Patent Counsel - Chemistry
RecursionSalt Lake City, Utah$282k – $387kPosted 7 April 2026
Tech Stack
Job Description
Your work will change lives. Including your own.
The Impact You’ll Make
We are seeking a strategic and scientifically fluent Patent Counsel with deep expertise in chemistry to shape and lead the intellectual property strategy behind our chemistry platform and therapeutic programs. This is a highly cross-functional role for someone who sees themselves as a business partner first — and a lawyer second.
You will operate at the intersection of chemistry, AI-driven drug discovery, and IP strategy, partnering closely with chemists, computational scientists, development teams, and business development leaders to translate complex science into forward-looking, globally aligned IP strategy. You will help ensure our innovations are protected in ways that enable clinical progress, competitive differentiation, and long-term impact.
If you’re passionate about biotech, energized by the convergence of AI and chemistry, and motivated to embed deeply with the business, we’d love to meet you.
In this role, you will:
Develop and execute IP strategies for chemistry programs and platform innovations across our portfolio
Evaluate program maturity and recommend appropriate patent filing, prosecution, and protection strategies
Conduct and oversee FTO analyses and advise on risk mitigation, while helping guide our global filing strategy and coordinate international prosecution
Support IND-related IP considerations and life-cycle planning
Occasionally draft or substantively contribute to patent applications (approximately once or twice per quarter)
Ensure filings align with broader business and clinical strategy
The Team You’ll Join
You’ll join a collaborative and mission-driven Legal team that partners closely with our scientific and business organizations. As the primary chemistry-focused IP leader, you’ll serve as a trusted scientific domain expert within Legal, working independently while deeply integrated with RD and Business Development.
Our culture values curiosity, humility, high EQ, and low ego. We operate with low friction and high trust — empowering teammates to lead from their expertise while staying closely connected to the broader mission.
The Experience You’ll Need
Minimum 7+ years of relevant IP experience with a mix of law firm and in-house experience
Strong background in chemistry, biochemistry, or related field (PhD preferred; Master’s or Bachelor’s with deep industry experience considered)
Experience supporting clinical-stage assets, pharmaceutical, or biotechnology programs
Experience in patent prosecution (strongly preferred foundation), with exposure to litigation and/or transactional IP matters
Demonstrated ability to work independently as a scientific subject matter expert
Nice to Haves:
Experience supporting small molecule drug discovery programs
Exposure to AI-enabled or computational drug discovery environments
Experience with licensing (in-licensing/out-licensing), BD diligence, and alliance support
Familiarity with global patent strategy across US/EU/UK and other key jurisdictions
Working Location Compensation:
Making SLC or NYC your home base is ideal, however, we will consider remote work for this position. We ask that remote employees commit to regular on-site visits for routine work and departmental events.
At Recursion, we believe that every employee should be compensated fairly. Based on the skill and level of experience required for this role, the estimated current annual base range for this role is $281,600 to $387,200 (USD) . You will also be eligible for an annual bonus and equity compensation, as well as a comprehensive benefits package.
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The Values We Hope You Share:
We act boldly with integrity. We are unconstrained in our thinking, take calculated risks, and push boundaries, but never at the expense of ethics, science, or trust.
We care deeply and engage directly. Caring means holding a deep sense of responsibility and respect - showing up, speaking honest ... (truncated, view full listing at source)
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