Intellectual Property Administrator Jobs
Intellectual Property Administrator jobs covering patent prosecution support, trademark portfolio management, and IP docketing are open across law firms, corporate legal departments, pharmaceutical companies, and technology companies, from entry-level coordinator to senior administrator. Scan the live roles below and apply to whichever ones fit.
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Vanguard’s Office of the General Counsel (OGC) addresses a wide range of complex and compelling legal and compliance issues. To continue to support its growing business, Vanguard is seeking an attorney in its Intellectual Property, Marketing and Communications Legal Team. As Assistant General Counsel, Intellectual Property, you will be responsible for a broad portfolio of intellectual property legal matters, including global patent portfolio management, trade secret protection and governance, technology transactions, research collaborations, and technology-focused intellectual property risk management.
In this role you will:
- Advise business and technology teams on intellectual property protection strategies for company innovations, including patent protection, trade secret protection, defensive publication, and other approaches to protecting and preserving intellectual property assets
- Support management of Vanguard’s global patent portfolio and oversight of outside patent counsel
- Support trade secret identification, protection, governance, and risk-management initiatives
- Negotiate and advise on technology transactions, research collaborations, and strategic partnerships
- Advise internal business teams and OGC colleagues on intellectual property issues arising in commercial, technology, procurement, and strategic transactions
- Assess and mitigate intellectual property risks associated with emerging technologies, third-party relationships, and internal technology development initiatives
- Assess and manage patent infringement allegations, trade secret misappropriation claims, pre-litigation IP disputes, IP litigation matters, and IP dispute settlement strategies, including oversight of outside counsel and coordination with business stakeholders
- Support development of templates, playbooks, governance frameworks, and training designed to strengthen intellectual property protection and risk management across the organization
What it takes:
- Minimum of 10 years of related legal experience; minimum of 8 years of professional intellectual property experience
- Undergraduate degree and Law degree (JD)
- Admission to practice before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO)
- Experience with patent and trade secret counseling and U.S. and foreign patent portfolio management
- Experience with drafting and negotiating intellectual property and technology-related agreements
- Experience using enterprise-approved artificial intelligence tools responsibly and effectively to support legal research, analysis, drafting, and efficient delivery of legal services
- Ability to balance business and legal needs and manage multiple projects at one time
- Exceptional leadership, organizational and interpersonal skills
- Consistent track record of success serving and navigating relationships with internal and/or external parties, including influencing, counseling and negotiating with others
- Ability to communicate effectively, influence, and build agreement with senior leaders and across a matrixed organization
Special Factors
Sponsorship
Vanguard is not offering visa sponsorship for this position.
About Vanguard
At Vanguard, we don't just have a mission—we're on a mission.
To work for the long-term financial wellbeing of our clients. To lead through product and services that transform our clients' lives. To learn and develop our skills as individuals and as a team. From Malvern to Melbourne, our mission drives us forward and inspires us to be our best.
How We Work
Vanguard has implemented a hybrid working model for the majority of our crew members, designed to capture the benefits of enhanced flexibility while enabling in-person learning, collaboration, and connection. We believe our mission-driven and highly collaborative culture is a critical enabler to support long-term client outcomes and enrich the employee experience.
Vanguard’s Office of the General Counsel (OGC) addresses a wide range of complex and compelling legal and compliance issues. To continue to support its growing business, Vanguard is seeking an attorney in its Intellectual Property, Marketing and Communications Legal Team. As Assistant General Counsel, Intellectual Property, you will be responsible for a broad portfolio of intellectual property legal matters, including global patent portfolio management, trade secret protection and governance, technology transactions, research collaborations, and technology-focused intellectual property risk management.
In this role you will:
- Advise business and technology teams on intellectual property protection strategies for company innovations, including patent protection, trade secret protection, defensive publication, and other approaches to protecting and preserving intellectual property assets
- Support management of Vanguard’s global patent portfolio and oversight of outside patent counsel
- Support trade secret identification, protection, governance, and risk-management initiatives
- Negotiate and advise on technology transactions, research collaborations, and strategic partnerships
- Advise internal business teams and OGC colleagues on intellectual property issues arising in commercial, technology, procurement, and strategic transactions
- Assess and mitigate intellectual property risks associated with emerging technologies, third-party relationships, and internal technology development initiatives
- Assess and manage patent infringement allegations, trade secret misappropriation claims, pre-litigation IP disputes, IP litigation matters, and IP dispute settlement strategies, including oversight of outside counsel and coordination with business stakeholders
- Support development of templates, playbooks, governance frameworks, and training designed to strengthen intellectual property protection and risk management across the organization
What it takes:
- Minimum of 10 years of related legal experience; minimum of 8 years of professional intellectual property experience
- Undergraduate degree and Law degree (JD)
- Admission to practice before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO)
- Experience with patent and trade secret counseling and U.S. and foreign patent portfolio management
- Experience with drafting and negotiating intellectual property and technology-related agreements
- Experience using enterprise-approved artificial intelligence tools responsibly and effectively to support legal research, analysis, drafting, and efficient delivery of legal services
- Ability to balance business and legal needs and manage multiple projects at one time
- Exceptional leadership, organizational and interpersonal skills
- Consistent track record of success serving and navigating relationships with internal and/or external parties, including influencing, counseling and negotiating with others
- Ability to communicate effectively, influence, and build agreement with senior leaders and across a matrixed organization
Special Factors
Sponsorship
Vanguard is not offering visa sponsorship for this position.
