Senior Intellectual Property Counsel

About Pacific Fusion

Pacific Fusion was founded in 2023 with the mission to power the world with abundant, affordable, clean energy.

We are rapidly designing and building a pulsed magnetic fusion system to achieve net facility gain (more fusion energy output than stored energy input). In parallel, we are developing the key components required to build affordable fusion systems.

Our plans are ambitious. We have raised over $900M so far from incredible investors, resourcing us to deliver on these plans. We are bringing together the best scientists, engineers, and operators from the fusion community, hard tech industry, and other sectors. We are united by a shared sense of urgency to provide clean power for the world, particularly managing climate change while meeting growing global energy demand. You can read more about us in this letter from our founders.

Why This Role Matters

We are seeking a skilled and strategic

Senior Intellectual Property Counsel

to join our growing legal team and play a pivotal role in safeguarding and shaping the company’s innovations. This role reports to our General Counsel and Vice President of Policy.

In this role you will provide invaluable support on a variety of fronts, with a focus on building and scaling our IP strategy and patent portfolio, partnering with technical teams on complex IP transactions, and reducing our IP security risks. As part of a lean, high-impact legal team, you will also provide support on a range of transactional matters, from everyday agreements to complex commercial partnerships, joint ventures, and government contracts

—all of which offer tremendous opportunities for career growth.

This is a unique opportunity for a highly capable attorney with excellent business judgment, strong IP expertise, and an interest in working across both legal and technical domains to build a first-of-its-kind energy company.

What You'll Do Intellectual Property Management

- Develop and execute strategies to identify, protect, and enforce the company’s hard and soft IP assets.

- Build and maintain a global patent portfolio aligned with our business and technology priorities.

- Work with and direct counsel on preparation, filing, and prosecution.

- Partner with our R&D and engineering teams to identify patentable innovations and draft invention disclosures.

- Update our company’s trade secret management plan, and deploy policies & practices to efficiently protect our trade secrets and improve IP security.

- Draft, review, and negotiate IP-related agreements, including NDAs, joint development agreements, licenses, and collaboration agreements.

- Conduct IP due diligence for potential partners, vendors, and acquisitions.

- Monitor and enforce company rights, including managing disputes, oppositions, or litigation, working with external counsel.

- Stay current on IP laws, regulations, and trends relevant to advanced energy and high-tech industries.

General Counsel Support

- Manage our contracts team and improve our day-to-day contracting processes, including negotiation of NDAs, purchase orders, and larger procurement agreements.

- Support and lead negotiation of FOAK commercial agreements, joint ventures, and government transactions.

- Oversee and optimize our legal playbooks, training regime, and CLM and AI tools to support commercial procurements.

- Oversee external counsel and manage legal spend effectively.

- Partner with technical and business leadership, outside counsel, contract counterparties, potential investors, and key business partners.

What You Bring

- J.D. degree and admission to at least one U.S. state bar.

- 8+ years experience in intellectual property law, with a focus on patent portfolio development, IP transactions, and trade secret protection.

- Substantial experience supporting R&D-heavy organizations (energy, aerospace, semiconductors, or advanced manufacturing a plus).

- Excellent technical & communication skills, with the ability to translate complex technical concepts into legal arguments or strategies.

- Strong business acumen and collaborative approach to working with technical and executive stakeholders.

Bonus Points For

- Background in physics, engineering, sciences, or related technical fields.

- Significant experience advising on or leading procurement negotiations.

- Experience both in law firm and in-house environments.

- Signs of thought-leadership w/in the field (e.g., law review articles, blogs).

Pay Range

$200,000—$250,000 USD

Benefits

- Industry-competitive salary

- Equity plan

- 6% employer 401k matching

- Generous paid time off (including sick leave, vacation, paid family leave)

- Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance

Actual base salary offered will be determined by: experience, skills, and work location. This range is for base salary, our total compensation includes equity and benefits. We welcome you to apply even if your expectations are outside our listed range.

Pacific Fusion is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status. Pacific Fusion is committed to providing reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities in our job application procedures and throughout employment. If you need assistance or any accommodation, please let us know. Pacific Fusion does not accept unsolicited resumes from recruiters or employment agencies without a fully executed recruitment agreement in place. In the absence of such agreement, Pacific Fusion reserves the right to pursue and hire any candidates without an obligation to pay fees. Agencies are requested not to contact Pacific Fusion hiring managers or employees regarding recruiting services.