IP Strategy and Portfolio Management Expert (m/f/x)

Step out of your comfort zone, excel and redefine the limits of what is possible. That's just what our employees are doing every single day – in order to set the pace through our innovations and enable outstanding achievements. After all, behind every successful company are many great fascinating people.

In a spacious modern setting full of opportunities for further development, ZEISS employees work in a place where expert knowledge and team spirit reign supreme. All of this is supported by a special ownership structure and the long-term goal of the Carl Zeiss Foundation: to bring science and society into the future together.

Join us today. Inspire people tomorrow.

Diversity is a part of ZEISS. We look forward to receiving your application silence of gender, nationality, ethnic and social origin, religion, philosophy of life, disability, age, sexual orientation or identity.

Apply now! It takes less than 10 minutes.

Collaboration: Work closely with R&D, marketing, business development and procurement teams worldwide to enable and protect innovations effectively. Cooperate with legal & patent & trademark teams worldwide.

Market Research: Monitor industry trends, competitor, and regulatory changes to enlarge and manage the IP portfolio as well as to mitigate risks.

IP Strategy Development: Improve and implement comprehensive IP strategies that support new business goals in technology and medically regulated fields.

Portfolio Management: Conduct prior art searches and support technical experts in drafting notifications of inventions and industrial designs. Assist in drafting and prosecuting patent and design patent applications. Advise management and technical experts in protection patents, industrial design patents, and trade secrets, ensuring alignment with strategic business objectives. Support in trademarks and copyright, in particular software-related matters.

Risk Management: Conduct freedom-to-operate and invalidity searches. Identify potential IP risks and develop mitigation strategies to ensure freedom of third-party rights. Prepare and initiate invalidation actions such as third party observations and oppositions, and prepare for drafting foreign patent attorney's invalidity opinions. Support to ensure compliance with industry regulations.

Enforcement activities of IP Rights: Identify 3rd parties infringinging ZEISS IP rights, initiate and lead enforcement worldwide

Stakeholder engagement: Communicate effectively with internal and external stakeholders, including patent and legal counsels, to ensure alignment on IP matters. Prepare templates for board decision-making in collaboration with and in support of the Head of Strategic IP Coordination & IP Management.

Training and Education: Provide training and guidance to internal business teams on IP best practices, policies, and procedures.

Master's degree, diploma or preference PhD in a technical or a nature study scientific with long term practical experience in said area

A German or European Patent Attorney; or an Attorney-at-Law with experience in representing clients in patent litigation matters

Advanced experience in intellectual property (IP) strategy, IP portfolio management, or related fields, preferably in high-tech or medically regulated industries in an international and diverse setting

Profound knowledge of IP laws and regulations (German and European law is a must), including patent, trademark, and copyright law

Proven experience in developing and executing successful IP strategies and managing diverse IP portfolios in emerging business areas

Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to influence and collaborate with cross-functional teams

Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making skills and additional used to work in a precise, structured and process driven manner

Fluent written and spoken business German and English