Patent Annuity Specialist

Job Description

The Office of General Counsel is seeking an experienced Patent Annuity Specialist to provide patent maintenance and docketing support to the Intellectual Property (IP) organization. The primary responsibility of this role is to manage the company's global patent annuity portfolio and ensure compliance with maintenance fee deadlines in coordination with the company's annuity vendor, foreign associates, and in-house attorneys. This position offers a flexible hybrid office schedule based in Rahway, NJ.

Job responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Monitor complex, multi-jurisdictional patent annuity and maintenance fee deadlines.
• Prepare payment instructions, coordinate with third-party annuity vendor, and reconcile payment confirmations.

• Investigate and resolve data discrepancies identified by annuity vendor, foreign associates, and internal stakeholders.

• Review patent annuity and maintenance fee correspondence to help ensure intellectual property rights remain active and in good standing.

• Monitor changes to patent rules and maintenance requirements and update docketing procedures as necessary.
• Identify and correct data and records management inconsistencies using U.S. and international patent office databases, as appropriate.

• Generate cost estimates, metrics, and reports related to patent maintenance activities.

• Maintain and update annuity standard operating procedures (SOPs) to reflect current practices and process improvements.
• Identify inactive patent families and coordinate appropriate retention, abandonment, or revival actions.
• Coordinate the execution, notarization, legalization, and apostille of annuity-related powers of attorney, proof-of-ownership documents, and other intellectual property documents, as required.
• Support patent acquisitions, divestitures, legal entity changes, and other portfolio-related projects.
• Serve as the subject matter expert for patent annuity processes, providing guidance to attorneys, paralegals, and other IP stakeholders on maintenance fee requirements, annuity procedures, and related best practices.
• Contribute to operational excellence initiatives by identifying opportunities for process improvement and implementing approved solutions.

This role is based at our headquarters site in Rahway, NJ, with a hybrid schedule of three days in-office and two days off-site/remote. This position cannot be 100% remote.

Required Minimum Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent required.
• Associate degree or paralegal certificate preferred.
• Minimum of five (5) years of patent annuity experience in a law firm, corporate legal department, or in-house intellectual property organization.
• Strong knowledge of U.S., PCT, EP, and foreign national patent prosecution, maintenance, and docketing practices.
• Experience supporting global patent portfolios and coordinating activities across multiple jurisdictions.
• Experience with powers of attorney, certified true copies of assignments and ownership documents, and related notarization, legalization, and attestation/apostille processes.
• Advanced proficiency with IP docketing and annuity management systems.
• Advanced proficiency with U.S. and international patent office databases and online systems, including USPTO Patent Center, EPO, and WIPO.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office applications, including Outlook, Word, and Excel.
• Exceptional attention to detail, accuracy, and analytical skills.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to communicate complex legal and procedural concepts clearly and effectively.
• Effective organizational, project management, and time management skills, with the ability to manage competing priorities and consistently meet deadlines.
• Ability to work independently on routine assignments and complex projects while exercising sound judgment regarding when to seek attorney guidance.
• Demonstrated discretion in handling confidential and sensitive information, with a high degree of professionalism and integrity.
• Results-oriented with a demonstrated ability to deliver high-quality work in a timely manner.
• Strong interpersonal and collaboration skills, with the ability to build effective working relationships across functions and levels of the organization.
• Resilient and adaptable, with the ability to thrive in a fast-paced, high-volume environment and effectively manage change.
• Willingness to embrace and support new processes, technologies, and ways of working.
• Notary Public Commission, or the ability to obtain a commission within a reasonable period following hire.

Preferred Experience and Skills:

• Experience supporting pharmaceutical, biotechnology, life sciences, or other complex technology patent portfolios.
• Prior experience with Clarivate's The IP Management System (TIPMS), IPManager, First-to-File, or similar intellectual property management systems.
• Experience collaborating with third-party annuity service providers and foreign associates on global patent maintenance activities.
• Experience participating in patent acquisitions, divestitures, legal entity changes, or other IP portfolio transition projects.

OGC2026

#MSJR

Required Skills:

Adaptability, Annuities, Cite Checking, Confidentiality, Data Management, Divestitures, Intellectual Property Protection, Legal Acumen, Legal Documents Preparation, Legal Research, Legal Technology, Life Science, Meeting Deadlines, Notary Services, Operational Excellence, Patent Databases, Patent Prosecution, Process Improvements, Project Management, Working Independently

Preferred Skills:

Current Employees apply HERE

Current Contingent Workers apply HERE

US and Puerto Rico Residents Only:

Our company is committed to inclusion, ensuring that candidates can engage in a hiring process that exhibits their true capabilities. Please click here if you need an accommodation during the application or hiring process.

As an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer, we provide equal opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, color, age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, disability status, or other applicable legally protected characteristics.  As a federal contractor, we comply with all affirmative action requirements for protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.  For more information about personal rights under the U.S. Equal Opportunity Employment laws, visit:

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We are proud to be a company that embraces the value of bringing together, talented, and committed people with diverse experiences, perspectives, skills and backgrounds. The fastest way to breakthrough innovation is when people with diverse ideas, broad experiences, backgrounds, and skills come together in an inclusive environment. We encourage our colleagues to respectfully challenge one another’s thinking and approach problems collectively.

Learn more about your rights, including under California, Colorado and other US State Acts

The primary location for this posting is:

USA - New Jersey - Rahway

Where required by law, the compensation range for this role is provided below.

The salary range for the primary location of this role is:

$87,300.00 - $137,400.00

This range reflects the Company's reasonable expectation of the base salary applicable to this role at the time of posting. An employee’s position within the salary range will be based on several factors including, but not limited to relevant education, qualifications, certifications, experience, skills, geographic location, government requirements, and business or organizational needs. The successful candidate will be eligible for annual bonus and long-term incentive, if applicable.

We offer a comprehensive package of benefits. Available benefits include medical, dental, vision healthcare and other insurance benefits (for employee and family), retirement benefits, including 401(k), paid holidays, vacation, and compassionate and sick days. More information about benefits is available at https://jobs.merck.com/us/en/compensation-and-benefits.

Additional location(s): Please note the salary range above applies to the Primary Location of the position. Where a role has other listed locations, different compensation guidelines may apply. You may find the salary ranges for additional locations below. If the salary range is not listed for the location you are applying to, our Talent Acquisition team will provide further information to you relevant to your location.

Additional location(s) Compensation Information:

San Francisco Residents Only: We will consider qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records for employment in compliance with the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance

Los Angeles Residents Only: We will consider for employment all qualified applicants, including those with criminal histories, in a manner consistent with the requirements of applicable state and local laws, including the City of Los Angeles’ Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance

Search Firm Representatives Please Read Carefully 
Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ, USA, also known as Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC, Rahway, NJ, USA, does not accept unsolicited assistance from search firms for employment opportunities. All CVs / resumes submitted by search firms to any employee at our company without a valid written search agreement in place for this position will be deemed the sole property of our company.  No fee will be paid in the event a candidate is hired by our company as a result of an agency referral where no pre-existing agreement is in place. Where agency agreements are in place, introductions are position specific. Please, no phone calls or emails. 

Employee Status:

Regular

Relocation:

No relocation

VISA Sponsorship:

No

Travel Requirements:

10%

Flexible Work Arrangements:

Hybrid

Shift:

1st - Day

Valid Driving License:

No

Hazardous Material(s):

N/A

Job Posting End Date:

11/2/2026

*A job posting is effective until 11:59:59PM on the day BEFORE the listed job posting end date. Please ensure you apply to a job posting no later than the day BEFORE the job posting end date.