Counsel II USA

First Solar reserves the right to offer you a role most applicable to your experience and skillset.

Basic Job Functions:

Provide support related to the creation, protection and management of First Solar's intellectual property portfolio, with a focus on scaling our IP strategy and patent portfolio. The attorney will partner with technical teams on complex IP issues and offer risk-based advice in the context of First Solar's business needs.

Education/Experience:

• Technical degree (B.S., M.S., or Ph.D.) in electrical engineering, physics, or related field with the ability to become well versed in new technologies.
• J.D. from an accredited U.S. law school with a license to practice in one or more jurisdictions.
• Registered U.S. Patent Attorney.
• At least 4-7 years of experience in patent law, including drafting and prosecuting patent applications and assessing freedom to operate.

Required Skills/Competencies:

• Ability to communicate complicated legal concepts in a user-friendly manner
• Strong reading, writing and presentation skills
• Team and cross-functional player, with the ability to transition between a lead and support role depending on the circumstances
• Highly organized multi-tasker capable of handling multiple projects at once
• Enjoys occasional travel
• Fluency with Microsoft Office products
• Proficient use of all Microsoft Office suite programs.

Essential Responsibilities:

• Offer strategic guidance to internal stakeholders on making informed and risk-based decisions regarding intellectual property issues.
• Partner with technical teams to identify and harvest intellectual property assets.
• Manage outside counsel during the drafting of patent applications to create a strong and defensible patent portfolio. Drafting patent applications may also be part of the responsibilities of this position.
• Strategically manage a large patent docket of intellectual property assets.
• Provide advice on a wide variety of intellectual property topics for the engineering and business teams, including assessment of specific IP assets and the potential impact on business outcomes.
• Review, negotiate, draft and document all legal aspects of intellectual property transactions, including agreements described above
• Support project teams by reviewing legal aspects of commercial arrangements, providing contract interpretation guidance and attending project meetings
• Commitment to developing and sustaining a first class in-house legal department, including by providing timely and clear legal advice to business, operational and functional counterparts, being supportive, solution-driven and team-focused and providing assistance to fellow members of the group
• Other duties as assigned.
• Job description subject to change at any time.

Reporting Relationships:

• This position will report to the Assistant General Counsel - IP

Travel:

• 20% - 30%

Estimated Salary Range:

• $127,700-$182,000 Annually.

US Physical Requirements:

All positions in our office require interaction with people and technology while either standing or sitting. To best service our customers, internal and external, all associates must be able to communicate face-to-face and on the phone with or without reasonable accommodation. First Solar is committed to compliance with its obligations under all applicable state and federal laws prohibiting employment discrimination. In keeping with this commitment, it attempts to reasonably accommodate applicants and employees in accordance with the requirements of the disability discrimination laws. It also invites individuals with disabilities to participate in a good faith, interactive process to identify reasonable accommodations that can be made without imposing an undue hardship.

Potential candidates will meet the education and experience requirements provided on the above job description and excel in completing the listed responsibilities for this role. All candidates receiving an offer of employment must successfully complete a background check and any other tests that may be required.

Equal Opportunity Employer Statement: First Solar is an Equal Opportunity Employer that values and respects the importance of a diverse and inclusive workforce. It is the policy of the company to recruit, hire, train and promote persons in all job titles without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, or gender identity. We recognize that diversity and inclusion is a driving force in the success of our company.