The Patent Engineer is the point of reference for patent matters for Eurac Research's scientists. The Patent Engineer supports the entire patenting process, from the identification of an invention and preventing its premature disclosure through to managing patent examination, with a focus on prior art searches, strategic analysis (commercial value, freedom-to-operate, geographic coverage), and drafting the patent application.

Responsibilities
Invention scouting – identifying, in close cooperation with our research staff, the research innovative results and defining the appropriate protection measures and commercialisation routes.
Prevention: manage the confidentiality of the results, invention traceability, ownership, and define correct inventorship.
Prior art search: conduct systematic searches across patent databases and scientific literature, documenting distinctiveness relative to prior art.
Strategic analysis: estimate commercial value, coordinate freedom-to-operate analysis, define geographic coverage.
Application drafting: oversee the technical description, claims, drawings,



and unity of invention together with the patent attorney.
Filing: choose between the direct route and the PCT route, manage deadlines
Examination: review search reports, coordinate responses to objections, monitor competing applications.
Cross-cutting duties: manage the patent portfolio and act as the interface between researchers, patent attorneys, and patent offices
Manage the IP protection, strategic analysis, cost vantaggi evaluation of IPR maintenance.
Provide internal advice, awareness training activites to researchers and institutes on IP and IPR matters.
Manage relations with patent attorneys and external consultants.
Ensure alignment of IP practices with national and European regulations IP internal regulation.
Qualifications
• Master's degree in engineering, or a related technical field; a PhD is a plus; qualification as a registered patent attorney is preferred but not required

📌 Patent Engineer (Bolzano)
🏢 Eurac Research
📍 Bolzano