Chief IP Counsel, Danaher Diagnotics

The family of Diagnostics companies at Danaher work with conviction that every moment matters and realize that behind every test is a patient, waiting for an answer that could change their life. Our 23,000 team members, across 6 operating companies globally, proudly push the boundaries of what’s possible in safeguarding patient health and improving diagnostic confidence. We develop tools and technologies that set the standard for innovation and impact wherever health care happens—from a family physician’s office to leading trauma hospitals and laboratories. Our teams collaborate in an inclusive environment as we connect our people, processes, and expertise, focused on the world’s biggest health challenges such as cardiac disease, infectious disease, and cancer. At the Diagnostics Platform at Danaher, you’ll thrive and quickly see the impact of your contribution.

Join us in working at the pace of change to improve patient lives!

And no matter where you look at Danaher, at the heart of what we do, you’ll witness our shared purpose—helping realize life’s potential—in action. Whether we’re enabling our customers to support life-saving vaccine development, advance a new instrument for cancer diagnosis, or ensure product safety, our work helps improve millions of lives.

We hope you’ll see yourself here, too. What you find at Danaher—and within yourself— might just change the world.

The Chief IP Counsel of the Diagnostics Platform will drive strategic IP initiatives, serve as the IP thought leader for the Diagnostics Platform and lead the IP teams at each of the six operating companies (OpCos) in the Platform to create and maintain strategic, competitive advantages through differentiated IP portfolios. Reporting into the Group Vice President and General Counsel – Diagnostics with a dotted line to Danaher’s Chief IP Counsel, the Diagnostics Chief IP Counsel will partner with key stakeholders such as the Diagnostics Platform’s Chief Innovation Officer, Chief Scientific Officer, Business Development, Corporate and OpCo IP and Strategic Development teams, and serve on the Danaher IP Leadership Team.  Direct reports of the Diagnostics Chief IP Counsel will be the Diagnostics Platform OpCo Chief IP Counsels.

Essential Duties And Responsibilities
 

• Responsible for supporting the Diagnostics Platform strategy of transforming precision medicine through biomarker innovation and deployment on our differentiated, high-resolution solutions in four key disease areas:  neurodegenerative, oncology, infectious disease and acute care.
• Intimately understands the Diagnostics Platform strategy, and the IP requirements to execute on that strategy (either organically or inorganically) and understands the technology that needs to be developed and/or brought in-house in order to execute on the strategy.
• Work closely with the Diagnostics Platform Chief Innovation Officer, Chief Scientific Officer, Corporate IP, OpCo Presidents, OpCo General Counsels and other key stakeholders. 
• Serve as a bridge between the Diagnostics Platform senior leadership team and the OpCo IP counsels, driving high-level IP strategy to targeted execution at the OpCo-level.
• Manage a team of IP lawyers which requires building and assessing talent and making organizational decisions to affect the strategy
• Contribute the development of, and prioritize deployment of, novel high-value tools to embed IP more deeply into strategic planning, technology roadmapping, product development and open innovation across the operating companies in the Diagnostics Platform.
• Review offensive litigation prior to filing to confirm alignment with Danaher’s business purposes and collaborate with in-house (OpCo and corporate) and outside counsel in the early analysis of defensive IP litigation matters and disputes to establish a strategy for a timely and cost-effective resolution.
• Work with the Diagnostics Platform Chief Innovation Officer and Chief Scientific Officer to develop partnership opportunities with a variety of innovators ranging from universities, academic medical centers, biopharma companies, and other diagnostic industry players.

• Advise on complex intellectual property matters and oversee IP due diligence as needed for M&A activity.

• Coordinate with the IP teams across the Diagnostics Platform and Danaher to ensure that information and best practices are developed and shared. 

In addition to those identified above, other duties may be assigned as follows

Competencies & Critical Success Factors

• Ability to work with and inspire confidence in Executive VP, Group VPs and OpCo presidents, with demonstrated business acumen, strong analytical skills, and the ability to grasp important business issues and legal issues facing the Diagnostics Platform.
• Strong communication and presentation skills for reducing complex IP legal matters down to understandable business issues for decision by Danaher’s business leaders.
• Demonstrated ability to interact effectively with senior business leaders and legal counsel to successfully identify, develop and execute strategic IP efforts.
• Effective at process, continuous improvement, and a systematic approach to evaluating the value of IP.
• Experience leveraging AI to support IP needs.
• Approaches IP with a strategic mindset by anticipating future business, competitive and legal risks and looking for creative solutions and opportunities.
• Proven track record in change management and ability to gain followership across functions.
• Passion for working with operating companies as a team member that helps us win in the product, talent and innovation markets
• Ability to prioritize issues and manage multiple projects at a time.
• Demonstrate high integrity and ethics in all dealings, non-political in conduct, while understanding internal and external dynamics.

Education And/or Experience

• PhD in a biological science (microbiology, immunology, etc.) strongly preferred; J.D. required, along with a Bachelor’s degree in engineering or a life science.
• A minimum of 20 years of experience in IP law with a law firm, with additional corporate experience preferred.  Experience in IP strategy in a corporate environment is a plus.
• Partnership with organizations in multiple industries and various sizes.  Experience working in highly regulated industries such as big pharma, diagnostics or life sciences, and/or small, start-up and emerging tech experience is a plus (needs to understand a large matrix org, while also understanding the nimbleness of a start-up or an environment creating new tech/innovation).
• Experience managing complex legal and intellectual property issues.
• Ability to work across functions (including, Office of the Chief Innovation Officer, Finance, IP Operations and M&A), cultures and organizational hierarchy in a matrixed environment.

Language Skills

English fluency required. Additional language skills are beneficial.

Office Location

TBD Open to remote or on-site where local offices exist.

Travel

Travel up to 30% based on business needs

Compensation

The salary range for this role is $325,000 to $365,000.  This is the range that we in good faith believe is the range of possible compensation for this role at the time of this posting. We may ultimately pay more or less than the posted range. This range may be modified in the future. This job is also eligible for bonus/incentive pay.

We offer comprehensive package of benefits including paid time off, medical/dental/vision insurance and 401(k) to eligible employees.

Note: No amount of pay is considered to be wages or compensation until such amount is earned, vested, and determinable. The amount and availability of any bonus, commission, benefits, or any other form of compensation and benefits that are allocable to a particular employee remains in the Company's sole discretion unless and until paid and may be modified at the Company’s sole discretion, consistent with the law.

Join our winning team today. Together, we’ll accelerate the real-life impact of tomorrow’s science and technology. We partner with customers across the globe to help them solve their most complex challenges, architecting solutions that bring the power of science to life. 

For more information, visit www.danaher.com.

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