Intellectual Property Counsel

at  Smiths Group

SMITHS DETECTION MAKING THE WORLD A SAFER PLACE

Every minute of every day, in nearly every country across the globe, Smiths Detection people and technology make the world a safer place. We safeguard people, business and infrastructure with the latest innovations and screening technology for aviation, ports, borders, defense, and security across 55 countries around the globe

Life At Smiths –

• Global leader: We impact critical systems every day with sites in 17 countries and six centers of research excellence. From pioneering to powering life-changing innovation, we’re delivering threat detection and screening solutions to safeguard the world from threat
• Digital growth: A key part of our capability is the integration of digital technology across our business and our operations in more than 55 countries, will be critical to our continued success
• Exciting opportunities: Our growth is creating exciting opportunities to work with experts in physics, chemistry, electronics, mechanics, production, computer science, and AIML
• International environment: With some projects, work requires global collaboration and the potential to travel and grow with the business

Job Description
We’re seeking an experienced Intellectual Property Counsel to join our team based in Hemel Hempstead & our London Southwark HQ sites, where you will play a pivotal role in protecting and maximising the value of our intellectual property assets.
As the Intellectual Property Counsel, you will be instrumental in ensuring freedom to operate and identifying patent opportunities to safeguard our innovations. You will work closely with our Research & Development team to assess the patent landscape, identify potential risks, and capitalise on opportunities for strategic patenting.
The position requires a professional and proactive individual who can handle multiple tasks in a fast-moving working environment.
You should demonstrate initiative and be able to take a hands-on approach to your work, collaborating with experts in various fields, interacting with internal colleagues, external suppliers, and key stakeholders. Your attention to detail and high standards will be valued in this role.
Smith Detection is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to crafting an inclusive environment for all employees.

Duties & Responsibilities

• Counsel and support R&D teams of the Smiths Detection and Smiths Interconnect divisions to protect company’s intellectual property worldwide.
• Conduct comprehensive freedom to operate analyses to assess potential risks and opportunities for new product development.
• Monitor competitor intellectual property activity and market trends to inform patent strategy and identify potential licensing opportunities.
• Draft and prosecute patent applications to secure robust intellectual property protection in alignment with business objectives.
• Support compliance with legal obligations concerning the use of Open Source Software (“OSS”).
• Assist with Legal & Business Affairs department projects as required.

The Individual

• Qualified Patent Attorney
• Minimum 2 years post qualification experience in patent filing and prosecution, freedom to operate and IP transactional work.
• Ability to work effectively under time and workload pressure.
• Able to build good working relationships with colleagues and stakeholders.
• Able to work effectively without close daily supervision.
• Thoroughness, reliability and determination to see a project or task through to final delivery and completion.

Desirable but not essential:

• Degree in electrical and electronics engineering or similar.
• Experience supporting the growth of a digital business including Proof of Concept and SaaS subscription agreements and software licence agreements.
• Knowledge of Legal Tracker billing system and Ipendo IP Management System.

Diversity & Inclusion
We believe that different perspectives and backgrounds are what make a company flourish. All qualified applicants will receive equal consideration for employment regardless of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, economic status, disability, age, or any other legally protected characteristics. We are proud to be an inclusive company with values grounded in equality and ethics, where we celebrate, support, and embrace diversity.
At no time during the hiring process will Smiths Detection, Smiths Group, nor any of our recruitment partners ever request payment to enable participation – including, but not limited to, interviews or testing.

• Counsel and support R&D teams of the Smiths Detection and Smiths Interconnect divisions to protect company’s intellectual property worldwide.
• Conduct comprehensive freedom to operate analyses to assess potential risks and opportunities for new product development.
• Monitor competitor intellectual property activity and market trends to inform patent strategy and identify potential licensing opportunities.
• Draft and prosecute patent applications to secure robust intellectual property protection in alignment with business objectives.
• Support compliance with legal obligations concerning the use of Open Source Software (“OSS”).
• Assist with Legal & Business Affairs department projects as required