Intellectual Property (IP) and Contracts Manager

Join our dynamic team as a Contracts & Compliance Manager. You'll play a key role in building our foundation, working with cutting-edge technologies, and collaborating with leadership. We are looking for a highly technical IP Manager to join our growing startup. In this role, you will be the guardian of our "crown jewels," ensuring that every innovation is meticulously protected and that our engineering team navigates existing IP landscapes safely. As a startup employee, you will wear many hats, primarily serving as our lead IP strategist while also providing general contracts support, including negotiating Statements of Work (SOWs), Master Service Agreements (MSAs), and compliance oversight. Your responsibilities will include:

Key Responsibilities:

• IP Strategy & Creation: Collaborate with R&D and engineering teams to identify patentable inventions early and oversee the end-to-end disclosure and filing process.
• Freedom-to-Operate (FTO): Conduct deep technical risk assessments and patent landscaping to ensure our team does not infringe on existing IP.
• Portfolio Management: Regularly audit our IP assets (patents, trade secrets, trademarks) to align with business goals, competitive positioning, and export control/trade compliance requirements.
• Contract & Legal Support: Review and negotiate contracts—including licenses, JDAs, and NDAs—incorporating trade compliance protocols for the international transfer of technology.
• IP Awareness: Develop internal training for engineers on the invention capture process, documentation standards, and maintaining trade secret confidentiality.

Requirements

• This position requires access to export-controlled information. Employment is contingent upon the applicant being a U.S. person as defined by 8 U.S.C. § 1324b(a)(3).

Required Qualifications:

• Education: Juris Doctor (JD) or equivalent law degree; additional background in Engineering, Physics, or a related technical field is highly preferred.
• Experience: 7+ years of experience in IP management or patent prosecution, ideally within the aerospace, defense, or high-tech sectors.
• Industry Knowledge: Deep understanding of the DoD S&T environment, ITAR/export controls, or NASA/federal acquisition regulations.
• Technical Proficiency: Ability to read engineering drawings and grasp complex technical disclosures. Ability to identify, capture, and categorize foreground & background IP.

 Additional Skillsets (Preferred, not required):

• Export Controls (ITAR/EAR): Serving as a designated Empowered Official (EO) or Export Compliance Coordinator (ECC) to manage technical data, hardware, and IP. Ensuring all defense and dual-use items strictly adhere to International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) and Export Administration Regulations (EAR).
• Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR/DFARS): Interpreting complex government contracting clauses, particularly those concerning "Technical Data and Computer Software" rights, to ensure the startup retains as much ownership as possible when receiving federal funding.
• Security & Cybersecurity: Managing trade and cybersecurity compliance with based on standards. Conducting conflict-of-interest reviews.
• Security Clearances & Facility Compliance: Overseeing the legal aspects of classified programs, including managing data access logs and facility security requirements for sensitive IP.

Startup Mindset:

• You're creative, flexible, and eager to wear multiple hats.
• You're passionate about building systems from the ground up and comfortable with ambiguity and change.

Benefits

The expected annual salary range for this position is $120,000-$160,000.

As a full-time employee, you will be eligible for Monarch’s comprehensive benefits package, which includes:

• Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance
• Fidelity 401(k) plan with 4% employer matching
• 20 paid time off (PTO) days per year
• 13 paid company holidays
• 9/80 work schedule (every other Friday off)

Monarch Quantum is proud to be an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, citizenship status, national origin, ancestry, sex, sexual orientation, age, religion, creed, physical or mental disability, medical condition, marital status, veteran status or any other characteristics protected under applicable federal, state and local laws.