Director and Sr. Counsel (Patents and IP Transactions)

Location: Onsite at the Irvine, California office; San Jose, California, and Rochester, Minnesota, may also be considered

Salary: $206,600–$275,400 per year

Company

hirify.global develops data storage systems and manufacturing technologies that support AI-driven data centers, cloud platforms, and enterprise infrastructure.

What you will do

• Review, draft, and negotiate technology and intellectual property agreements, including licenses, joint development, supply chain, evaluation, and partnership agreements.
• Support the IP and technology aspects of mergers, acquisitions, and joint ventures through due diligence and agreement drafting.
• Develop and manage global patent and trade secret portfolios, including directing outside counsel on patent drafting and prosecution.
• Conduct invention reviews, patentability searches, invention review board meetings, and patent landscape assessments.
• Partner with technical and business organizations to identify inventions and align patent development and freedom-to-operate strategies with business needs.
• Provide intellectual property training and advice, review technical publications for confidentiality, and support patent litigation matters.

Requirements

• 8–10+ years of relevant patent experience in a law firm or in-house legal department.
• Experience with IP transactions, varied agreement types, and global patent portfolio development and management.
• Bachelor’s degree in Physics, Materials Science, Electrical Engineering, or a related field.
• Admission to the California Bar and patent attorney registration with the USPTO.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, technical and business acumen, cross-functional collaboration, ownership, and attention to detail.

Nice to have

• Expertise in semiconductor-based designs and processes, optics, magnetics, or materials science.
• In-house patent or intellectual property counsel experience.
• Experience with intellectual property licensing and litigation.

Culture & Benefits

• Inclusive workplace focused on diversity, belonging, respect, and contribution.
• Medical, dental, vision, life, accident, and disability insurance.
• Paid vacation and sick leave, flexible spending and health savings accounts, and employee assistance programs.
• Tuition reimbursement, transit benefits, employee stock purchase plan, and WD Savings 401(k) Plan.
• Potential eligibility for short-term and long-term incentive programs, including RSUs, subject to plan terms.