Intellectual Property Specialist (Patent Engineer / IP Engineer)

For Earth For Life

BASIC PURPOSE AND SCOPE OF POSITION

Kubota North America (KNA) is seeking a IP Specialist. This position will be responsible for invention capture and evaluation in support of the development of KNA’s IP portfolio, as well as competitive intelligence and patent landscape activities.

PRINCIPAL ACTIVITIES:  This position does the following in accordance with all applicable Federal, State and local laws / regulations and the Company’s policies, procedures and guidelines:

• Collaborates with R&D, engineering, and product teams, and leads technical discussions for identifying ideas and inventions; assists in the preparation and submission of invention disclosures
• Conducts technical research and patent searches for patentability and freedom-to-operate investigations; provides assessment, analyses, and recommendations
• Assists inventors and IP counsel in the preparation and prosecution of patent applications, including providing application and prosecution response input and drafting support
• Develops and maintains comprehension tools for KNA’s patent portfolio, such as patent maps for technologies and products
• Monitors industry trends, emerging technologies, and competitor activities to identify opportunities and risks related to IP; generates and presents IP reports
• Supports activities related to the defense, enforcement, and licensing of IP
• Performs other duties as assigned

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• Minimum of a Bachelor’s degree in a technical field (Engineering or Computer Science) required 
• 5 years of substantive industry experience in, e.g., patent searching, patent analytics, patent examination, competitive intelligence, or patent preparation and prosecution
• Experience in vehicle autonomy, electrification and/or vehicle connectivity (e.g., telemetry, communication systems, and data integration) preferred
• Knowledge of domestic and foreign patent laws, policies, and procedures is a plus
• Technical expertise and knowledge of engineering principles, and proven ability to apply them to IP portfolio development, monitoring, and/or assessment
• Proficient with patent databases and search tools, as well as with the Microsoft Office Suite
• Strong research, analytical, and organizational skills with the ability to prioritize and handle multiple matters simultaneously, work independently with minimal supervision within tight time constraints, and effectively communicate with various teams and stakeholders

TRAVEL:

Less than 10% travel

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

Typical office environment

DISCLAIMER:

The information provided in the description has been designed to indicate the general nature and level of work performed by incumbents within the classification.  This description is not intended to be a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities, qualifications and working conditions required of employees assigned to this job/classification.  This job is intended to include the current essential functions of the job.  Management reserves the right to add or modify the duties and responsibilities and to designate other functions as essential at any time.

 Kubota is an equal opportunity at will employer and does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of age, race, religion, color, disability, sex, sexual orientation or national origin.