Patent Paralegal

Job Title: Patent Paralegal 

Location: Needham, MA (SharkNinja Headquarters) 

Department: Legal – Intellectual Property 

Employment Type: Full-time 

 

Position Summary: 

The Patent Paralegal will play a key role in advancing the company’s innovation strategy by  acting as a key driver for the in-house Intellectual Property (IP) team and partnering with outside counsel for the management, filing, and maintenance of the company’s global patent portfolio. This role focuses on U.S. and international patent prosecution, docket management, and coordination with internal stakeholders and external counsel to ensure timely and accurate handling of all IP matters. The ideal candidate combines strong organizational skills with experience in both patent prosecution and docketing processes, and thrives in a highly-collaborative environment.

 

Key Responsibilities: 

Patent Portfolio Management: 

• • Lead operational execution for managing the company’s patent portfolio, including coordination of U.S. and international filings, prosecution deadlines, and maintenance.
  • Steer IP Team project management through monitoring and tracking all critical dates for the company’s busy new product development cycle.  
  • Partner with IP team and key engineering functions on coordination of assignments and inventor oath/declarations with the inventor members of the company’s engineering team, as well as invention disclosure statements to ensuring routine and thorough disclosures. 
  • Engage with attorney-leads to drive alignment on budgeting and invoicing across the company’s patent portfolio.  
  • Champion process optimization to drive efficiency and data integrity in IP operations through deployment of automation, AI, templates, self-service, and SOPs.    
  • Support training initiatives for business clients.  

 

Docketing Services: 

• Oversee implementation and utilization of the company’s launch of its new in-house docketing system (CPI).  
• Maintain portfolio visibility and accuracy through reporting and updating all patent-related deadlines and activities in the company’s IP docketing system.
• Manage critical workflows and CPI integrations including new invention disclosures, new application approvals, maintenance/renewal determinations, patent marking, and inventor awards.
• Generate docket reports, ensure timely completion of upcoming tasks, and perform periodic docket audits for accuracy and completeness.
• Coordinating master information disclosure statements for patent families in active prosecution.  

 

Qualifications: 

Education: Bachelor’s degree, paralegal certification, or equivalent experience required.  Equivalent experience welcome.   

Experience: Minimum 4 years of experience in patent prosecution and docketing.  

Knowledge: 

• Understanding of U.S. and foreign patent filing and prosecution processes. 

• Familiarity with patent docketing systems and USPTO/WIPO filing platforms (familiarity with CPI is a plus). 

 

Key Competencies: 

• Enjoys radical problem-solving on the fly in a fun, fast-paced environment.  
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively in support of multiple attorneys.  
• Professional demeanor that enjoys quirky problems and takes on challenges in stride.  
• Contributes to the IP Team’s oft-humorous, sometimes intense, and always supportive camaraderie.  
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.