Senior Counsel – Intellectual Property

About the role

SandboxAQ is seeking a Senior Counsel to lead its Intellectual Property function. The role will own the end‑to‑end patent portfolio, partner with scientists and engineers to capture inventions, and provide IP guidance for product launches and commercial transactions.

Key responsibilities

• Own the patent portfolio end‑to‑end, from invention harvesting through filing strategy, prosecution and lifecycle decisions.
• Partner with scientists and engineers (physicists, chemists, ML researchers) to identify patentable work, run invention disclosures and streamline the review process.
• Manage and hold outside patent firms and foreign associates accountable for quality, cost and timeliness.
• Conduct freedom‑to‑operate and clearance analyses to guide product strategy and serve as the IP voice in commercial and corporate transactions.
• Build and maintain broader IP programs, including trade‑secret protection and trademark clearance, prosecution and enforcement.

Required profile

• Juris Doctor (J.D.) or equivalent with admission to practice in at least one U.S. jurisdiction.
• 7+ years of substantive intellectual‑property law experience, primarily in patent law.
• Strong technical fluency enabling effective collaboration with PhD‑level physicists, chemists and machine‑learning researchers.
• Strategic, agile mindset suited to fast‑growth environments and rapid decision‑making.
• High emotional intelligence and collaborative style to translate complex legal concepts into business strategies.

Required skills

• Patent prosecution and portfolio management.
• Freedom‑to‑operate and clearance analysis.
• Trade‑secret program design and enforcement.
• Trademark clearance, prosecution and enforcement.
• Use of AI‑enabled tooling for prior‑art review and portfolio analytics.

What we offer

• Competitive base salary, performance‑based incentives and equity participation.
• Comprehensive medical, dental and vision coverage for employees and dependents.
• Fully remote work arrangement with flexible paid time off and seasonal breaks.
• Opportunities for continuous learning, cross‑functional collaboration and professional development.