Patent Counsel Biology

**Make your mark for patients**

We are looking for a **Patent Counsel Biology** who is **proactive, eager to learn and capable of working in a transversal environment** to join our** Intellectual Property** (IP) team, based in **Brussels, Belgium**.

**About the role**

The Patent Counsel Biology provides IP support to the UCB R&D organization.

She/he is working transversally at UCB and is accountable for all aspects of IP matters arising from discrete antibody projects and selected associated manufacturing platform technologies, as well as possibly gene therapy projects.

In addition to providing IP counselling and advice to UCB scientists, legal, business, and commercial teams, she/he is responsible for:

- all IP matters relating to invention harvesting, patent drafting, prosecution and enforcement, freedom-to-operate and competitive landscape analyses, patent validity, infringement matters, IP risk management, opposition and appeal cases;
- handling IP related aspects of contractual agreements with external partners, universities and other research institutions;
- contributing where necessary to IP due diligence projects.

**Who you’ll work with**

As the Patent Counsel Biology at UCB, you will join a team who reports directly to the Head of IP Supply & Technology Solutions (S&TS). Your transversal role involves close interaction with UCB scientists, legal experts and other business stakeholders. Additionally, you'll manage relationships with external partners, universities, and research institutions.

**What you’ll do**
- Invention harvesting with the UCB teams.
- Manage all aspects of a given global IP portfolio, including conducting drafting and prosecution work, and providing IP advisory service to the and the different business units.
- Support, devise and implement IP strategy for antibody projects on a global level.
- Establish, negotiate and provide counselling on all IP aspects for a wide variety of transactional matters: joint collaboration agreements, licensing agreements, business acquisitions, confidentiality agreements, etc.
- Participate in oppositions, oral hearings and appeals.
- Provide patent validity, and infringement advice to stakeholders in the relevant business units.
- Support and promote IP awareness within UCB’s community and business teams.
- Manage relationships with external counsel - where required.
- Participate in a variety of departmental activities, including meetings, aimed at key information-sharing, general case law awareness and discussion of departmental practices and policies.

**Interested? For this role we’re looking for the following education, experience and skills**
- Degree in Biology
- Minimum of 5 years’ experience working within a in-house IP department or a reputable private practice firm as an IP counsel supporting biology and/or life sciences.
- Fully qualified European Patent Attorney
- PhD in a relevant field or experience working in a laboratory setting would be considered an asset
- Experience in the Pharma industry or supporting pharmaceutical business is a plus
- Open to travel on an occasional basis in line with the demands of the business.

Are you ready to ‘go beyond’ to create value and make your mark for patients? If this sounds like you, then we would love to hear from you

**About us**
UCB is a global biopharmaceutical company, focusing on neurology and immunology. We are around 8,500 people in all four corners of the globe, inspired by patients and driven by science.

**Why work with us?**
At UCB, we don’t just complete tasks, we create value. We aren’t afraid to push forward, collaborate, and innovate to make our mark for patients. We have a caring, supportive culture where everyone feels included, respected, and has equitable opportunities to do their best work. We ‘go beyond’ to create value for our patients, and always with a human focus, whether that’s on our patients, our employees, or our planet. Working for us, you will discover a place where you can grow, and have the freedom to carve your own career path to achieve your full potential.

UCB and its subsidiaries encourage diversity and inclusion in the workplace; we are an Equal Opportunity Employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race/color/religion/sex/national origin/veteran/disability/age/sexual orientation/gender identity.