Senior IP Counsel, Defense Tech & Strategic Licensing

Harris Geospatial Solutions; Melbourne (FL); Hybrid; USD 133,000 - 284,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

401(k) match

Paid time off

Job summary

L3Harris Technologies in Melbourne, FL seeks an experienced Principal Intellectual Property Counsel to serve as a senior in-house IP expert, guiding government IP rights, data rights, FAR/DFARS, and technology transfers. The role emphasizes leadership, strategic oversight, and collaboration with global teams.

The IP Counsel will manage patent and trademark portfolios, support licenses/M&A, and enforce IP rights while ensuring compliance with cybersecurity and AI-related policies.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree and a minimum of 12 years of prior relevant experience. Graduate Degree and a minimum of 10 years of prior related experience. In lieu of a degree, minimum of 16 years of prior related experience.
• Juris Doctor Degree from an accredited law school and a current license to practice before a state bar is required.
• A minimum of 7 to 10+ years of legal experience in a similar in-house position or equivalent law firm experience.
• Admission to the United States Patent Bar.

Responsibilities

• Provide legal advice and guidance on government IP rights, data rights, FAR and DFARS, and doing business with the U.S. Government.
• Manage (within established budgets) the patent acquisition process, including selecting and managing outside counsel, disclosing inventions, conducting patentability investigations, managing the filing, prosecuting, issuing and maintenance of patent applications and patents, domestically and internationally in coordination with Corporate international resources.
• Assist the transfer of technology between L3Harris and other parties including providing leadership to the business team in drafting and negotiating technology licenses, and M&A and other transactional support.
• Manage the trademark process at L3Harris, including the acquisition of trademarks, advising and training on mark selection and use, conducting right to use investigations, and filing, prosecuting, issuing and monitoring trademark applications and registrations.
• Enforce L3Harris' intellectual property rights through investigation of competitors' products, through negotiation of favorable intellectual property licenses or through litigation.
• Provide guidance in mergers, acquisitions, divestitures and other business ventures as it pertains to intellectual property.
• Manage third party claims alleging infringement by L3Harris' products or services, including conducting and/or managing infringement and validity investigations, negotiating favorable intellectual property licenses, if warranted and necessary, and defending L3Harris in intellectual property litigation.
• Maintain up to date knowledge of L3Harris' technology.
• Be responsive to customers and meet promised deadlines for rendering advice or preparing documents and be available when called on by management and staff.
• Proactively anticipate legal issues before they become problems by practicing preventive law and by early involvement. Provide guidance and advice as it relates to respecting the IP rights of third parties.
• Provide training and written guidelines on the acquisition and preservation of intellectual property rights.
• Act as an enterprise focal for Open-source licensing reviews and approvals
• Support CISO in the enterprise cybersecurity and AI efforts, including reviewing and updating policies and procedures to ensure compliance with AI and Cybersecurity regulations, and managing cyber incident responses and outside counsel and vendors.
• Ability for travel when necessary up to 10%.

Skills

IP law expertise

Leadership

Negotiation

Communication

Education

Juris Doctor

Bachelor's Degree

US Patent Bar

Bar admission

Job description

L3Harris Technologies in Melbourne, FL seeks an experienced Principal Intellectual Property Counsel to serve as a senior in-house IP expert, guiding government IP rights, data rights, FAR/DFARS, and technology transfers. The role emphasizes leadership, strategic oversight, and collaboration with global teams.

The IP Counsel will manage patent and trademark portfolios, support licenses/M&A, and enforce IP rights while ensuring compliance with cybersecurity and AI-related policies.