Executive Director, IP
4D Molecular Therapeutics
June 27, 2026
Remote friendly (United States)
United States
Corporate Functions
General Summary:
Intellectual property attorney focused on patent strategy and procurement to manage, develop, and enforce 4DMT’s global IP portfolio. Provides counsel and training on patent, trade secret, trademark, and copyright law; advises R&D and CMC on transactions; supports business development IP input and IP diligence.
Major Duties & Responsibilities:
- Develop/refine IP strategy and present updates to leadership.
- Implement IP lifecycle management; manage patent, trade secret, and trademark portfolios.
- Direct outside counsel for prosecution, office actions, and trademark/global registrability; manage outside counsel budgets.
- Identify strategic areas for patenting and trademarking; collaborate with R&D/CMC to file and prosecute.
- Manage patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement, validity, and regulatory exclusivity analyses.
- Support IP disputes and administrative proceedings (oppositions, post-grant challenges).
- Track and counsel on trade secret protection.
- Provide IP guidance/presentations; counsel and train internal stakeholders.
- Conduct IP due diligence for business development and financing.
- Draft/review/negotiate R&D/CMC agreements (NDAs, MTAs, MSAs, sponsored research, consulting, licenses).
- Assist with other legal matters (litigation support, IP-related SEC sections, records management, compliance, templates).
Qualifications:
- J.D. (or equivalent); J.D. or M.S. in a relevant biological field.
- Admission to at least one U.S. state bar.
- Registered to practice before the USPTO.
- 14+ years life sciences patent prosecution (biopharma preferred).
- Strong knowledge of U.S. and foreign patent/trade secret/trademark law.
- In-house drug development experience (genetic medicines strongly preferred) and experience managing outside IP counsel.
Strongly Preferred:
- Experience counseling R&D/CMC on day-to-day transactions (confidentiality, manufacturing, MTAs, sponsored research, master services, consulting, licenses).
- Prior IP input on strategic transactions; prior IP litigation experience.
Other Competencies:
- Analytical/organizational skills; strong communication/negotiation/presentation.
- Ability to influence across company levels; integrity and sound judgment.
Travel: 5%
Base salary range: $309,000–$350,000 (final depends on factors such as location and experience).
Intellectual property attorney focused on patent strategy and procurement to manage, develop, and enforce 4DMT’s global IP portfolio. Provides counsel and training on patent, trade secret, trademark, and copyright law; advises R&D and CMC on transactions; supports business development IP input and IP diligence.
Major Duties & Responsibilities:
- Develop/refine IP strategy and present updates to leadership.
- Implement IP lifecycle management; manage patent, trade secret, and trademark portfolios.
- Direct outside counsel for prosecution, office actions, and trademark/global registrability; manage outside counsel budgets.
- Identify strategic areas for patenting and trademarking; collaborate with R&D/CMC to file and prosecute.
- Manage patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement, validity, and regulatory exclusivity analyses.
- Support IP disputes and administrative proceedings (oppositions, post-grant challenges).
- Track and counsel on trade secret protection.
- Provide IP guidance/presentations; counsel and train internal stakeholders.
- Conduct IP due diligence for business development and financing.
- Draft/review/negotiate R&D/CMC agreements (NDAs, MTAs, MSAs, sponsored research, consulting, licenses).
- Assist with other legal matters (litigation support, IP-related SEC sections, records management, compliance, templates).
Qualifications:
- J.D. (or equivalent); J.D. or M.S. in a relevant biological field.
- Admission to at least one U.S. state bar.
- Registered to practice before the USPTO.
- 14+ years life sciences patent prosecution (biopharma preferred).
- Strong knowledge of U.S. and foreign patent/trade secret/trademark law.
- In-house drug development experience (genetic medicines strongly preferred) and experience managing outside IP counsel.
Strongly Preferred:
- Experience counseling R&D/CMC on day-to-day transactions (confidentiality, manufacturing, MTAs, sponsored research, master services, consulting, licenses).
- Prior IP input on strategic transactions; prior IP litigation experience.
Other Competencies:
- Analytical/organizational skills; strong communication/negotiation/presentation.
- Ability to influence across company levels; integrity and sound judgment.
Travel: 5%
Base salary range: $309,000–$350,000 (final depends on factors such as location and experience).