Legal Counsel – Intellectual Property

Overview

In this role you contribute to global patent portfolio development within Waters Advanced Diagnostics. You collaborate with R&D, product management and senior IP counsel to support invention harvesting and ensure high‑quality patent rights. You will manage drafting and prosecution activities, perform IP research, and help embed IP considerations early in development. You’ll work in a global team environment to protect and enable innovative diagnostic technologies, with opportunities to grow technical proficiency and strategic impact.

Pay / Benefits

• 25 days holidays
• attractive employer pension contribution
• life assurance
• income protection
• private medical
• flexible working

Responsibilities

• Identify inventive concepts with R&D teams to strengthen portfolios
• Prepare invention disclosures and support portfolio-building strategies
• Map inventions to business priorities, roadmaps and competitive landscapes
• Draft patent applications and coordinate with outside counsel for drafting and prosecution
• Handle global prosecution tasks including office actions and examiner communications
• Conduct prior-art searches, landscape analyses, and monitor competitors
• Assist with freedom-to-operate assessments and preliminary risk analyses
• Collaborate with technical teams and portfolio leaders to embed IP early in development cycles
• Contribute to IP education, training and awareness across divisions
• Maintain IP records and improve portfolio management workflows
• Prepare IP reporting materials and portfolio overviews

Key requirements

• Newly qualified European Patent Attorney (1-3 years PQE)
• Degree in a relevant technical subject (e.g., chemistry, biology, biochemistry)
• Strong technical aptitude and interest in diagnostic technologies
• Excellent research, analytical, and writing skills
• Ability to manage multiple tasks and adapt to changing priorities
• Strong interpersonal, communication, and organizational skills

• strong communication and collaboration
• attention to detail
• adaptability and initiative
• patent drafting and prosecution
• IP analysis and prior-art searches
• portfolio management and invention harvesting

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