Senior Counsel - Biotech Patent Law

Career Category

Job Description

Join Amgen’s Mission of Serving Patients

At Amgen, if you feel like you’re part of something bigger, it’s because you are. Our shared mission—to serve patients living with serious illnesses—drives all that we do.

Since 1980, we’ve helped pioneer the world of biotech in our fight against the world’s toughest diseases. With our focus on four therapeutic areas –Oncology, Inflammation, General Medicine, and Rare Disease– we reach millions of patients each year. As a member of the Amgen team, you’ll help make a lasting impact on the lives of patients as we research, manufacture, and deliver innovative medicines to help people live longer, fuller happier lives.

Our award-winning culture is collaborative, innovative, and science based. If you have a passion for challenges and the opportunities that lay within them, you’ll thrive as part of the Amgen team. Join us and transform the lives of patients while transforming your career.

Senior Counsel - Biotech Patent Law

What you will do

Let’s do this. Let’s change the world. In this vital role you will develop, implement, and execute a global intellectual property strategy for protecting Amgen’s therapeutic products and product candidates (e.g., antibodies, dual targeting molecules, immunotherapeutics, RNA therapies, or cell-based therapies), including formulations, process development, and manufacturing methods relating to Amgen’s pipeline and in-line products.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Working closely with Amgen scientists to identify patentable inventions

• Drafting, filing and prosecuting patent applications worldwide

• Conducting prior art searches

• Analyzing patents and preparing freedom-to-operate opinions

• Conducting due diligence in support of licensing activities

• Reviewing and negotiating IP provisions in research agreements

• Identifying trademark and copyright issues

• Providing legal advice and counsel to R&D and Business partners on a wide range of IP related matters

• Assisting with litigation-related matters and challenging/defending patents in PTAB proceedings, opposition proceedings, and other forums

• You will work individually, in legal teams, and in cross-functional research and business teams across various geographies

This role will ideally be based in proximity to Amgen's research site in South San Francisco, California, corporate headquarters in Thousand Oaks, California or Cambridge MA OR as a remote position in the United States.

What we expect of you

We are all different, yet we all use our unique contributions to serve patients. The dynamic professional we seek is an attorney with these qualifications.

Basic Qualifications:

• J.D. degree or LL.M. degree from an accredited law school, admission to practice law in a U.S. jurisdiction

• Registered to practice before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office

• Four (4) years of experience practicing patent or intellectual property law in the biopharma or life sciences space

Preferred Qualifications:

• Ten (10) or more years of experience practicing patent or intellectual property law in the biopharma or life sciences space, including pre-JD experience as a patent agent

• Experience in all aspects of U.S. and foreign intellectual property law relating to biotechnology at a law firm or biotechnology/pharmaceutical corporation

• An advanced degree such as a master’s degree or Ph.D. in a life science field, such as molecular biology, cell biology, microbiology, biochemistry, genetics, immunology, or structural biology

• Excellent analytic, legal drafting, and oral and written communication skills

• Experience with patent preparation and prosecution related to nucleic acid therapeutics

• Experience conducting IP due diligence and reviewing IP provisions in collaboration and licensing agreements

• Experience in U.S. and/or foreign adversarial proceedings (such as patent litigation, Inter Partes Reviews, Post Grant Reviews, or oppositions)

• Strong management and leadership skills; strong client service focus; ability to work independently and in teams; ability to work efficiently, to prioritize workflow, meet demanding deadlines, and manage multi-dimensional projects in a fast-paced environment

What you can expect of us

As we work to develop treatments that take care of others, we also work to care for your professional and personal growth and well-being. From our competitive benefits to