This role sits at the center of Mars Snacking innovation, partnering with R&D, Marketing, Digital Technologies, Commercial, and the broader Law Department to identify, protect, and leverage intellectual property that supports profitable growth and responsible innovation.
Intellectual Property assets—including patents, know-how, trade secrets, and copyrights associated with the technical aspects of our business—are important to the continued success of Mars Snacking and Mars, Incorporated. Mars invests significant resources in developing new technologies, and our policy is to vigorously protect our Intellectual Property (IP) assets, make them accessible across the Business Units, and use them to maximize profitable growth. The IP Counsel is responsible for leading IP efforts for selected Mars Snacking technologies and partnering with business stakeholders to ensure technology and innovation are identified, protected, and leveraged by the organization. Key activities include prosecuting patent applications globally, working collaboratively with and managing outside counsel, developing the patent portfolio, ensuring appropriate agreements are in place, and providing clearance guidance and freedom-to-operate advice for new product, process, and packaging technology launches.
This role will be based at Mars Snacking’s Global Innovation Center on Goose Island in Chicago, Illinois, with a hybrid schedule that is generally onsite three to four days per week.
What are we looking for?
- Juris Doctor (J.D.) from an accredited law school with strong academic credentials and specialized patent experience
- Licensed to practice before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO)
- Undergraduate degree in Chemistry, Engineering, Food Science, Biology, Biochemistry, or a related field.
- 5+ years of IP-related legal experience; in-house experience is a plus.
- Strong written and oral communication skills, with the ability to interact effectively with clients and business leaders at all levels of the organization; able to identify critical issues requiring action and convey them in a manner that is understandable and useful to the business partner.
- Experience drafting and negotiating R&D agreements and advising on their appropriate use (preferred)
- Experience preparing and prosecuting patent applications
- Experience conducting freedom-to-operate analyses and assessing third-party patent risk.
- Experience advising R&D clients on IP strategy, risks, and portfolio development.
- Collaborative team player with strong interpersonal skills and demonstrated ability to work effectively in a multi-disciplinary environment.
- Must be a team player
- Quick study, able to handle complex matters with multiple initiatives going on simultaneously
- Must exercise sound judgment, be able to work independently and efficiently under time pressure and deadlines in a fast-paced environment
- Self-starter who can drive change across the business and gain stakeholder buy-in.
- Strong attention to detail and ability to consistently and timely complete projects
What would be your key responsibilities?
- Lead all IP-related activities for selected Mars Snacking technology platforms, including conducting preliminary patent searches, identifying potentially patentable subject matter, drafting, filing, and prosecuting patent applications in-house or with outside counsel, and performing freedom-to-operate analysis and related client counselling for assigned R&D group(s).
- Manage outside counsel to coordinate prosecution of global patent portfolios.
- Work with the Marketing and Innovation Team to provide competitive intelligence and proactive IP strategy counselling to assigned R&D, Marketing, and Business group(s).
- Draft and negotiate IP-related contracts and terms, including consulting agreements, material transfer agreements, research agreements, and joint development agreements.
- Manage and provide counselling on trade secret and confidentiality-related matters.
- Works with other Law Department Associates to provide IP-related advice and support for transactions and client counselling.
- Develops and provides IP training for innovation groups and business and commercial teams.
What can you expect from Mars?
- The opportunity to learn, develop, and take ownership of your career
- An industry-competitive compensation package, including generous benefits such as 401(k), health and wellbeing programs, paid time off, and other offerings
- A commitment to our Purpose and our Five Principles.
- An environment where all Associates feel valued, supported, and comfortable being themselves at work.
- The opportunity to work cross-functionally, add value, and help create a better world for generations to come.
