Director, Intellectual Property - Vancouver, BC

A clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on locally delivered, extended-release therapies is seeking a Director of Intellectual Property. The role is based in Vancouver, BC with a hybrid work arrangement, reporting to the Executive Vice President of Research and Development. The company is building a portfolio to address areas of high unmet medical need, and this position is a key partner to senior leadership as it shapes how innovations are protected and translated into value. The right candidate will bring deep biotech patent experience and a practical sense for turning complex science into solid IP protection.

In this role you’ll work to protect the company’s science across its development programs, taking a hands-on approach to strategy and execution. You’ll align filing decisions with commercial and regulatory objectives, and you’ll drive the process of identifying and prioritizing inventions generated from clinical programs, R&D, formulation, and device development. You’ll determine when to pursue patent protection and when to safeguard via trade secrets, while coordinating with outside IP counsel to manage worldwide filings and the patent lifecycle. You’ll also keep a clear, up-to-date map of the IP landscape by molecule, indication, formulation, method of use, and manufacturing process, consistently linking it to expected commercial life.

Guarding the patent portfolio day to day

You’ll steward the company’s global patent strategy for all product candidates and platform technologies, ensuring that protection decisions serve both market exclusivity and regulatory milestones. You’ll lead efforts to identify and evaluate inventions arising from the full spectrum of the enterprise, from discovery through formulation and device work, and you’ll decide how best to protect those ideas, whether through patents or trade secrets. You’ll direct outside counsel in drafting and prosecuting worldwide applications, and you’ll manage the lifecycle of the portfolio, including continuations, divisionals, term adjustments, and listing decisions. In parallel, you’ll maintain robust asset registers and portfolio maps so leadership can see where protection aligns with product life cycles and commercial plans.

You’ll also oversee freedom-to-operate activities and competitive intelligence. You’ll perform initial FTO analyses for Eupraxia’s development programs and, when needed, coordinate formal analyses with external counsel for licensing transactions. You’ll monitor the patent landscape and keep R&D and executive teams informed about developments that could influence risk or opportunity, ensuring the company remains well-positioned as the field evolves.

What it takes to guard Eupraxia’s IP

• Educational grounding in life sciences with a BS, MS, or PhD; an advanced degree is preferred.
• Eight or more years in intellectual property or patent law, with at least five in biotech, pharma, or life sciences.
• A thorough grasp of U.S. and international patent prosecution, including preparing and filing with the USPTO and abroad, handling office actions, and managing global portfolios.
• Experience supporting business development and legal reviewing of partner and service-provider agreements.
• Knowledge of the healthcare ecosystem, regulatory environments, reimbursement contexts, and therapeutic areas such as GI, immunology, and specialty therapeutics.
• A track record of influencing leadership and guiding teams in a fast-paced, regulated setting, with strong collaboration and interpersonal skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication, plus solid planning and organizational abilities to manage competing priorities.
• Willingness to travel domestically and internationally.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Word, Excel, SharePoint, and PowerPoint.

• A self-starter mindset with a habit of spotting ways to improve operations and outcomes.
• An ability to tackle problems proactively in a fast-changing environment, balancing urgency with accuracy.

Compensation, perks and practical details

The position carries a salary range of CAD 199,000 to CAD 256,000 per year. Base pay is paired with the possibility of a performance-based bonus, and the company provides a competitive benefits package. The role is hybrid in Vancouver, BC, and travel to domestic and international locations is part of the job as needed to support IP strategy, collaborations, and due diligence for business opportunities.

Advice for applicants

Start your resume with a clear showcase of your global patent leadership in biotech. Lead with evidence of building or shaping an IP portfolio, managing outside counsel, and aligning protection with business milestones, especially for products in clinical development or device-related programs.

Back up must-have claims with concrete examples. For instance, describe a project where you drove invention capture across R&D, formulation, and manufacturing, then translated those insights into filed or licensed IP, and how you balanced patent protection with trade-secret strategies to maximize value.

Prepare for interview questions that explore your experience with Eupraxia’s kind of development programs. Be ready to discuss how you’d coordinate FTO analyses, how you approach IP due diligence for licensing or sponsored research, and how you interface with regulatory, BD, and executive teams to manage risk and opportunities.

When you ask a question, focus on how the IP function will interact with the rest of the leadership team. A smart question could be: what are the top IP priorities for the next 12 to 18 months, and how does the company expect the IP team to contribute to regulatory and business milestones to maximize value?