Patent Counsel

Global coordination of patent matters and interface with BioScience Patents and Licensing Department. Support IP awareness and respect in the organization, implement confidentiality management, scan patent applications and patents for interesting opportunities and/or upcoming risks, prepare new patent applications and support technology acquisitions. Provide guidance on the management of the patent portfolio and initiate and prepare actions (if any), in close consultation with internal and external Legal and IP departments and specialists.

• Ensures interface between R&D and BioScience P&L team
• Support awareness on IP matters throughout the organisaton
• Interacts with R&D-colleagues on daily basis
• Member of various crop teams
• Prepares or assists with first drafts of patent applications and subsequent filings and prosecution
• Coordinates patent searches and analysis of third party patents
• Coordinates patent review process and other patent processes
• Manages confidentiality on information and/or biological material
• Supporting licensing, acquisition, litigation and business partnership negotiation including IP valuation, portfolio mining and due diligence
• Prepares freedom to operate and non-infringement advices
• Share relevant information with R&D managers to stimulate IP awareness to induce new research opportunities and assure the best possible IP protection opportunities
• Interfaces with the Legal and IP department
• Strategically analyzing IP environment and landscaping in new business areas, developing metrics for quantifying patent portfolio, identifying portfolio gap and right to practice strategies
• Formulate IP strategies to complement overall business strategies
• Set up the necessary processes to implement IP strategy
• Supports Legal in negotiating technology licensing agreements with interesting parties
• Understand the plant science technologies being used in the organization in order to guide and stimulate R&D managers in the technology acquisition and protection work.

• General understanding of Intellectual Property Matters
• Ability to work independently and effectively with minimal supervision, to learn quickly, exercise good judgment, demonstrate flexibility and maintain composure while working under pressure of frequent interruptions and changing priorities with strict deadlines
• Ability to maintain absolute reliability in handling confidential matters by exercising good judgment, discretion and sensitivity. Ability to maintain strict confidentiality of proprietary technologies and discoveries, sensitive legal documents, and other information
• Excellent workload management skills. Ability to accurately review, pay close attention to details, and process materials dealing within a broad spectrum of issues. Demonstrated ability to follow through to completion on multiple tasks, and meet set deadlines. Proven ability to organize workload and determine priorities
• Courteousness and politeness in written and oral communication to get ideas across in a non-confrontational manner in one-to-one situations, small groups, and before large audiences.
• Organization, planning and excellent communication abilities
• Patience, understanding, diplomacy, ability to negotiate, optimism, common sense and persistence to deal effectively with diverse personalities, authorities and cultures
• Understanding of relevant methodologies, processes and standards
• Language skills: English (fluent),
• Competencies: analytical thinking, convincing, innovation, solving problems, entrepreneurship