Technical Specialist

A law firm in San Francisco, CA, is seeking a Technical Specialist to join their team. Here's an overview of the job and its requirements:

Job Overview:

The Technical Specialist will primarily be responsible for performing research, sequence management, and searching within the field of life sciences. This role involves investigating inventorship issues, managing invention disclosures, evaluating prior art, drafting patent applications, and assisting with patent prosecution. The ideal candidate should possess an advanced degree in a biological field, exceptional writing and research abilities, and strong communication skills.

Duties:

• Perform research, sequence management, and searching within the field of life sciences.
• Investigate inventorship issues.
• Manage the intake of invention disclosures and review disclosures for patentability, novelty, and non-obviousness.
• Evaluate qualification and applicability of prior art.
• Study and analyze scientific or technical documents, including previously published ones, to assess patentability, novelty, and inventiveness.
• Draft new patent applications.
• Convert prior provisional applications into utility applications.
• Convert foreign filed applications into U.S. applications and vice versa.
• Prepare replies to U.S. and foreign office actions.
• Assist attorneys with prosecution and manage the processing of e-file filings.
• Assist with interviews of USPTO examiners.
• Assist with appeals to PTAB.
• Assist in meetings with clients to discuss inventions and ascertain whether the inventions are likely to lead to commercially meaningful patent claims.
• Prepare clearance analyses.

Requirements:

• An advanced degree (Master's or Ph.D.) in a biological field, including, for example, Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, or similar biological science, with excellent academic credentials.
• 2 years of related experience in the field of life sciences.
• Excellent writing and research abilities.
• Proficiency in written and verbal communication.
• Strong organizational skills.

Education:

• Advanced degree (Masters or PhD) in a biological field.

Certifications:

• None specified.

Skills:

• Proficiency in research and analysis.
• Strong written and verbal communication.
• Organizational skills.
• Ability to manage inventorship issues and patent prosecution effectively.

Benefits Offered:

The firm offers benefits including:

• 401(k) plan.
• Company-sponsored medical, dental, vision, life, disability, accidental death and dismemberment, business travel accident insurance plans.
• Health savings and flexible spending accounts for the employee and eligible dependents.
• Employee Assistance Program, Work/Life Services, HealthAdvocate, Bright Horizons Back-Up Child Care, and WageWorks Commuter Benefits.
• 9 paid holidays per calendar year.
• 2 personal days per year.
• Up to 20 days of vacation per year.
• 1 paid sick leave hour for 30 hours worked.
• Up to 5 days off for bereavement leave.
• Up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave per year.
• Up to 10 weeks of paid pregnancy disability leave per pregnancy.

This large law firm opened with a labor and leveraged-leasing practice and quickly built a substantial corporate and litigation practice. Today, the firm focuses its practice on business and finance, investment management, litigation, labor and employment, real estate and environmental issues. Attorneys at the firm enjoy a faily casual, though conservative, environment where partners tend to be collegial and offer excellent formal and informal training programs. In addition to recieving fair market salaries, associates at the firm have the opportunity to participate in award winning pro bono work.