Senior Director, Intellectual Property

Allogene Therapeutics; South San Francisco, Old Orchard Beach (CA, ME); Hybrid; USD 250,000 - 310,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player is seeking a Senior Director of Intellectual Property to lead their IP strategy. This pivotal role involves overseeing global IP issues, including patents and trademarks, while collaborating closely with research and development teams. The ideal candidate will possess a Juris Doctorate, extensive experience in patent law, and a strong background in biopharmaceuticals. This position offers an exciting opportunity to contribute to groundbreaking therapies in a dynamic and collaborative environment. Join a forward-thinking company committed to innovation and excellence in patient care.

Benefits

Annual performance bonus

Equity

Health insurance

Generous time off

Company-wide shutdowns

Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience as a patent attorney required.
• Juris Doctorate and California State bar admission necessary.

Responsibilities

• Lead the intellectual property team and manage outside counsel.
• Draft and prosecute patent applications and conduct reviews.

Skills

Strategic thinking

Problem-solving

Interpersonal skills

Attention to detail

Organizational skills

Education

Juris Doctorate

Ph.D. or MS in Immunology, Molecular or Cell Biology or Biochemistry

Tools

Patent prosecution tools

Job description

About Allogene:

Allogene Therapeutics, with headquarters in South San Francisco, is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company pioneering the development of allogeneic chimeric antigen receptor T cell (AlloCAR T) therapies for cancer. Led by a world-class management team with significant experience in cell therapy, Allogene is developing a pipeline of “off-the-shelf” CAR T cell therapy candidates with the goal of delivering readily available cell therapy faster, more reliably and at greater scale to more patients. For more information, please visit www.allogene.com, and follow @AllogeneTx on X (formerly Twitter) and LinkedIn.

About the role:

Allogene is seeking to hire a Senior Director of Intellectual Property who will serve as the Head of Intellectual Property and will report directly to the General Counsel. The successful applicant will oversee the full scope of global IP issues (patent, trademark, copyright and trade secrets), including internal client counseling; patent preparation and prosecution; rendering legal advice on patentability, validity, and freedom to operate; due diligence reviews; and intellectual property-related transactional work. Additional responsibilities include working closely with Research and Development to monitor the progress of Allogene’s research and developing programs, and implementing strategies to protect new technology. This opportunity also involves close coordination with, and cost-conscious management of, Allogene’s outside counsel.

This individual should be able to independently identify legal and other issues potentially impacting the business and provide strategic legal advice for addressing issues and protecting the company’s intellectual property. They must contribute effectively to legal and other cross functional projects, and collaborate with the executive team, including advising the board of directors with respect to intellectual property issues. This position will be based out of South San Francisco.

Responsibilities:

• Lead a core intellectual property team and manage outside counsel.
• Draft and prosecute patent applications (US and foreign).
• Conduct patentability and freedom-to-operate reviews.
• Counsel research and management colleagues regarding patent portfolio and strategy.
• Oversee and manage trademark portfolio.
• Review, negotiate and/or draft various types of agreements relating to the use, transfer, or ownership of intellectual property rights.
• Develop and manage processes to identify and protect newly developed intellectual property assets, including guidelines regarding publications.
• Provide support for business development, including in-licensing, partnering and acquisitions.
• Other projects and duties as assigned.

Requirements:

• Juris Doctorate from an ABA accredited law school and admission to the California State bar or eligible for admission as a Registered In-House Counsel.
• At least 10 years of experience as a patent attorney (law firm or in-house).
• Recent experience at a biopharmaceutical company with cell or gene therapy focus strongly preferred; previous background as head of department preferred.
• Ph.D. or MS in Immunology, Molecular or Cell Biology or Biochemistry or related sciences preferred.
• Registered to practice before the USPTO.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced, start-up environment.
• Strategic thinker with excellent problem-solving skills required.
• Strong attention to detail with the ability to multi-task and handle multiple responsibilities simultaneously.
• Excellent organizational skills and an ability to prioritize effectively to deliver timely results.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
• Strong interpersonal skills including verbal and written communication are essential in this collaborative work environment.
• Candidates must be authorized to work in the U.S. and willing to work on-site at least 3 to 4 days a week.

We offer a chance to work with talented people in a collaborative environment and provide a top-notch compensation and benefits package, which includes an annual performance bonus, equity, health insurance, generous time off (including 2 annual holiday company-wide shutdowns) and much more. The expected salary range for this role is $250,000 to $310,000 per year. Actual pay will be determined based on experience, qualifications, geographic location, business needs, and other job-related factors permitted by law.

As an equal opportunity employer, Allogene is committed to a diverse workforce. Employment decisions regarding recruitment and selection will be made without discrimination based on race, color, religion, national origin, gender, age, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability, genetic information or characteristic, gender identity and expression, veteran status, or other non-job-related characteristics or other prohibited grounds specified in applicable federal, state and local laws. We also embrace differences in experience and background, and welcome diversity of opinions and thought with active recruitment and internships designed to create a stronger and better Allogene that is focused on developing life-changing products for patients.

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