Senior Patent Attorney

In order to be considered for this position you will be required to apply, using your SKF email, via the following link:
Apply Here - Senior Patent Attorney - #22793

In accordance with SKF USA recruiting policy, please be advised that to be considered you must:

• Be in your current position for at least 12 months.
• Have received a Full Achievement or higher overall performance rating.
• Notify your current Manager of your application for this position.

Reports to: Manager IP Automotive Aerospace and Others

Location: Plymouth, Mi 

Job ID: 22793

Salary Range: $ 123,000.00 to $ 136,000.00

Recruiter: Kayla Yates

We are looking for an experienced Senior Patent Attorney to be our patent expert in the US. As part of the global IP department with a direct reporting line to the Director of Global IP, this role requires close collaboration with colleagues across our international IP team. You will be responsible for managing all patent-related activities within the US, ensuring compliance with local and international IP regulations, and providing strategic guidance to our business units.

Your key responsibilities

• Patent Strategy & Management: Develop and implement IP strategies aligned with the global IP strategy and the company’s business objectives in the US.
• Patent Prosecution & Filing: Manage patent applications, prosecutions, and office actions, also in collaboration with external counsels and authorities.
• IP Risk Assessment & Mitigation: Conduct freedom-to-operate (FTO) analyses, patentability assessments, and due diligence for new technologies.
• IP Enforcement & Litigation: Monitor and enforce patent rights, provide litigation support, and manage potential infringements.
• IP Contracts: Define and collaborate on contracts with IP relevance, such as development agreements with external partners and license agreements, ensuring alignment with the company’s IP strategy.
• Collaboration & Advisory: Work closely with inventors, decision makers and management in R&D, legal, and business units to align the IP strategy with innovation and commercial goals.
• External Relations: Manage relationships with patent offices, external counsel, and industry partners to stay ahead of legal developments.
• Education & Training: Provide IP training and awareness programs for internal stakeholders in the US.
• IP Management Software & Process Improvement: Work within the globally used IP management software in accordance with defined processes and contribute to improving these processes.

Your qualification & experience

• Education: University degree in mechanical engineering or equivalent.
• Certification: Qualified US Patent Attorney; additional international qualifications (e.g., European Patent Attorney certification) are a plus.
• Experience: At least 8-10 years working experience in patent law, ideally in an international company.
• Expertise: Strong knowledge of US and international patent laws, including prosecution, litigation, and enforcement.
• Languages: Fully proficient in English.
• Skills: Excellent analytical, collaboration, communication, and negotiation skills with the ability to set priorities and work independently. A strong process mindset with the ability to work efficiently within structured workflows and contribute to process improvements.

Please note internal candidates will receive a confirmation that they have successfully applied for position.

If you do not receive this confirmation, please verify with the recruiter, (indicated at the top), that your application was indeed received.

This Position is NOT open for International Recruitment.