WHY UT SOUTHWESTERN?
With over 75 years of excellence in Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas, UT Southwestern is committed to excellence, innovation, teamwork, and compassion. As a world-renowned medical and research center, we strive to provide the best possible care, resources, and benefits for our valued employees. Ranked as the number 1 hospital in Dallas-Fort Worth according to U.S. News & World Report, we invest in you with opportunities for career growth and development to align with your future goals. Our highly competitive benefits package offers healthcare, PTO and paid holidays, on-site childcare, wage, merit increases and so much more. We invite you to be a part of the UT Southwestern team where you'll discover a culture of teamwork, professionalism, and a rewarding career!
JOB SUMMARY
The Patent Operations Specialist supports the Office for Technology Development by managing patent docketing, processing legal correspondence, and assisting with U.S. and foreign patent prosecution activities. The role coordinates with outside counsel and researchers to prepare, route, and track required legal documents and filings. Maintains accurate portfolio records and ensures compliance with institutional policies and USPTO requirements. The Patent Operations Specialist provides essential administrative and operational support to keep patent workflows timely, accurate, and well organized.
BENEFITS
UT Southwestern is proud to offer a competitive and comprehensive benefits package to eligible employees. Our benefits are designed to support your overall wellbeing, and include:
- Experience
4 years experience working in a legal or patent department
Experience with USPTO filing practice, patent legal document preparation, and patent docketing procedures.
Proficiency with IP management systems (e.g., Anaqua, InnoTrack, Patrix, Wellspring Sophia).
Strong organizational, communication, and time-management skills.
Ability to handle confidential information and maintain accuracy in a deadline-driven environment.
Preferred
- Education
Bachelor's Degree In a relevant field
- Experience
4-6 years of experience supporting patent prosecution, preferably in higher education, tech transfer, or an R&D environment.
Advanced proficiency with Microsoft Excel and experience creating portfolio reports or dashboards.
- Licenses and Certifications
Paralegal certification (e.g., NALA, NFPA) or equivalent credential, Upon Hire
JOB DUTIES
- Enters and maintains all legal correspondence, deadlines, and documentation in the IP management system.
- Oversees the patent docketing process to ensure timely, accurate, and compliant data entry across the portfolio.
- Prepares weekly docketing reports, tracks action items, and documents meeting notes for weekly follow-up.
- Prioritizes and routes incoming outside counsel correspondence; assists with USPTO prosecution matters and responds to inquiries.
- Reviews Notices of Allowance, verifies patent expiration dates, and monitors prosecution milestones.
- Drafts and prepares legal documents including assignments, powers of attorney, declarations, and other required USPTO forms.
- Coordinates with principal investigators (PIs) and inventors to obtain signatures for oaths, declarations, and related legal documents.
- Drafts professional correspondence to outside counsel, internal stakeholders, and researchers as needed.
- Prepares and maintains patent portfolio summaries, reports, and Excel-based tracking documents.
- Analyzes, coordinates, and evaluates operational procedures to support continuous improvement across the patents and operations team.
- Maintains operational workflows, standard operating procedures (SOPs), and ensures alignment with institutional policies.
- Oversees ongoing portfolio maintenance, monitoring deadlines, prosecution milestones, and action items across domestic and foreign filings.
- Serves as the primary liaison to outside patent counsel, delivering clear instructions on prosecution strategy and case-specific actions.
- Manages outside counsel agreements, including coordination of contract workflows, tracking engagement terms, and ensuring alignment with institutional requirements.
- Ensures compliance with document retention, data management standards, and institutional policies related to patents and IP.
- Performs other duties as assigned to support the efficient operation of the tech transfer and IP management functions.
SECURITY AND EEO STATEMENT
Security
This position is security-sensitive and subject to Texas Education Code 51.215, which authorizes UT Southwestern to obtain criminal history record information.
EEO
UT Southwestern Medical Center is committed to an educational and working environment that provides equal opportunity to all members of the University community. As an equal opportunity employer, UT Southwestern prohibits unlawful discrimination, including discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, disability, genetic information, citizenship status, or veteran status.
