Société
European Patent Office
The European Patent Office is currently recruiting a
Director (reference no. INT/EXT/4854)
for its Directorate Legal Division in Munich (Germany)
The Directorate's main responsibility is to carry out the tasks assigned to the Legal Division under the European Patent Convention. Thus it deals with specific legal questions relating to the patent profession and the European Patent Register. As department of first instance, it issues reports, opinions, communications and decisions which develop EPO legal practice in those areas. The Directorate currently comprises two lawyers and eight administrative employees.
Poste
Main duties of the Directorate:
• Dealing with all kinds of matters relating to proceedings before the Legal Division
• Database management (general authorisations, list of professional representatives before the EPO)
• Answering legal queries (in-house and external) about the patent profession or the European Patent Register
• Co-operating with the Institute of Professional Representatives before the EPO (epi) and with national authorities and courts.
Main duties of the Director:
1. Leading the Directorate, including writing appealable Legal Division decisions
2. Working closely with other EPO departments when Legal Division decisions have a direct bearing on the proceedings before them
3. Organising relations between the Legal Division and the epi as regards framing and applying the rules governing the patent profession
4. Committee work on patent-register issues and on keeping the list of professional representatives before the EPO
5. Co-ordination work (in-house and external) on matters of fundamental importance to the Legal Division.
Profil
The ideal candidate will have:
• the ability to lead an independent unit of specialised professionals
• the ability to work in an international environment
• wide knowledge of European and international patent law and of national substantive and procedural law relating to European patents or patent applications as property or to issues of authorisation and representation for legal or natural persons
• many years' experience in patents, especially relating to the European Patent Register and the patent profession
• understanding of the electronic data processing systems used in the EPO
• excellent communication skills
• the ability to represent the EPO effectively in international and non-governmental bodies.
Minimum qualifications:
Diploma of completed law studies at university level or – in exceptional cases – equivalent knowledge acquired over many years of qualified work. Many years' professional experience. Excellent knowledge of one official language, and ability to understand the other two.
The successful candidate will be selected on the basis of qualifications and tests. Before the formal interviews, the shortlisted candidates will be asked to attend an assessment centre for exercises and discussions designed to assess their management skills and personal qualities. The results will go to the selection board for consideration in the subsequent proceedings.
It is intended to hold an assessment centre in calendar week 15 or 16 and the interviews on 7 May. Candidates not available during those weeks should say so clearly in their application.
More details of main duties, requirements and minimum qualifications can be found at the web address: http://www.epo.org/about-us/jobs.html
The European Patent Office offers responsible and varied work in a modern international environment. The attractive conditions of employment, competitive salary and excellent social benefits on offer are appropriate to an international organisation.
Please complete our online application form.
Application until 12 March 2010
