Vice President, Head of IP and Strategic Transactions

About the role

The Impact You’ll Make
Recursion is seeking a Head of Intellectual Property and Strategic Transactions to shape the company’s IP strategy and support high-value business development, licensing, collaboration, and platform transactions. We recognize that intellectual property is core to our remit: advancing a portfolio of differentiated medicines across wholly owned and partnered programs, enabled by an AI-native platform integrating biology, chemistry, and clinical development. The opportunity is vast and crucial, working within the intersection of law, science, and technology to drive the future of therapeutic discovery.

Responsibilities

• Develop and lead patent prosecution and enforcement strategy to protect the company’s chemical and technological innovations
• Oversee global patent portfolio development in pharmaceuticals, including prosecution and coordination with outside counsel
• Identify emerging IP risks and opportunities in partnership with scientific and business leaders
• Provide strategic guidance on patentability, freedom to operate, and IP risk to inform R&D and business decisions
• Interpret evolving IP laws and competitive dynamics to shape portfolio and enforcement strategy
• Advise on and support complex life sciences transactions, including collaborations, licensing, and other strategic deals
• Lead negotiation and execution of key agreements in alignment with company objectives
• Conduct and guide IP diligence for in-licensing and out-licensing activities
• Ensure IP considerations, risks, and obligations are effectively integrated into transactional strategy
• Advise internal stakeholders on IP-related risks, compliance, and business implications across partnerships while promoting strong IP practices and innovation awareness

Requirements

• 10+ years of experience drafting and prosecuting patent applications in the life sciences in the US and internationally at a law firm and in-house, including patent portfolio management
• Significant experience with supporting strategic transactions, from drafting term sheets to direct negotiations
• Leadership or managerial experience
• Deep knowledge of and experience with patent and trade secret laws, particularly in the field of pharmaceuticals and biotechnology
• Ability to operate independently with scientists and business leaders to create an intellectual property portfolio aligned with company strategy
• An interest in learning about emerging trends in biotech, including the deployment of artificial intelligence (AI) workflows throughout the drug development life cycle, from target identification through the clinical approval process
• Ability to translate and communicate complex subject matter to internal stakeholders, e.g., science to nonscientists and legal materials to nonlawyers
• Registered to practice at the USPTO
• Admitted to practice in at least one state and eligible to practice law in Utah as in-house counsel

Qualifications

• Experience in a dynamic team environment, collaborating with attorneys, stock administration professionals, and an IP paralegal
• Knowledge of and experience with patent and trade secret laws, particularly in the field of pharmaceuticals and biotechnology
• Ability to operate independently with scientists and business leaders to create an intellectual property portfolio aligned with company strategy
• An interest in learning about emerging trends in biotech, including the deployment of artificial intelligence (AI) workflows throughout the drug development life cycle, from target identification through the clinical approval process
• Ability to translate and communicate complex subject matter to internal stakeholders, e.g., science to nonscientists and legal materials to nonlawyers

Benefits

This is a hybrid-based position at either of our offices located in New York City, New York, or Salt Lake City, Utah. Employees are expected to work in the office at least 50% of the time. Relocation support can be provided for candidates not local to either geographical location.

Pay

The estimated annual base salary range is:

• New York City, Boston, & San Francisco Bay Area(s): $371,470–$475,200
• Salt Lake City & all other U.S. locations: $337,700–$432,000

Schedule

Employees are expected to work in the office at least 50% of the time.