This section includes not only work relating to patents but other intellectual property, such as trademarks. It also includes more general regulatory roles, involving licensing and legal compliance. Jobs in this section provide a crossover between science and law. A degree in a science and engineering subject will be helpful for entry into this area, and for some roles (such as a patent attorney) will be a pre-requisite. Follow the links below for profiles of common occupations in this sector: Prospects - Patent attorney job profile Prospects - Patent examiner job profile Prospects - Regulatory affairs officer job profile Prospects - Trademark attorney job profile Useful resources The Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI) is a professional body for those working in the pharmaceutical industry, including within regulatory affairs. They have an excellent careers website, which includes job case studies: ABPI - Careers in the pharmaceutical industry The pharmaceutical recruiters section of the ABPI careers website, provides links to recruitment pages of around 80 member companies: ABPI - pharmaceutical recruiters IP Careers is a comprehensive source of information on how to become a patent attorney or trade mark attorney. It also has vacancy listings and an employer directory. Vacancies include taster days, open days and graduate jobs: IP Careers - profession overview The Intellectual Property Office (IPO) is the official government body responsible for intellectual property rights in the UK. Their website explains ‘intellectual property’ and has a section on career opportunities at the IPO: GOV.UK - Intellectual Property Office European Patent Office (EPO) maintains a uniform patenting system in Europe. Their careers website provides information about job opportunities: European Patent Office - careers page Professional bodies Chartered Institute of Patent Attorneys (CIPA) is the professional and examining body for patent attorneys (also known as patent agents) in the UK. The site provides advice on how to become a chartered patent attorney, advertises vacancies and also contains a searchable directory of its members (helpful for potential career contacts): Chartered Institute of Patent Attorneys Institute of Patentees & Inventors (IPI) supports, mentors and advises innovators and inventors. Their website includes a useful links section: Institute of Patentees & Inventors The Chartered Institute of Trade Mark Attorneys (CITMA) has a careers section which contains information about qualification: Chartered Institute of Trade Mark Attorneys The Organisation for Professionals in Regulatory Affairs (TOPRA) is a global organisation for regulatory affairs professionals. The website provides resources for starting out in regulatory affairs: TOPRA - careers pages This article was published on 2024-05-14
