Senior Associate, Legal Operations - IP

What you'll do

• Build and scale the company's IP infrastructure by establishing foundational processes for patent, trademark, and copyright management.
• Manage administrative programs including invention disclosure intake, inventorship verification, and formal document execution with outside counsel.
• Conduct trademark clearance searches, monitor brand usage, and manage enforcement workflows.
• Create and maintain internal playbooks, standard operating procedures, and data governance protocols for the IP department.
• Implement and manage IP management technology solutions while evaluating vendors and driving internal adoption.
• Serve as a primary operational liaison between the legal team and cross-functional departments like Engineering, Product, and Marketing.
• Develop and deliver training programs to educate technical teams on IP submission best practices and administrative workflows.
• Manage external vendor relationships, including prosecution firms, search vendors, and annuity services.

What we're looking for

• Must be a U.S. Person due to export-controlled information requirements.
• Bachelor's degree required.
• At least 7 years of experience in IP legal operations, paralegal support, or patent/trademark prosecution management.
• Expertise in patent and trademark prosecution workflows, USPTO/foreign filing procedures, and docketing systems.
• Experience reviewing prosecution documents to validate accuracy and escalate issues to counsel.
• Familiarity with government patent rights obligations, such as FAR/DFARS clauses and iEdison reporting.
• Proven track record of building or scaling IP operations programs, including SOPs and playbooks.
• Experience implementing IP management systems and managing complex project timelines.
• Experience in high-growth technology companies in defense, aerospace, robotics, or autonomous systems (preferred).
• At least 3 years of experience at a nationally recognized IP law firm (preferred).