Coordinator, Invention Management

About the role

Join Lehigh University's Office of Technology Transfer and play a key role in supporting groundbreaking research innovation. This full-time, nonexempt position offers the opportunity to work directly with faculty researchers and contribute to the commercialization of cutting-edge discoveries.

Key Responsibilities

• Prepares and manages all documentation required for initial and subsequent patent filings, including drafting Government Support clauses based on federal funding data and preparing assignments and declarations for inventor signatures.
• Directs patent law firms on upcoming filings, communicates strategic patent decisions, and coordinates with external legal counsel regarding all patent-related billing matters.
• Manages the due diligence process by collecting prior art information, such as journal papers and existing patents, directly from university inventors.
• Responds to legal requests from patent counsel by securing necessary inventor data, residential addresses, and executed signatures to ensure compliance throughout the patent lifecycle.
• Maintains and manages the Invention Disclosure Form (IDF) process, ensuring all technical information is completed and proper inventor signatures are secured from faculty and students.
• Manages the Wellspring (Inteum) database and iEdison platform to log, track, and retrieve data regarding invention details, patent lifecycles, licensing agreements, and mandatory federal reporting.
• Serves as the point of contact for external commercialization assistance companies regarding invention marketing activities, and assists in evaluating proprietary intellectual property management software.
• Processes patent law firm invoices, check requests for inventor revenue distributions, and Express Software Licenses, while ensuring timely tracking of scheduled patent maintenance fees and royalty payments.
• Manages end-to-end logistics for conferences, events, and external company visits, coordinates travel arrangements for faculty and administrators, and maintains the departmental website, office supply inventory, and financial tracking systems.

Qualifications

• Associates or Vocational/Technical Degree in a related field; Bachelor's Degree preferred
• Professional Paralegal Certification is strongly preferred
• Three to five years of related experience
• Understanding of intellectual property, patents, copyrights, and the patent application filing process
• Basic understanding of various contracts used in university research and technology activities
• Detail-oriented with strong organizational skills