Head of Intellectual Property

Head of IP, London

Isomorphic Labs is a new Alphabet company that is reimagining drug discovery through a computational- and AI-first approach.

We are on a mission to accelerate the speed, increase the efficacy and lower the cost of drug discovery. You'll be working at the cutting edge of the new era of 'digital biology' to deliver a transformative social impact for the benefit of millions of people.

Come and be part of a multi-disciplinary team driving groundbreaking innovation and play a meaningful role in contributing towards us achieving our ambitious goals, while being a part of an inspiring, collaborative and entrepreneurial culture.

This position offers an amazing opportunity to formulate and execute a strategic vision to advance and protect the organisation’s current and future intellectual property estate.

Reporting to the General Counsel, as the Head of IP you will lead intellectual property strategy for Isomorphic Labs, balancing strategic planning with practical execution. You will collaborate with researchers and business leaders across the organisation, using your knowledge and influencing skills to shape how we build and develop the business from an IP perspective. You will also partner with other members of the Alphabet ecosystem as a representative of Isomorphic Labs.

You will need to utilise your previous experience and show initiative in order to fully carve out your contribution. The Head of IP will work in partnership with the IsoLegal team and various researchers and senior leaders across business functions to design, develop and drive implementation of intellectual property strategy in alignment with the organisation’s strategic directives. Key responsibilities of the position include identifying and pursuing strategies to protect innovation in IsoLabs’ research and development activities (including AI/ML as well as small molecule and biologic therapeutic innovations), effectively educating on IP matters, communicating IP guidance, and managing the Company’s intellectual property affairs (e.g., client counselling, licensing transactions, patent preparation and procurement, opinion work, IP disputes and litigation, due diligence and competitive intelligence, IP budgeting, copyright and trademark matters).

• Develop, implement and optimise comprehensive global IP strategy for the organisation
• Build, manage and expand patent portfolios that provide value and protect R&D innovations
• Establish IP governance and internal initiatives to support and drive innovation
• Protect and defend the organisation’s IP, anticipate IP disputes, conduct landscaping and clearance assessments, execute on risk mitigation, and manage effective litigation when necessary
• Counsel science and business colleagues on patentability, freedom-to-operate, IP risks, and other IP matters
• Negotiate IP terms of licensing and other agreements
• Stay informed on legal trends and changes in laws and regulations; advise on emerging IP issues to ensure innovative and cutting-edge approaches
• Work closely with IsoLegal and Alphabet teams, outside counsel, consultants, and researchers to evaluate and support the development and advancement of new technologies and innovations
• Contribute to and maintain positive working relationships, foster a cohesive, committed team environment and drive effective partnership with cross-functional teams

• Either Qualified UK Patent Attorney; Qualified European Patent Attorney; OR US JD with active bar membership in at least one state and USPTO bar admission
• Advanced technical or scientific degree and 10+ years of proven IP legal experience
• Experience building and managing robust global patent estates for therapeutic drug candidates
• Experience directly managing and conducting detailed reviews or patents relating to small molecule therapeutics
• Experience in pharmaceutical industry and knowledge of the drug development process
• Outstanding verbal and written communication, and collaborative skills necessary to effectively partner with and advise researchers, scientists and other stakeholders in highly cross-functional teams
• Ability to work independently and in teams, prioritise workflow and work efficiently, meet demanding deadlines, and manage multi-dimensional projects in a fast-paced and evolving environment
• Meticulous attention to detail and a commitment to excellence in legal research, work product and compliance
• Ability to align IP strategy with business objectives and utilise IP strategy to contribute to the organisation's growth and success

• PhD in chemistry, biochemistry, biology or related field strongly preferred
• Prior in-house experience at biotech or pharmaceutical company strongly preferred
• Experience negotiating and drafting IP provisions in marquee licences and other high-impact agreements
• Experience practising patent law in the area of artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), deep learning, data sciences and/or AI-driven drug discovery
• Experience building or developing an early stage IP legal function

What does it take to be successful at IsoLabs? It's not about finding people who think and act in the same way, but we do have some shared values:

Thoughtful
Thoughtful at Iso is about curiosity, creativity and care. It is about good people doing good, rigorous and future-making science every single day.

Brave
Brave at Iso is about fearlessness, but it’s also about initiative and integrity. The scale of the challenge demands nothing less.

Determined
Determined at Iso is the way we pursue our goal. It’s a confidence in our hypothesis, as well as the urgency and agility needed to deliver on it. Because disease won’t wait, so neither should we.

Together
Together at Iso is about connection, collaboration across fields and catalytic relationships. It’s knowing that transformation is a group project, and remembering that what we’re doing will have a real impact on real people everywhere.

We realise that to be successful we need our teams to reflect and represent the populations we are striving to serve. We’re working to build a supportive and inclusive environment where collaboration is encouraged and learning is shared. We value diversity of experience, knowledge, backgrounds and perspectives and harness these qualities to create extraordinary impact.

We are committed to equal employment opportunities regardless of sex, race, religion or belief, ethnic or national origin, disability, age, citizenship, marital, domestic or civil partnership status, sexual orientation, gender identity, pregnancy or related condition (including breastfeeding) or any other basis protected by applicable law. If you have a disability or additional need that requires accommodation, please do not hesitate to let us know.

It’s hugely important for us to be able to share knowledge and establish relationships with each other, and we find it easier to do this if we spend time together in person. This is why we’ve decided to follow a hybrid model, and for full time positions we would require you to be able to come into the office 3 days a week (currently Tue, Wed, and one other day depending on which team you’re in). For part time positions this may vary. As an equal opportunities employer we are committed to building an equal and inclusive team. If you have additional needs that would prevent you from following this hybrid approach, we’d be happy to talk through these if you’re selected for an initial screening call.