Patent Prosecution Associate

Pay, Benefits, and Work Arrangement

Base salary: $75,000 – $195,000+
Location: Houston, TX
Employment: Full Time
Work arrangement: On-site or hybrid in Houston, TX, subject to court, client, deal, and team needs. The exact office schedule will be confirmed before interview.

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance options.
• Paid time off and paid company holidays.
• Employer-supported retirement plan.
• Bar dues, CLE support, and professional-development resources appropriate to the role.
• Bonus, origination credit, or other performance incentives where offered by the employer.
• Final eligibility, plan design, and incentive terms are confirmed with the employer before interview.

Hire Innovative is recruiting a Patent Prosecution Associate in Houston, TX for an confidential intellectual-property practice. The role centers on the ability to protect valuable intellectual property through careful prosecution, counseling, portfolio work, or litigation. Because this is a confidential search, the employer identity and remaining role details are provided during the first qualified conversation.

About the Role

The opportunity offers specialized work, direct access to sophisticated clients, and a path to deepen a valuable technical or brand-focused practice. Day to day, the person in this position will protect valuable intellectual property through careful prosecution, counseling, portfolio work, or litigation. Houston candidates should expect a practical discussion about scope, compensation, team support, and the level of ownership available from the first months in the role. The interview process will cover team structure, workload, success measures, and advancement.

Responsibilities

• Analyze inventions, brands, claims, prior art, registrations, disputes, or portfolio needs.
• Prepare filings, responses, agreements, discovery, motions, or strategy materials.
• Coordinate with inventors, business leaders, technical experts, foreign counsel, and legal teams.
• Maintain exact deadlines and clear records across matters where small errors carry real consequences.
• Take ownership of assigned matters and keep clients and supervising attorneys informed about deadlines, risk, and next steps.

Required Qualifications

• Patent, trademark, IP counseling, prosecution, litigation, or docketing experience relevant to the role.
• Strong technical or legal analysis and precise written work.
• Reliable deadline and portfolio management.
• Required bar admission or USPTO registration when applicable.
• Ability to use feedback, work effectively with supervision, and take on greater ownership as proficiency grows.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with the employer’s practice area, matter type, and local court or transaction process.
• Comfort using modern legal research, document, case-management, or billing systems.
• Examples of work completed directly, including the tools, matters, patients, projects, or decisions involved.

How to Apply

Submit a current resume through the form on this page. A cover letter is optional. Hire Innovative reviews each application for role alignment and contacts candidates whose background matches the opening. Your resume and identifying information will not be sent to the employer without your consent.