Vacancy Chief Counsel – IP – Zwijnaarde
Organization
Aphea.Bio is a Belgium Agroscience company that is currently looking for a Chief Counsel. Aphea.bio focuses on the exploitation of natural, beneficial interactions that occur between microorganisms and plants. Aphea.Bio discovers and develops new biology-based agricultural products for crop protection and crop improvement. Backed by a strong syndicate of investors, Aphea.Bio aspires to become a disruptive player in shaping a more sustainable agriculture.
To strengthen the current Leadership team Aphea.Bio is looking for a Chief Counsel that will be responsible for all aspects related to (patent) protection of innovation and inventions made at Aphea.Bio and to build Aphea.Bio’s IP position in the market and help R&D in carrying out the research and development of novel and superior agricultural biological products.
Function
In this role, you can expect key accountabilities, such as drafting up and implementing patent strategies for new products and new concepts. You will be working together and leading one patent attorney while also working together with external parties where needed. Moreover, you will be providing clear guidance to scientists and senior leadership, this position will play a key role in supporting business objectives and decision-making.
Main responsibilities:
- Management and maintenance of intellectual property portfolio
- Drafting, filing and prosecution of patent applications
- Ideation and identification of IP opportunities related to discovery, development and commercialisation of products in cooperation with heads of R&D and scientists
- Advising on (patent) protection strategies including opinions on patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity of intellectual property rights
- Advising on other intellectual property matters such as trademarks and trade secrets
- Patent and scientific literature searching and analysis
- General strategic patent advice and support in all IP matters
- Collaborate with the R&D team and leadership to protect Aphea.Bio’s innovations and assets
Requirements
To be successful in this position, you must bring the following experience:
- MSc in Biology, Biotechnology, (Bio)Chemistry, Engineering or related fields
- Scientific and patent experience in microbials and microbiology
- Qualified European Patent Attorney, or in the process to acquire such qualification
- Knowledge of the Nagoya Protocol and Convention on Biologic Diversity (CBD) is a plus
- Strong analytical skills
- Ability to steer and translate scientific inventions into commercial products
- Proactive and commercially attuned
- Excellent listening and communication skills
- Proven ability to work in teams, motivate and inspire others towards a common goal
- Knowledge of the agricultural industry
- Ability to think strategically and creatively with regard to development of microbial products
- Ability to analyse complex information and think strategically to solve problems and assess and minimise risk.
- Creative, committed, quality- and result driven
Offer
What do they offer you?
- You will play a central role in the future success of the company that fosters fast decision making, has high-throughput and innovative screening pipelines, a solid candidate product portfolio, and the financial resources to boost activities.
- You will be offered a lot of opportunities to work together with a team of energetic, spirited people with a strong reputation that want to make a difference in their field
- A competitive salary and benefits package
Application
If you are interested in this job, or in similar ones, please feel free to contact me directly.
Jord Teeuwen
Managing Partner
+31(0)6-11107684
+31(0)23-7548660
j.teeuwen@qtcrecruitment.com