Patent Portfolio Manager

Imagine what you could do here! At Apple, new ideas have a way of quickly becoming great products, services, and customer experiences. Bring passion and dedication to your job and there's no telling what you could accomplish. Do you enjoy taking on bold new challenges? Do you possess a deep knowledge of the legal field and a passion for innovation? We uphold Apple’s high ethical and corporate standards, and defend Apple’s intellectual property. You’ll provide legal support for our world-class products. Working for a company that invents new product categories and creates new industries means you’ll be challenged to creatively apply your extensive legal expertise to rare and often unexplored aspects of the law. ## Description We seek to hire a Patent Agent or Patent Attorney to assist in developing and curating the company’s hardware and mechanical patent portfolio. You will work with the mechanical engineering and design groups, as well as business teams to build and purposefully prosecute the associated worldwide patent portfolio and strategy. This includes identifying patentable inventions; securing high-quality, strategic patent assets; providing expert technical and legal analysis; handling patent challenges; providing guidance in support of patent transactions and licensing matters; assigning and managing work performed by outside law firms; and working with engineering and other business organizations to understand priorities and challenges. This position also will provide cross-functional support for acquisition due diligence, IP licensing, enforcement, and litigation activities. ## Minimum qualifications USPTO Registered Patent Agent or Patent Attorney. Education: BS or higher degree in mechanical engineering or related field. 5+ years of patent-focused work experience drafting and prosecuting patent assets, managing portfolios, developing patent strategies, conducting patent analysis, and providing support for transactions and litigation efforts. 3+ years of work experience patenting primarily mechanical related technologies at a law firm and/or in-house legal department. Excellent verbal and written communication. ## Preferred qualifications Preferred candidates will appreciate how mechanical structures integrate with product design and interface with electrical components, including, for example, haptic engines, sensor packaging, acoustic chambers, etc. Strong technology interest with a curiosity for working with AI tools in patent prosecution related tasks and strategies. Experience analyzing a variety of mechanical related disciplines, (product design, kinematics, thermal management, material sciences, advanced manufacturing processes).