Patent Engineer
Banner Witcoff is a leader in intellectual property law for more than 100 years. They are seeking full-time Patent Engineers with backgrounds in electrical engineering to prepare and prosecute patent applications describing cutting-edge inventions under the guidance of an attorney.
Responsibilities
- Review the state of the art and collaborate with inventors to identify novel and patentable features
- Conduct comprehensive prior‑art searches for patentability, validity, and litigation-related analyses
- Draft high‑quality patent applications, including detailed specifications, drawings, and technical descriptions
- Draft patent claims and prepare claim charts to support prosecution and strategic decision‑making
- Prepare responses to USPTO Office Actions, working closely with reviewing patent attorneys
- Maintain up‑to‑date knowledge of USPTO rules, procedures, and the MPEP, applying them accurately in daily prosecution work
- Demonstrate familiarity with major foreign patent office rules and procedures to support international filings and strategies
- Manage a high-volume patent docket by maintaining file integrity, monitoring deadlines, and prioritizing tasks effectively
- Communicate clearly and professionally with clients, including understanding and following client-specific procedures, preferences, and workflow requirements
- Conduct technical review and citation checking of legal briefs in patent litigation matters
- Produce consistently high-quality work with strong attention to detail, writing clarity, and analytical rigor
- Participate in internal training, receive mentoring, and work with a supervising patent attorney on assigned work product
- Meet a minimum billable hours requirement of 1,500 hours annually
Skills
- A bachelor's degree is required
- Excellent academic credentials required
- A US patent bar registration number is required for this position
- Meet a minimum billable hours requirement of 1,500 hours annually
- 1-2 years of patent prosecution or industry experience in electrical engineering and/or a related field is preferred
- Familiarity with docket management tools, iManage, PatSnap, Visio, and CAD viewing software is preferred
- Fluency in Japanese language is a plus
Benefits
- Paid time off
- Medical/dental/vision insurance
- 401(k)
- Business-casual attire
- A friendly office environment
- An annual merit increase and bonus pay
- This position is a hybrid role, with a blend of remote and in-office work. The employee will be required to work in the office (Washington, DC or Chicago, IL) at least two days per week, or more, depending on business needs and/or work assignments.
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