Patent Engineer

About Us

We are Sila, a next-generation battery materials company. Our mission is to power the world’s transition to clean energy. To create this future, our team is building a better lithium-ion battery from the inside out today. We engineer and manufacture ground-breaking battery materials that significantly increase the energy density of batteries, while reducing their size and weight. The result? Smaller more powerful batteries that can unlock innovation in consumer devices and accelerate the mass adoption of electric cars to eliminate our dependence on fossil fuels. We're tackling one of the biggest challenges of our time every day, and together we're redefining what's possible. Are you ready to be a part of a team committed to changing the world?

Who You Are

As a Staff Patent Engineer on the Legal Team, you are creative, collaborative, and thoughtful. Your career started in science or engineering, but now you apply your knowledge and experience to securing patents for Sila’s new innovations. You love the challenge of compiling disparate technical data into a single coherent specification in support of new patent claims. You are comfortable analyzing office actions and crafting creative arguments in support of Sila’s innovations. You pride yourself on being able to manage multiple projects and deliver results on time in a fast-paced environment with constantly evolving demands.

Responsibilities and Duties

Play a key role in creating a patent portfolio to protect next-generation battery technologies. Specifically:

- Collaborate closely with technical teams to identify patentable inventions.

- Conduct intake of invention disclosure provided by inventors; identify any gaps and collaborate with inventors to fill those gaps.

- Conduct prior art searches and landscape analyses; collaborate with inventors to identify “white spaces” for new filings.

- Draft patent claims; align with inventors and IP team.

- Draft patent figures and specifications while adhering to good drafting practice; translate complex experimental data into robust patent applications.

- Support outside patent counsel in analyzing office actions and developing arguments in support of the technical novelty of our inventions.

Knowledge and Skill Requirements

- Bachelor’s (BS) degree in Chemistry, Materials Science, Chemical Engineering, Biochemistry, Physics, or a related field; a master’s degree (MS) or a doctoral (Ph.D.) degree in these fields is a plus.

- Registered to practice before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (PTO); registered patent agent.

- At least 5 years of experience in drafting patent applications.

- Experience in drafting patent applications in a physical science field, e.g., chemistry, electrochemistry, materials science, is a plus.

- Experience in drafting patent applications in the areas of batteries, battery components, electrode materials, binders, or electrolytes is a plus.

- Experience in patent prosecution is a plus.

- Domain expertise: Familiarity with lithium-ion, solid-state, or silicon-anode chemistries, is a plus.

- Ability to quickly digest technical information in a wide variety of areas.

- Excellent oral and written communication skills; able to convey complex information effectively to diverse audiences.

- Self-motivated, resourceful, and independent; able to manage multiple responsibilities with minimal supervision.

- Fluency in technical Chinese, Korean, or German is a plus.

- Strong understanding of patent law, IP strategy, and global filing processes.

- Ability to do searches of chemical structures is a plus.

Physical Demands and Working Conditions

- Operate a computer and other office equipment, such as a laptop, copier/printer, etc in a fixed location

The starting base pay for this role is between $130,000 and $164,000 at the time of posting. The actual base pay depends on many factors, such as education, experience, and skills. Base pay is only one part of Sila’s competitive Total Rewards package that can include benefits, perks, equity, and bonuses.  The base pay range is subject to change and may be modified in the future.

Working at Sila

We believe that building a diverse team at Sila helps us amplify our individual talents. We are an equal opportunity employer and committed to creating an inclusive environment where good ideas are free to come from anyone. We are proud to celebrate diversity and all qualified applicants are considered for employment without regard to gender, race, sexual orientation, religion, age, disability, national origin, or any other status protected by law.