Patent Agent

MITRE’s Office of General Counsel (“OGC”) advances MITRE’s mission and purpose by providing legal expertise and services necessary to protect the company’s interests. OGC delivers strategic direction for current and new endeavors and executes functions essential to the company's ongoing operations. Reporting to MITRE’s Associate General Counsel and Chief Intellectual Property Counsel, this position will protect and advance the organization’s intellectual property portfolio. In this role, you will serve as the critical bridge between MITRE inventors and outside counsel, translating breakthrough innovations in national security, artificial intelligence, and emerging technologies into robust patent protection. This is an opportunity to shape the IP strategy of an organization whose inventions directly impact the public interest.

Roles & Responsibilities:

• Build and maintain a valuable patent portfolio aligned with MITRE’s strategic research priorities and identify opportunities to strengthen coverage in high-impact technology areas.
• Review invention disclosure documents and collaborate with inventors to develop robust intellectual property disclosures, eliciting key technical details and accurately translating complex concepts into formal patent language.
• Perform patent portfolio management tasks such as docketing entries and patent maintenance decisions.
• Lead/participate in invention disclosure meetings and advise inventors on patentability, patent strategy, and portfolio development, helping stakeholders understand the strength and scope of MITRE’s IP positions.
• Review prior art searches to evaluate patentability of mechanical, electrical, software, and computer technologies.
• Review and revise draft patent applications, including detailed technical descriptions, strategically crafted claims, and coordinated drawings, to maximize the scope of enforceable patent protection.
• Partner with outside counsel to prosecute patent applications before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (“USPTO”), including preparing substantive responses to Office Actions, interacting with inventors, crafting persuasive arguments to overcome rejections, and negotiating claim amendments with examiners.
• Support licensing activities, employee IP training programs, and client counseling efforts as needed.
• Prepare internal and external communications upon patent issuance including updating public-facing resources with newly awarded patent information.
• Stay current on changes in patent law and participate in continuing education opportunities.

Basic Qualifications:

• Typically requires a minimum of 5 years of related experience with a Bachelor’s degree; or 3 years and a Master’s degree; or a PhD with relevant experience who can immediately contribute at this job step; or equivalent combination of related education and work experience.
• Bachelor’s degree (or higher) in electrical engineering, computer science, computer engineering, or physics.
• Active registration to practice before the USPTO.
• Minimum of three (3) years of patent drafting and prosecution experience.
• This position requires a minimum of 4 days a week on-site

Preferred Qualifications

• Demonstrated ability to understand, describe, and distinguish complex inventions with precision and technical accuracy.
• Strong written and oral communication skills with the ability to craft clear, persuasive legal and technical arguments.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively within a team environment, managing multiple projects and deadlines with minimal supervision.
• High integrity, sound professional judgment, and ability to maintain strict confidentiality.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Technical background or prosecution experience in emerging fields such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, quantum computing, cybersecurity, or autonomous systems.
• Experience developing and executing patent portfolio strategies for a research-intensive organization.
• Familiarity with IP licensing, technology transfer, and commercialization activities.
• Experience counseling inventors and conducting IP awareness training.
• Excellent organizational and time management abilities with a proven track record of handling high-volume prosecution dockets.

This requisition requires the candidate to have a minimum of the following clearance(s):

This requisition requires the hired candidate to have or obtain, within one year from the date of hire, the following clearance(s):

Salary compensation range and midpoint:

Work Location Type:

Commitment to Non-Discrimination

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to disability, status as a protected veteran or any other status protected by applicable federal, state, local or international law.

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Benefits information may be found here.