About Vanguard
At Vanguard, we don't just have a mission—we're on a mission.
To work for the long-term financial wellbeing of our clients. To lead through product and services that transform our clients' lives. To learn and develop our skills as individuals and as a team. From Malvern to Melbourne, our mission drives us forward and inspires us to be our best.
How We Work
Vanguard has implemented a hybrid working model for the majority of our crew members, designed to capture the benefits of enhanced flexibility while enabling in-person learning, collaboration, and connection. We believe our mission-driven and highly collaborative culture is a critical enabler to support long-term client outcomes and enrich the employee experience.
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Who's Hiring
Top Industries Hiring
- Manufacturing
- Consulting & Professional Services
- Science & Research
- Staffing & Recruiting
- Construction & Real Estate
What Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in intellectual property administrator jobs.
- Experience with patent or trademark docketing software and deadline management systems
- Knowledge of USPTO filing procedures and intellectual property prosecution workflows
- Associate or bachelor's degree in paralegal studies, business, or a related field
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications, especially Excel for docket reporting
- Familiarity with international IP filings including PCT applications and foreign prosecution
- Strong attention to detail and ability to manage high-volume deadline-driven workloads
Tips for Your Intellectual Property Administrator Job Search
Tailor your resume to docketing systems
IP administrators are expected to know specific docketing software on day one. Name the platforms you've used directly on your resume, including any patent or trademark management systems, so hiring managers don't have to guess your technical depth.
Highlight deadline management experience explicitly
Missing a patent prosecution deadline can be catastrophic for a client. Your resume should show concrete examples of managing deadline-driven workflows, whether that's maintenance fee calendars, response due dates, or filing deadlines across multiple matters simultaneously.
Apply early to roles that fit
Migrate Mate lists intellectual property administrator openings from across the United States in one place, so you can find roles that match and apply directly to each listing.
Target postings that match your IP focus
Patent and trademark administration are distinct skill sets and employers often hire for one or the other. Filter your search by the type of IP work in each posting and lead your application materials with the specific credentials and experience that match that focus.
Prepare to walk through a docketing scenario
Many IP administrator interviews include a practical exercise involving a mock docketing entry or deadline calculation. Practice talking through how you catch data discrepancies, escalate conflicts, and verify accuracy before a due date to show you understand the stakes.
Negotiate based on docket size and complexity
When discussing compensation, ask about the size of the docket you'd be managing and whether you'd support one attorney or a full practice group. Larger or more complex dockets justify a stronger ask, so get that information before you name a number.
Intellectual Property Administrator Jobs: Frequently Asked Questions
Which companies are hiring the most intellectual property administrators?
Formlabs, Clarivate, and Amazon are hiring the most intellectual property administrators right now, with openings concentrated in California, Massachusetts, and Texas, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. Law firms with dedicated IP practices and large pharmaceutical or technology companies with in-house legal teams tend to post the most consistently.
How many intellectual property administrator jobs are remote?
About 72% of intellectual property administrator openings are fully remote or hybrid as of November 2026, reflecting the document-heavy and software-driven nature of docketing work. Roles focused on docketing and deadline tracking are more likely to be remote, while positions that require close collaboration with attorneys on prosecution strategy tend to be in-office or hybrid.
How do you become an intellectual property administrator?
Start by completing a paralegal certificate or a degree with coursework in intellectual property law, business, or legal studies. Build hands-on experience with docketing software and USPTO procedures through an entry-level legal assistant or IP paralegal role. Demonstrating accuracy in deadline management and familiarity with patent or trademark prosecution workflows is what moves candidates into administrator positions.
How do you get hired as an intellectual property administrator with little experience?
Focus on roles posted as entry-level IP administrator or IP docketing coordinator, which typically require familiarity with legal processes rather than deep prosecution experience. A paralegal certificate with IP coursework, combined with demonstrated proficiency in a docketing system through coursework or volunteer legal work, can substitute for direct experience. Law firms with large IP departments often promote from within, so starting as a legal secretary in an IP group is a viable path.
What does the intellectual property administrator interview process look like?
Most intellectual property administrator interviews begin with a phone or video screen focused on your experience with docketing systems and deadline workflows. A second round typically involves a hiring manager and sometimes a supervising attorney, covering how you handle competing deadlines, docket errors, and communication with outside counsel. Some employers include a short practical exercise where you demonstrate how you would enter or verify a docketing record.
Where can I find and apply to intellectual property administrator jobs?
You can find and apply to intellectual property administrator jobs on Migrate Mate, which lists current openings from across the United States. Search the available roles to find the ones that match your experience with patent or trademark docketing, then apply directly to each listing that fits your background and target location.
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