Senior Scientist - Intellectual Assets

You were made to do this work: exploring uncharted questions, engineering innovative solutions, advancing scientific understanding, and constantly pushing the boundaries of what’s possible. You want to be part of a performance culture dedicated to solving real-world problems with purpose and precision. You want to work in an environment that promotes sustainability, inclusion, wellbeing, and career development. In this role, you’ll help us shape the future and improve lives for billions of people around the world.

It starts with YOU.

In this role, you will:

Be accountable for intellectual asset management for Kimberly-Clark’s Personal Care Team (specifically focused on Adult and Feminine Care Research and Development).  This role requires an individual who has excellent communication skills, enjoys working in a team, is self-directed, and can influence others. The ability to interact with stakeholders, to provide guidance on key Intellectual Asset (IA) processes, and to lead effective delivery of IA solutions for the enterprise is also required.

Accountabilities include:

• Patent Strategy Development – Identify gaps in existing Kimberly Clark and competitive patent portfolios. Recommend potential technical programs to fill gaps. Support the identification of opportunities to strengthen Kimberly-Clark patent estates and the development of relevant projects. Identify competitive patents that should be opposed.
• Patent Applications – Work effectively with global inventors to develop comprehensive invention disclosure submissions and drive invention disclosure evaluation processes. Assess technical merits of inventions and level of fit with the technology and business strategy and benefits the invention could bring if protected on a global basis. Answer questions on the benefit the invention delivers, the value of the benefit, breadth of claims and ability to police the invention.  Assess differentiation of the invention from prior art. Make recommendations for responses to Office Actions.
• Patent Estate Development – Assess Kimberly-Clark and competitive patent estates to understand, “What technologies do we own and what do our competitors own.” Assess competitive patent estates to identify opportunities to expand Kimberly-Clark patent estates into gap areas and guide technology protection map efforts. Contribute to the review of Kimberly-Clark patent estates and determine areas of opportunity to further shelter technologies for Kimberly-Clark.
• Training – Identify training needs and collaborate with the Legal team to develop and implement training. Facilitate communication and complementary interaction between R&D, Legal, Procurement and Business Teams. Facilitate training for all IA processes to Global R&D teams.
• Drive an inventive culture and mindset – Work with R&D teams define inventions over prior products/documents and assist in drafting actionable invention disclosures.  Maintain a working knowledge of Kimberly-Clark products, manufacturing processes, Kimberly-Clark patent estate, and competitive patent estates.
• Interact with a Globally Diverse team – Work directly with attorneys, subject matter experts, R&E team members and business leaders to make and implement intellectual asset decisions. Facilitate patent filings, oppositions, foreign filing decisions, competitive patent reviews, publication and trade secret processes.
• Intellectual Asset Strategy - Provide training for an IA strategy process and ensure development of cross functional Global IA Strategies for key projects and programs.
• Intellectual Asset Reviews - Lead a global Intellectual Asset Review Committee (IARC). Assist teams with the creation of Intellectual Assets through facilitation of ideation sessions and through leadership of invention disclosure initiatives, helping to recognize protectable inventions, patent and prior art searches, and assisting legal during the prosecution of patents.
• Third Party Agreements - Maintain a basic understanding or third-party contact agreements and ensure Service Agreements and Joint Development Agreements are established as part of IA Strategies.

About Us

Huggies®. Kleenex®. Cottonelle®. Scott®. Kotex®. Poise®. Depend®. Kimberly-Clark Professional®. You already know our legendary brands—and so does the rest of the world. In fact, millions of people use Kimberly-Clark products every day. We know these amazing Kimberly-Clark products wouldn’t exist without talented professionals, like you.

At Kimberly-Clark, you’ll be part of the best team committed to driving innovation, growth and impact. We’re founded on more than 150 years of market leadership, and we’re always looking for new and better ways to perform – so there’s your open door of opportunity. It’s all here for you at Kimberly-Clark.

Led by Purpose. Driven by You.

About You

You perform at the highest level possible, and you appreciate a performance culture fueled by authentic caring.  You want to be part of a company actively dedicated to sustainability, inclusion, wellbeing, and career development.
 

You love what you do, especially when the work you do makes a difference. At Kimberly-Clark, we’re constantly exploring new ideas on how, when, and where we can best achieve results.

In one of our manufacturing roles, you’ll focus on winning with consumers and the market, while putting safety, mutual respect, and human dignity at the center. To succeed in this role, you will need the following qualifications:

• A bachelor’s degree or preferably an advanced degree in a technical discipline (e.g. Chemical, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering) and 2+ years of experience managing intellectual assets and intellectual property.
• Demonstrated working knowledge of IA/IP law, and IA/IP management.
• Knowledge of the IA management system (ANAQUA) and external Patent & Trademark Office processes for protection of Kimberly-Clark inventions.
• Demonstrated competence in searching and analyzing patent art.
• Competency and experience in understanding the issues and aspects associated with developing and obtaining patents and enabling inventors to create intellectual property.
• Global patent experience
• Strong collaboration, decisiveness, and communication skills required to interact effectively and independently with all levels of the enterprise.
• Model Kimberly-Clark’s leadership behaviors and the ability to influence without direct authority.
• Experience with intellectual assets for FDA regulated medical devices.

Total Benefits

Here are just a few of the benefits you’d enjoy working in this role for Kimberly-Clark. For a complete overview, see www.mykcbenefits.com.
 

Great support for good health with medical, dental, and vision coverage options with no waiting periods or pre-existing condition restrictions. Access to an on-site fitness center, occupational health nurse, and allowances for high-quality safety equipment.

Flexible Savings and spending accounts to maximize health care options and stretch dollars when caring for yourself or dependents.

Diverse income protection insurance options to protect yourself and your family in case of illness, injury, or other unexpected events.

Additional programs and support to continue your education, adopt a child, relocate, or even find temporary childcare.

To Be Considered

Click the Apply button and complete the online application process. A member of our recruiting team will review your application and follow up if you seem like a great fit for this role.

In the meantime, please check out the careers website.

And finally, the fine print….

For Kimberly-Clark to grow and prosper, we must be an inclusive organization that applies the diverse experiences and passions of its team members to brands that make life better for people all around the world, which is why we seek to build a workforce that encompasses the experiences of our consumers.  When you bring your original thinking to Kimberly-Clark, you fuel the continued success of our enterprise. We are a committed equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, pregnancy, genetic information, citizenship status, or any other characteristic protected by law. 

The statements above are intended to describe the general nature and level of work performed by employees assigned to this classification. Statements are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities and skills required for this position. 

Employment is subject to verification of pre-screening tests, which may include drug screening, background check, and DMV check. 

Veterans and members of the Reserve and Guard are highly encouraged to apply.

Kimberly-Clark will support in-country relocation for the chosen candidate for the role. The benefits provided will be per the terms of Kimberly-Clark’s applicable mobility policies. The benefits/policy provided will be decided at Kimberly-Clark’s sole discretion.

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