Work Flexibility: Hybrid

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

Provide leadership, mentoring, development, and priorities to IP staff under direct supervision to ensure customer groups are supported in all matters involving intellectual property management.Review invention disclosures and guide patenting decisions.Work with outside counsel in preparation, filing and prosecution of patent applications.Investigate product development status and commercialization plans to develop patent filing strategies.Lead and supervise the IP support of new product development by with right to use analysis. Investigate patent utilization, commercial offensive and defensive value to help make patent annuity/maintenance fee decisionsLead patentability, right to use and state of the art patent analyses.Lead and/or support third party business development M&A due diligence and integration as needed. Initiate/Lead continuous improvement of the IP department's systems and procedures to ensure effective/ efficient operations.Support IP litigation team with aspects of patent assertions and defenses as needed.

Work location and travel

This position is posted as hybrid.  Any location in proximity to Kalamazoo, MI office is preferred.Travel percentage up to 25%

Education

Bachelor’s Degree required in Mechanical Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering/Science, or equivalent technical degree.  

Qualifications and Experience

10+ years experience managing intellectual property matters.5+ years of experience managing direct reports preferred.5+ years of experience in the medical device, medtech, or related industry that is highly regulated.Registration before the USPTO is strongly preferred.Experience and demonstrated expertise leading and managing all aspects of intellectual property including invention disclosures, IP harvesting, patent landscape, patent prosecution & preparation, right-to-use studies, and IP training.Demonstrated ability to work with the business to develop and execute on strategies aligned with the business initiatives.Demonstrated ability to lead process improvements across a range of responsibilities. Demonstrated leadership skills, ability to think strategically, communicate effectively, and influence others within and external to the Global Intellectual Property department.Exceptional responsibility, accountability, initiative, and demonstrated ability to make difficult decisions.Demonstrated ability to work independently, collaboratively, and inclusively. Demonstrates and drives a commitment to integrity and accountability.Maintains highly sensitive and confidential information.

Travel Percentage: 20%

Stryker Corporation is an equal opportunity employer. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, ethnicity, color, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, or protected veteran status. Stryker is an EO employer – M/F/Veteran/Disability.

Stryker Corporation will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor’s legal duty to furnish information.