Senior Legal Counsel, Intellectual Property

Somerville · USD 150,000-225,000 / hour · Full-time · Onsite · Posted Oct 2, 2026

At a glance

Do you want to change how the world creates?
At Formlabs, we're building the tools that make it possible for anyone to bring their ideas to life, from cutting-edge products to life-saving medical devices. Our 3D printing technology powers innovation at more than 50,000 industry leaders worldwide, including Apple, Google, Tesla, New Balance, and NASA. Together, we're helping everyone design, prototype, and manufacture faster than ever before.
We're a team of hands-on builders, engineers, and innovators reinventing how the world makes physical things. If you're ready to shape the future of fabrication, come build it with us.

This role owns strategy for our patent portfolio by building the metrics to inform a global strategy.
You'll work closely with R&D and inventors who create new technologies to guide our future growth.
Additionally, we operate as a lean legal team, so there is an exciting opportunity to expand your scope beyond IP work and advise business leaders globally on other areas of the law.

Own patent portfolio value, not just volume by building metrics and criteria that determine what Formlabs patents, maintains, or cuts, and track cost against actual competitive value.
Set global patent strategy across the U.S. and internationally, weighing where protection is worth pursuing given Formlabs' cross-border risk.
Draft, file, and prosecute patent applications with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) and international patent offices, including the European Patent Office (EPO) and the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA).
Run freedom-to-operate (FTO) analyses, patentability assessments, and portfolio risk reviews to keep Formlabs building on solid ground.
Partner directly with R&D to catch patentable inventions early, before they're buried in a lab notebook.
Manage outside counsel across prosecution, opinions, and any disputes, keeping cost and quality in check.
Support IP litigation, opposition proceedings, and enforcement when they come up.
Step outside the patent portfolio to pitch in on key manufacturing, vendor, and supplier agreements, as well as other strategic commercial contracts.
Pick up other generalist legal matters as they surface, from trade compliance to general litigation support.

J.D. and admission to at least one state bar, plus registration to practice before the USPTO (patent bar).
Undergraduate degree in engineering, physics, mathematics, or a related technical field.
Deep expertise in U.S. patent law, plus working knowledge of major international patent systems; experience with trademark and trade secret law.
A track record in patent drafting, prosecution, and portfolio management.
At least 3 years at a top-tier law firm focused on patent work.

In-house legal experience at a hardware or hard-tech company.
Experience with Chinese manufacturing operations.
Experience with matters before the EPO and CNIPA.
Experience with global copyright law, commercial transactions, and licensing agreements.