Senior Patent Specialist, Patent Agent

WHY UT SOUTHWESTERN?
With over 75 years of excellence in Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas, UT Southwestern is committed to excellence, innovation, teamwork, and compassion. As a world-renowned medical and research center, we strive to provide the best possible care, resources, and benefits for our valued employees. Ranked as the number 1 hospital in Dallas-Fort Worth according to U.S. News & World Report, we invest in you with opportunities for career growth and development to align with your future goals. Our highly competitive benefits package offers healthcare, PTO and paid holidays, on-site childcare, wage, merit increases and so much more. We invite you to be a part of the UT Southwestern team where you'll discover a culture of teamwork, professionalism, and a rewarding career! 

JOB SUMMARY
The Senior Patent Specialist supports the Office of Technology Development (OTD) by managing the institution's intellectual property strategy by coordinating patent filings and managing key aspects of the patent portfolio. This position oversees legal invoice review, contract workflows, and prepares portfolio summaries to support commercialization efforts. It facilitates internal IP assessment meetings by organizing agendas, materials, and action items for decision-making. 

 

BENEFITS
UT Southwestern is proud to offer a competitive and comprehensive benefits package to eligible employees. Our benefits are designed to support your overall wellbeing, and include:

• PPO medical plan, available day one at no cost for full-time employee-only coverage
• 100% coverage for preventive healthcare-no copay
• Paid Time Off, available day one
• Retirement Programs through the Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS)
• Paid Parental Leave Benefit
• Wellness programs
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Qualified Employer
• Learn more about these and other UTSW employee benefits!

EXPERIENCE AND EDUCATION

Required

• Education
  Bachelor's Degree in Legal Studies, Business, Life Sciences, Engineering, or a related discipline. 
   

• Experience
  5 years of experience in patent prosecution support, IP portfolio management, or a comparable role. 
  Strong skills in legal invoice review, budgeting, or financial reconciliation related to IP services. 
  Ability to work independently, interpret prosecution strategy, and communicate with researchers and leadership. 
   

Preferred

• Education
  Advanced degree or industry training in IP. 
   

• Experience
  Patent Agent

   

  7 years of IP experience, ideally within a university tech transfer office, research institution, or corporate R&D organization with 
  Experience advising on or coordinating filing decisions, continuation strategies, or portfolio-level planning. 
  Expertise with enterprise IP systems and data analytics tools for portfolio reporting with experience patent prosecution budgets. 
   

JOB DUTIES

• Leads coordination to initiate new patent filings, ensuring accurate disclosure intake, inventor engagement, and alignment with institutional IP strategy.
• Oversees the legal invoice review process to ensure accuracy, adherence to engagement terms, and timely submission for payment.
• Investigates and resolves billing discrepancies by collaborating with internal accounting teams and external legal vendors, maintaining strong financial and vendor relationships.
• Monitors budget impacts of prosecution decisions and communicates cost considerations to Operations and leadership.
• Supports technology marketing and licensing efforts by preparing detailed patent portfolio summaries, prosecution status updates, and IP positioning materials.
• Participates in internal assessment committees, providing portfolio and prosecution insights to help guide filing decisions.
• Provides administrative and strategic support to internal IP assessment meetings, including agenda development, organization of materials, and precise documentation of meeting minutes and action items.
• Contributes to process improvement initiatives aimed at enhancing efficiency, data integrity, and workflow consistency across the IP and Operations functions.
• Ensures compliance with institutional policies, USPTO requirements, and IP data management standards.
• Performs other duties as assigned to support the mission, strategic initiatives, and daily operations of OTD.

SECURITY AND EEO STATEMENT

Security
This position is security-sensitive and subject to Texas Education Code 51.215, which authorizes UT Southwestern to obtain criminal history record information.

EEO
UT Southwestern Medical Center is committed to an educational and working environment that provides equal opportunity to all members of the University community. As an equal opportunity employer, UT Southwestern prohibits unlawful discrimination, including discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, disability, genetic information, citizenship status, or veteran status.