Lead Patent Counsel

**Position Snapshot** Location: Nestlé Research, Lausanne, Switzerland Act. Rate: Full-Time Act. Rate 100% Type of contract: Permanent contract **What we offer at Nestlé** Flexible work policies in terms of core hours and working from home. Please talk to us during the recruitment process about what flexibility could look like for you Genuine opportunities for career and personal development Modern “smart office” locations providing agile & collaborative workspaces Dynamic international working environment Attractive additional benefits **Position Summary** Part of the Nestlé Group Legal & Compliance function, Legal R&D enables and protects Nestlé R&D Innovations through pragmatic legal services and business-driven IP protection. Nestlé Research is based in Lausanne, Switzerland, employs approximately 1000 people and is comprised of five Nestlé Institutes: Food Sciences; Health Sciences, Food Safety & Analytical Sciences, Packaging Sciences and Agriculture Sciences. Please have a tour of our facilities using this link or read more about Nestlé Research at our website. Please follow us on Nestlé R&D on LinkedIn. To enhance consumer preference, while delivering new or improved functionalities for the Nestlé businesses, the Nestlé Institute of Food Sciences aims to further improve the nutritional profile, naturalness, and sensory properties "Enabling preference for healthier, affordable, trendy products". As a **Lead Patent Counsel for the Nestlé Institute of Food Sciences**, you will be responsible for developing, implementing, and delivering the IP strategy for the Institute. We offer a dynamic, inclusive, and international working environment with many opportunities across different companies, functions, and regions. Don’t miss the opportunity to join us and work with different teams in an agile and diverse context. **A Day in the Life of a Lead Patent Counsel** - Be the Legal R&D IP Business Partner for the leadership team of the Nestlé Institute of Food Sciences - Develop, implement, and deliver the IP Strategy, in close partnership with the R&D teams - Lead patent filling and prosecution, freedom to operate assessments and oppositions of 3rd party patents, as well as defend against 3rd party oppositions - Manage the patent portfolio with business-alignment and rigorous cost management - Advise on IP matters in R&D collaborations, including contributing to the drafting of R&D agreements - Enable new and accelerated approaches to develop new consumer-centric products, while ensuring adequate protection under tight timelines - Partner with the R&D Counsel on any Institute-specific IP topic - Promote passion for IP across the Institute, through awareness, training, and communication - Drive awareness and enforcement of Nestlé technical IP through our markets **What will make you successful** - Fully qualified patent attorney in a European IP jurisdiction, with ideally a background in food, health, or material science - Expertise in cultured food and/or precision fermentation is highly positive - Prior experience with developing business-driven IP strategies - 8+ years post-qualification professional experience with patent drafting, prosecution and FTO assessment - Experience in leading a team of patent attorneys - Experience in R&D contract drafting, in particular IP-related clauses - You are service-oriented, pragmatic, and hands-on, as well as a true team player able to successfully collaborate with Legal R&D colleagues around the globe - Exposure to different jurisdictions (US, China, Japan) - Fluent in English, any other language is an asset At Nestlé, we want to help shape a better and healthier world, inspire people to live healthier lives and deliver impact at a scale and pace that makes a difference. We do this by fostering a diverse, friendly, supportive, and collaborative environment, that creates positive disruption, embraces innovation, and empowers people and teams to win. We aim to hire friendly, respectful, inspiring people who care about the people’s lives that we touch every single day.