GF_Legal, Compliance and Risk Management-E123
IP Counsel - Full Time - Winterthur, Switzerland
Sulzer is a leading engineering company with a proud heritage of innovation. Join our global team to grow your expertise and develop innovative solutions that enable a prosperous and more sustainable society.
We are looking for an IP Counsel to join our GF_Legal, Compliance and Risk Management team in Switzerland.
In this role, you will support creating, maintaining, and securing a strong global IP portfolio (including patents, trademarks, and designs) aligned with Sulzer’s technology and innovation strategy. You will form part of an international team consisting of qualified attorneys in an innovative company with tradition and global standing.
Your main tasks and responsibilities:
- Manage IP Portfolio: Oversee patent and trademark filings, maintenance, and defense in consultation with the Global IP Team and external attorneys.
- Support R&D & Innovation: Identify protectable developments, assist inventors, initiate invention disclosures, conduct freedom-to-operate analyses, and mitigate third-party conflicts.
- Contract & Agreement Negotiation: Negotiate, draft, and support NDAs, project contracts, collaboration agreements, and technology and license agreements, in close coordination with internal and external legal experts.
- Mergers & Acquisitions: Conduct IP due diligence, assess impact and valuation, and support post-merger integration.
- IP Monitoring & Compliance: Analyze competitors, address third-party risks, maintain IP guidelines, and ensure regulatory adherence.
- Training & Awareness: Conduct internal IP training & maintenance of the intranet site to enhance organizational knowledge and best practices, supporting the compliance with IP regulations and processes within the organization.
To succeed in this role, you will need:
- Fully or partially qualified European Patent Attorney with a scientific or technical university degree
- 3-5 years of industry experience as IP counsel
- Background in IP valuation and/or licensing is a strong plus
- Effective negotiating skills and a customer-focused mindset
- Strong analytical thinking to assess situations and make informed decisions
- Exceptional time management and attention to detail to stay organized
- A proactive problem-solving & creative thinking approach to overcoming obstacles
- Fluent in English, any other language is a plus
What we offer you:
- An innovative, vibrant and agile culture
- Excellent social benefits (holidays, pension fund etc.)
- Access to a wide range of discounts on Everyday Shopping, Entertainment and Lifestyle
- Central workplace, only 5 minutes from Winterthur train station
No visa or work permit support can be provided for this role.
Do you have a question about the role?
Reach out to Sarina Studer at Sarina.Studer@sulzer.com. Our team is looking forward hearing from you!
Sulzer is an equal opportunity employer. We believe in the strength of a diverse workforce and are committed to offering an inclusive work environment.
We are proud to be recognized as a Top Employer 2025 in Brazil, China, Finland, Germany, Ireland, Switzerland, South Africa, the UK and the USA.