Senior Paralegal, Intellectual Property

Company Overview
ImmunityBio is a vertically integrated commercial stage biotechnology company developing next-generation therapies that bolster the natural immune system to defeat cancers and infectious diseases. The Company’s range of immunotherapy and cell therapy platforms, alone and together, act to drive and sustain an immune response with the goal of creating durable and safe protection against disease. Designated an FDA Breakthrough Therapy, ANKTIVA is the first FDA-approved immunotherapy for non-muscle invasive bladder cancer CIS that activates NK cells, T cells, and memory T cells for a long-duration response. The Company is applying its science and platforms to treating cancers, including the development of potential cancer vaccines, as well as developing immunotherapies and cell therapies that we believe sharply reduce or eliminate the need for standard high-dose chemotherapy. These platforms and their associated product candidates are designed to be more effective, accessible, and easily administered than current standards of care in oncology and infectious diseases.

Why ImmunityBio?

• ImmunityBio is developing cutting-edge technology with the goal to transform the lives of patients with cancer and develop next-generation therapies and vaccines that complement, harness and amplify the immune system to defeat cancers and infectious diseases.

• Opportunity to join a publicly traded biopharmaceutical company with headquarters in Southern California.

• Work with a collaborative team with the ability to work across different areas of the company.

• Ability to join a growing company with professional development opportunities.

Position Summary

The Senior Paralegal, Intellectual Property will provide support within the Legal and Intellectual Property (IP) group, assisting corporate and IP counsel and professional staff with filing, researching, organizing and preparing documentation for patent prosecution, patent administration, IP licensing and enforcement, and litigation support. 

Essential Functions

• Work with the company’s IP team to establish internal best practices and Standard Operating Procedures.

• Engage with outside counsel directly to manage and oversee status of billing, engagements and other IP-related matters as needed.

• Lead and support high impact team efforts including, but not limited to, due diligences, IP acquisitions, and integrations.

• Draft, revise, and file patent documents, including applications, amendments, and responses.

• Take ownership of development and maintenance of internal facing and external facing IP processes and procedures in collaboration with a seasoned and experienced IP team.

• Manage patent filings through electronic filing systems.

• Monitor and maintain IP systems, ensuring deadlines are met for patent prosecution and renewals.

• Conduct preliminary research related to patent filings; summarize and present findings.

• Coordinate with corporate counsel and members of the Intellectual Property team to ensure the timely submission of documents.

• Prepare and transmit legal correspondence, reports, and filings to courts and third parties.

• Maintain electronic and hard copy filing systems for accurate document retrieval.

• Draft correspondence and pleadings including routine notices, declarations, and motions. Draft charts, indexes and memoranda including timelines.

• Docket responsibilities for case deadlines.

• Conducts factual and legal research.

• Provide litigation support, including managing subpoenas, requests for documents and other RFIs.

• Adhere to Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), process improvements, and standardization of templates.

• Perform ad-hoc and cross-functional projects assigned to support business needs and provide developmental opportunities.

Education & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree and 8+ years’ experience as an IP paralegal, preferably with law firm and in-house experience with a life sciences company required; or

• High school diploma or equivalent with 12+ years of experience as an IP paralegal required

• Paralegal certification is required.

• Experience with patent-based tools including but not limited to LexisNexis, Anaqua, Legal Tracker, Derwent.

• Specialized paralegal experience in Intellectual Property is required.

• Experience with IP analytics.

• Experience working with outside counsel in managing patent prosecutions both domestically and in foreign jurisdictions is required.

Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities

• Knowledge of intellectual property basics, including patents, trademarks, copyrights, and trade secrets.

• Deep knowledge of U.S. patent law and U.S. patent prosecution procedures.

• Deep knowledge of international patent prosecution procedures.

• Demonstrated skills in IP-related project management.

• Ability to organize and prioritize numerous tasks and complete them under time constraints.

• Ability to proofread typed material for contextual, grammatical, typographical or spelling errors.

• Ability to effectively prioritize and multi-task under limited direction, and ability to shift priorities quickly while working under tight timelines.

• Ability to maintain proprietary, trade secret and confidential information.

• Excellent interpersonal skills, oral and written communication skills, and professional presence.

• Flexibility and good judgment with a desire to identify needs, improve and streamline processes.

Working Environment / Physical Environment

• This position works on-site or remotely in the LA, Orange County, or San Diego area as noted in their offer letter.

• Regular work schedule is Monday – Friday, within standard business hours.  Flexibility is available with manager approval.

• This position performs work in an office environment requiring the regular use of computer monitors and keyboards and other office equipment.

• Regular work schedule is Monday – Friday, within standard business hours.  Flexibility is available with manager approval.

• Must possess mobility to work in a standard office setting and to use standard office equipment, including a computer.

• Lift and carry materials weighing up to 20 pounds.

This position is eligible for a discretionary bonus and equity award. The annual base pay range for this position is below. The specific rate will depend on the successful candidate’s qualifications, prior experience as well as geographic location.

$134,500 (entry-level qualifications) to $148,000 (highly experienced) annually

The application window is anticipated to close on 60 days from when it is posted or sooner if the position is filled or closed.

ImmunityBio uses artificial intelligence (AI) tools to assist with sourcing and identifying potential candidates for open positions. These tools help us reach qualified applicants and improve the efficiency of our recruitment outreach. No preference is given to applicants sourced or identified by AI tools.

Important: AI is not used to screen, evaluate, rank, assess, or make hiring decisions about applicants. All applications are reviewed by human recruiters and hiring managers. Hiring decisions are made solely by ImmunityBio personnel without automated decision-making.

We are committed to equal employment opportunity and ensure that all candidates are assessed based on their qualifications, skills, and experience through human review.

ImmunityBio employees are as valuable as the people we serve. We have built a resource of robust benefit offerings to best support the total wellbeing of our team members and their families. Our competitive total rewards benefits package, for eligible employees, include: Medical, Dental and Vision Plan Options • Health and Financial Wellness Programs • Employer Assistance Program (EAP) • Company Paid and Voluntary Life/AD&D, Short-Term and Long-Term Disability • Healthcare and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts • 401(k) Retirement Plan with Company Match • 529 Education Savings Program • Voluntary Legal Services, Identity Theft Protection, Pet Insurance and Employee Discounts, Rewards and Perks • Paid Time Off (PTO) includes: 11 Holidays • Exempt Employees are eligible for Unlimited PTO • Non-Exempt Employees are eligible for 10 Vacation Days, 56 Hours of Health Pay, 2 Personal Days and 1 Cultural Day •  We are committed to providing you with the tools and resources you need to optimize your Health and Wellness.

At ImmunityBio, we are an equal opportunity employer dedicated to diversity in the workplace. Our policy is to provide equal employment opportunities to all qualified persons without regard to race, gender, color, disability, national origin, age, religion, union affiliation, sexual orientation, veteran status, citizenship, gender identity and/or expression, or other status protected by law.