Senior Patent Associate

PopVax is an Indian full-stack biotechnology company developing novel mRNA vaccines and therapeutics using computational protein design. Our first vaccine is a next-generation COVID-19 booster, which will enter a first-in-human Phase I clinical trial in the U.S. next year. We have a preclinical pipeline of 6 additional novel vaccine candidates built on our mRNA-LNP platform that we will be taking into clinical trials over the next few years. Our work to date has been funded primarily via project agreements totalling 10+ million USD with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Vitalik Buterin's public health & biosecurity organization Balvi.We seek a creative, detail-oriented, scientifically grounded

Senior Patent Associate

to help translate our cutting-edge research into developing strong patent assets and support product development mindful of the evolving patent landscape. This is a unique opportunity to join our IP team in Hyderabad to contribute to and execute our patent strategies. The work will be intellectually challenging, and the hours may sometimes be long, but there will not be a moment of boredom.

Primary Responsibilities Will Include

• Conducting patentability, freedom-to-operate, validity/invalidity, & state-of-the-art searches, including bio-sequence searches, on paid and free databases, and preparing search reports
• Identifying and preparing literature reviews, technological trends, and competitive intelligence reports
• Performing infringement analysis and preparing claim charts and maps
• Identifying FTO issues proactively
• Providing support in drafting and prosecuting patent applications
• Interacting with multidisciplinary teams involving R&D, Manufacturing, Clinical and Regulatory, and providing IP support
  

The

ideal candidate

will possess the following

qualifications

and skills

:

• A Master’s degree in biotechnology or a similar field is required.
• 2-4 years of core experience in searching in the biotechnology domain, including bio-sequence searching, is required.
• Experience in drafting and prosecuting patent applications is desirable but not mandatory.
• A good understanding of US and European patent laws and the regulatory environment
• Strong analytical skills to rapidly review and evaluate technical information to gather actionable insights with attention to detail
• The ability to work well in a team as well as independently pursue tasks and projects, when necessary, without close supervision
• Complete fluency in English, with excellent oral and written communication skills, and an eye for detail
• The ability to work in a highly demanding and dynamic environment under challenging timelines
  

We nurture a collaborative work environment focused on solving the cutting-edge multidisciplinary challenges of our novel mRNA platform and, more importantly, provide a platform to work at the frontiers of multiple therapeutic areas. And we offer competitive compensation and comprehensive health insurance covering immediate family (including pre-existing conditions).