Patent Engineer

Build the IP function at the frontier of AI and patent law

The opportunity

Sigma Nova Science is developing advanced AI technologies in a rapidly evolving technical and legal environment. As our research activities and portfolio of innovations grow, we are looking for our first dedicated patent professional to build and lead our internal intellectual property capabilities.

This is not a traditional patent coordination role. You will work directly with scientists and engineers to identify and protect frontier AI innovations, while advising senior leadership on how intellectual property can support Sigma Nova’s technology roadmap, competitive positioning, and long-term growth.

You will also develop a rare, integrated understanding of European and U.S. patent practice. Working closely with European and U.S. patent practitioners at BCF and BCF Global, you will receive structured mentoring and practical feedback on invention capture, drafting, claim strategy, prosecution, and international portfolio development.

What you will do

Identify and protect frontier AI innovations

• Partner directly with researchers and engineers to identify inventions early, before publication, product release, or open-source disclosure.

• Lead invention-harvesting sessions and translate complex AI research into clear, technically rigorous patent concepts.

• Contribute to patent drafting, claim strategy, prosecution, and international filing decisions, with increasing ownership as your expertise develops.

• Build practical expertise in protecting AI and software innovations under both European and U.S. patent law.

Build an integrated IP strategy

• Develop a filing roadmap aligned with Sigma Nova’s research priorities, product strategy, competitive position, and budget.

• Help determine whether innovations should be patented, maintained as trade secrets, published, defensively disclosed, contributed to open-source projects, or protected through a combination of mechanisms.

• Coordinate patent decisions with scientific publications, product launches, collaborations, and open-source initiatives.

• Support broader IP matters involving licensing, research partnerships, technology transfers, freedom to operate, and third-party patent risks.

Develop competitive patent intelligence

• Monitor relevant patent filings by leading AI companies, infrastructure providers, research laboratories, and emerging competitors.

• Identify filing trends, areas of portfolio concentration, potential risks, strategic white spaces, and opportunities for differentiation.

• Translate patent landscapes into practical recommendations for Sigma Nova’s research, filing, publication, and business strategies.

• Keep the organization informed of significant developments in European and U.S. AI patent practice.

Lead Sigma Nova’s IP culture

• Act as the internal ambassador for intellectual property across the organization.

• Build strong relationships with scientists, engineers, product teams, and senior leadership.

• Design and deliver practical training on invention identification, patents, trade secrets, publications, open source, and disclosure risks.

• Create lightweight processes that make IP awareness part of the company’s research and development culture.

• Guide researchers on day-to-day IP questions and help them recognize strategically important innovations.

• Advise the executive team on portfolio priorities, competitive developments, investment decisions, risks, and opportunities.

• Present complex IP issues in clear business terms and provide decision-oriented recommendations to top management.

Professional development

The role offers a unique combination of technical proximity, strategic responsibility, and legal development. You will benefit from:

• Direct exposure to advanced AI research and the scientists creating it.

• Structured mentoring from European and U.S. patent practitioners at BCF and BCF Global.

• Practical experience with EPO and USPTO approaches to software, AI, and computer-implemented inventions.

• Increasing responsibility for drafting, prosecution, portfolio design, and executive-level advice.

• A potential pathway toward CEIPI training and European patent qualifications, depending on your background and eligibility.

We are open to several profiles, including:

• A patent engineer, European patent attorney, CPI, patent agent, or patent lawyer with strong AI/ML fluency.

• An AI/ML researcher or engineer with meaningful patent exposure and a strong interest in developing deep IP expertise.

• A hybrid technical and strategic profile capable of engaging credibly with both researchers and business leaders.

You should bring:

• Strong technical fluency in AI, machine learning, computer science, or related technologies.

• The ability to identify the concrete technical contribution behind a complex research project.

• Excellent analytical, writing, and communication skills.

• The credibility and judgment required to guide both technical teams and senior management.

• An interest in patents as part of a broader strategy involving trade secrets, publications, open source, contracts, and competitive positioning.

• A builder’s mindset and the ability to create scalable processes in a fast-moving organization.

Experience in patent drafting, EPO or USPTO practice, competitive patent intelligence, open-source governance, or technology transfer would be a strong advantage.

What success looks like

• Researchers involve you early, before important innovations are disclosed.

• IP considerations become embedded in Sigma Nova’s research and development culture.

• Technical teams understand how to navigate patents, publications, open source, and trade secrets.

• The executive team receives clear and actionable IP advice connected to business and technology priorities.

• Sigma Nova develops a focused patent portfolio that reflects its most strategic innovations and competitive objectives.

Internal IP capability grows while external counsel is used selectively for training, legal depth, quality control, and international execution

1) Recruiter prescreen

2) CEO interview

3) Hard skills evaluation - onsite - (scientific discussion + patent exercise/discussion)