Intellectual Property (IP) Manager, High Growth Region

Summary of Responsibilities:

This IP Manager role is responsible for working closely with innovators and cross-functional teams to identify, evaluate, and safeguard new inventions.  The IP Manager facilitates the identification, prioritization, and management of patents, monitors the competitive IP landscape, and enhances the visibility and value of Lubrizol’s intellectual assets. A key focus of the role is to ensure that collaborative innovation projects with external partners are aligned with Lubrizol’s IP framework, enabling Lubrizol to sustain competitive advantage in the market.

Essential Job Functions:

Invention Management:

• Engage with inventors to capture, assess, and document invention disclosures.
• Coordinate with technical, commercial, and legal teams (internal and external) to prioritize and assist with patent procurement, maintenance, and defense activities.

IP Portfolio Development:

• Develop and maintain a pipeline of IP opportunities arising from technical collaborations, especially those with external partners within assigned region.
• Regularly update stakeholders on IP portfolio status and align IP strategies with business objectives in partnership with GBU IP Managers and buisinee partners.

IP Analytics and Competitive Intelligence:

• Utilize professional patent search databases (e.g., PatSnap, Derwent Innovation, Minesoft) to conduct freedom-to-operate and patentability analyses.
• Monitor and analyze competitor patents and activities to provide actionable insights into the IP landscape.

Best Practices and Local Support:

• Serve as the local point of contact for IP-related activities and ensure adherence to internal procedures.
• Act as a local coordinator of co-innovation activities supporting legal and project/business leadership with contract negotiation and contract management.
• In concert with attorneys, get involved in vetting risk profiles of academic and industrial co-innovation partners.
• Collaborate with IP attorneys, paralegals, and fellow IP Managers to implement global best practices.

Qualifications and Experience:

• MSc/MTech or higher in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, or a related field.
• Minimum 5 years of relevant technical experience in an industrial setting.
• Solid understanding of patents and patent processes.
• Proficiency in using professional patent databases for searches and analysis.
• Strong analytical and logical thinking skills.
• Excellent organizational and communication abilities, with fluency in both English and Mandarin Chinese.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience working with multinational teams and external collaborators.
• Knowledge of Chinese and international IP laws and procedures.
• Experience in patent mining, drafting, prosecution, or management.
• Demonstrated project management skills.

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