Career Area:

Engineering

Job Description:

Your Work Shapes the World at Caterpillar Inc.

When you join Caterpillar, you're joining a global team who cares not just about the work we do – but also about each other. We are the makers, problem solvers, and future world builders who are creating stronger, more sustainable communities. We don't just talk about progress and innovation here – we make it happen, with our customers, where we work and live. Together, we are building a better world, so we can all enjoy living in it.

Our Product Support and Logistics Division (PSLD) is one of the most innovative divisions within Caterpillar. In PSLD, as within all of Caterpillar, our priority is our customers and helping them build a better world. We touch nearly every element of the services value stream from procurement to design and manufacturing to distribution. PSLD is responsible for Aftermarket Parts Distribution of Cat Parts, Integrated Logistics, segment Procurement and the design and manufacture of Wear Components (Undercarriage and GET) and Maintenance Components (Seals, Tubes & Hardware, Hose & Couplings, Fluids and Filters).

We’re committed to our customers, who build a better world with our products, services, and solutions. We understand and show the value of why they should always choose us. We’re exploring new ideas and opportunities – innovating to discover the breakthroughs necessary for tomorrow’s growth.

Through it all, we are one team – creating and delivering world-class components and solutions superior to the competition. Learn more about the Caterpillar Experience.

What You Will Do:

The Intellectual Property (IP) Strategy Manager focuses on supporting IP strategies for the Maintenance and Wear Components teams drive Operating Profit After Capital Charge (OPACC) growth and identify enforcement opportunities for patents and trademarks. The IP Strategy Manager acts as a sing point-of-contact with the Law, Security & Public Policy (LSPP) IP group and acts as a liaison between that group and the Maintenance and Wear Product Groups.

IP Asset Creation & Resource Allocation:

• Lead understanding, implementation, and training of Product IP Strategies, with a focus on component IP strategies. Identify key BU OPACC areas for patent allocation highlighting high-impact components.
• Reviewing Invention Notification Forms (INF) with engineering leadership and inventors to execute patent filing strategy.
• Identify key regional markets for patent protection balancing opportunities around emerging markets, enforcement opportunities, as well as distribution lines to develop and maintain the global patent filing strategy.
• Work with engineering leadership to provide maintenance fee decision for patents to determine if enough value remains to pay fees and keep specific patents alive.
• Develop process to increase LSPP visibility to key projects to ensure LSPP resources are aligned to the product group needs.
• Coordinate the monitoring and updating patent-to-part number identification in connection for assigned component groups.
• Connect OPACC to patents and patented part numbers to make better maintenance and enforcement decisions.
• Identify competitors with comparable patent portfolios to benchmark technology areas and analyze potential gaps.

Patent Enforcement:

• Develop an understanding of business IP portfolio by product group and assist in efforts to identify IP enforcement opportunities.

Support, develop, and coordinate management of agreements related to products and critical areas (Supply, Development, NDA) with LSPP:

• Work with PSLD Product Groups to coordinate lists of key suppliers and development partners to track agreements key confidentiality and IP terms.
• Develop and maintain dashboard to track key PSLD agreements.
• Guide the component group in NTI/NPI/CP to seek proper agreements to protect Caterpillar’s interests.
• Develop and coordinate messaging around process to help ensure compliance requirements with key agreement terms.

Develop and Training:

• Collaborate with IP team to understand available IP resources, and how to effectively utilize those resources to support PSLD.
• Lead understanding, implementation, and training of product IP strategies (DWAIM training and general coaching).

What You Have (Basic Qualifications):

• Bachelor’s degree.
• 8 (plus) years of previous work-related experience.
• Self-starter, willingness to learn.
• Excellent written and verbal communications skills.
• Ability to navigate complex organizational structures.
• The ability to travel both domestically and internationally up to 10% of the time.

What You Have (Preferred Qualifications):

• Experience with contract development, execution, and management.
• Experience with the patent obtaining process.
• A strong background in the Caterpillar PSLD business and organization.
  

Additional Information:

• Location: Mossville, IL (USA)
• This position does offer relocation assistance.
• Our team embraces flexibility through a hybrid work model. In addition to working onsite at our facility in Mossville, IL, our hybrid work model allows employees the flexibility to work from home based on business need.

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Visa Sponsorship is not available for this position. This employer is not currently hiring foreign national applicants that require or will require sponsorship tied to a specific employer, such as, H, L, TN, F, J, E, O. As a global company, Caterpillar offers many job opportunities outside of the U.S which can be found through our employment website at www.caterpillar.com/careers.

EEO/AA Employer. All qualified individuals - Including minorities, females, veterans and individuals with disabilities - are encouraged to apply.

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