Sr. Intellectual Property Counsel - (B6)

Applied Materials • Santa Clara, CA

1d • $206,000 - $283,500

About The Position

Join our collaborative and forward‑thinking Legal & Compliance Organization (LCO). Reporting into the IP Legal (IPL) team, you will serve as a strategic partner to product groups and executive leadership. In this role, you will provide high‑impact counsel on a broad range of intellectual property matters—spanning patents, trade secrets, trademarks, copyrights, and IP‑related transactions. We are looking for a seasoned, business‑savvy IP counsel who thrives in a fast‑paced environment and is passionate about enabling innovation while protecting the company’s competitive advantage.

Requirements

• Strong intellectual capacity and high personal standards of excellence
• Strong business and technology acumen; capacity to understand the business and technology quickly
• Understand how to translate business needs into IP portfolio development & management
• Passionate, proactive, highly motivated self-starter
• Ability to work independently on a wide variety of tasks and drive results
• Ability to prioritize and handle multiple competing tasks/projects at the same time
• Excellent organizational skills, including attention to detail and ability to create specific action plans based on general guidance and deliver results
• Ability to see the big picture and identify and design-out problems from the outset; continuous improvement mindset
• Strong customer focus, both internal and external
• Ability to work collaboratively across organizational boundaries, and with a diverse group of colleagues and internal clients in multiple countries
• Ability to lead and ability to perform as part of a team
• Flexible, personable and enjoys a dynamic corporate culture
• Juris Doctor (JD) from an accredited law school.
• Active U.S. state bar membership (CA preferred but not required).
• USPTO Registration required.
• Technical degree in Engineering, Physics, Computer Science, Chemistry, or Materials Science.
• 10+ years of IP legal experience in a law firm and/or in‑house environment, with demonstrated expertise in: U.S. and international patent portfolio development & management, especially in Asia.
• Drafting and negotiating IP‑intensive agreements, including licensing, collaboration, research, and technology development agreements.
• IP laws and practices in Asia, including China, Korea, and Taiwan.

Nice To Haves

• Experience in IP enforcement, litigation strategy, claim construction, invalidity, and infringement analysis (preferred).
• Familiarity with global patent operations—administration, billing, docketing practices (preferred).

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic IP counsel to technical teams, business leaders, and senior management across patents, trade secrets, trademarks, copyrights, and key IP transactions (e.g., NDAs, JDAs, SRAs).
• Lead IP landscape analysis, risk assessments, freedom‑to‑operate evaluation, and development of long‑term IP sustainability strategies.
• Manage global patent and trademark portfolios, including drafting, prosecution, foreign filings, and portfolio optimization; oversee associated budgets and outside counsel.
• Partner with LCO colleagues to formulate and execute IP procurement, enforcement, and defensive strategies.
• Design and implement IP protection programs, including engineering training, risk‑mitigation processes, and best practices for safeguarding proprietary technology.
• Drive IP operational improvements, including policy updates, process enhancements, and alignment with global IP business needs.

Benefits

• You’ll benefit from a supportive work culture that encourages you to learn, develop, and grow your career as you take on challenges and drive innovative solutions for our customers.
• We empower our team to push the boundaries of what is possible—while learning every day in a supportive leading global company.
• At Applied Materials, we care about the health and wellbeing of our employees. We’re committed to providing programs and support that encourage personal and professional growth and care for you at work, at home, or wherever you may go.
• In addition to a comprehensive benefits package, candidates may be eligible for other forms of compensation such as participation in a bonus and a stock award program, as applicable.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree