Description
This position will manage Lyft's patent function , driving the strategy and day-to-day management of our patent portfolio , while also advising on the company's approach to open source, reviewing technical publications before they go external, and serving as a trusted advisor on IP questions across the business.
Responsibilities:
- Own the patent portfolio end to end for the company , invention harvesting, invention disclosure meetings, portfolio mining, and directing patent application preparation and prosecution by outside patent counsel.
- Drive patent strategy and drive filing, continuation, and abandonment decisions based on technical merit, competitive landscape, and cost, and own portfolio health and reporting against product roadmaps.
- Counsel and collaborate with engineering on open source license review and approval for inbound and outbound open source, including license compatibility and compliance risk.
- Review papers, blog posts, conference talks, and other public technical disclosures for IP and confidentiality risk and relevant counseling.
- Provide broad-based strategic and portfolio advice as well as counseling key stakeholders in protecting and defending IP rights worldwide.
- Support IP diligence for partnerships, M&A, and vendor relationships.
- Train and educate product and engineering teams in intellectual property matters, and build tools, policies, and processes that scale with the business.
Experience:
- 5+ years of patent prosecution experience in a relevant area; in-house patent portfolio building/management experience a plus.
- Experience advising on open source license compliance.
- Must be a member of the Patent Bar and have substantial understanding of patent law outside of litigation.
- Must be proactive, self-directed, detail oriented, organized, and have exceptional communication skills.
- Adaptable and positive under shifting priorities, with the flexibility to move between deep legal work and lighter-touch, high-volume counseling on any given day.
- Demonstrate AI fluency and comfort using AI tools in day-to-day work.
- JD required.
- BS or MS in Computer Science, Engineering, or equivalent technical field.
- State bar membership.
- Eligible to practice before the US Patent and Trademark Office.
- Sense of humor and comfort with shifting priorities.
Benefits:
- Great medical, dental, and vision insurance options with additional programs available when enrolled
- Mental health benefits
- Family building benefits
- Child care and pet benefits
- 401(k) plan with company match to help save for your future
- In addition to 12 observed holidays, salaried team members have discretionary paid time off, hourly team members have 15 days paid time off
- 18 weeks of paid parental leave. Biological, adoptive, and foster parents are all eligible
- Subsidized commuter benefits
- Monthly Lyft credits and complimentary Lyft Pink membership