year’s Day;
• \"Sunshine Fridays\"/early Fridays when applicable performance targets are met; and
• A collaborative, respectful working environment.

One Question We Hope You'll Consider

You earned a Ph.D. because you were capable of going very deep into difficult science.

What else might you be capable of doing with it?