Director, Intellectual Property in Cambridge

Parabilis Medicines is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company dedicated to creating extraordinary medicines that unlock high-impact protein targets long-considered undruggable. The company has developed a new class of stabilized, cell-penetrant alpha-helical peptides – Helicons™ – capable of modulating intracellular proteins that are inaccessible to traditional drug modalities. Headquartered in Cambridge, Mass., Parabilis is advancing a focused pipeline of multiple first-in-class therapies across both rare and common cancers.

As Director, Intellectual Property, you will architect and lead the global IP strategy for Parabilis’ Helicon™ platform and pipeline—helping unlock the full value of therapies targeting proteins long considered “undruggable.” Reporting to the General Counsel, you will operate at the intersection of cutting-edge science and business strategy, partnering closely with Research, Development, CMC, and Business Development to translate breakthrough innovation into durable competitive advantage.

Key Responsibilities:

• Develop and execute global patent strategies aligned with corporate, R&D, and business objectives.
• Design layered IP protection strategies covering composition of matter, methods of treatment, platform technologies, computational methods, and manufacturing.
• Lead drafting and prosecution of U.S. and international patent applications.
• Conduct invention mining sessions and proactively identify patentable subject matter.
• Oversee global prosecution strategy and manage outside counsel.
• Lead freedom-to-operate analyses and patent landscape assessments.
• Support due diligence for partnerships, collaborations, and financing transactions.
• Serve as primary IP advisor to Research, Clinical, Regulatory, CMC, and Business Development teams.
• Manage IP budgets and implement scalable portfolio tracking systems.
• Present IP strategy updates to senior leadership and Board as needed.

What you’ll need to be successful:

• Ph.D. in chemistry, biochemistry, molecular biology, structural biology, peptide chemistry, protein engineering, or related discipline strongly preferred.
• Registered U.S. Patent Agent or admitted U.S. Patent Attorney in good standing.
• 5+ years of patent experience in biotechnology, including in-house or law firm experience supporting innovative therapeutic platforms.
• Strong familiarity with peptide therapeutics, intracellular delivery systems, oncology drug discovery, and computational drug discovery technologies.
• Demonstrated success building patent estates for platform biotech companies.
• Deep understanding of U.S. and global patent law relevant to life sciences.
• Excellent scientific writing, claim drafting, and strategic communication skills.
• Demonstrated ability to utilize AI tools for day-to-day work; baseline proficiency is expected, and advanced or innovative use of AI is a strong plus.
• Ability to work hybrid preferred; remote considered.

Core Values

Parabilis Medicines is a team of passionate pioneers who are trailblazing the future of precision medicine with the aim of making a meaningful difference in the lives of patients. The company is committed to promoting an inspiring and flourishing working environment for all employees across the business, in all departments, and driving innovation for patient benefit.

• Growth-Minded: We’re inventing a new class of medicines—one applicable to therapeutic targets that have been dreamt about, but always considered impossible to drug.
• In(ter)dependent: We are fiercely independent as a leader in defying the limitations of current therapeutic modalities, and interdependent as a team as we work collaboratively to shift drug discovery paradigms and provide patients with better treatment options.
• Patient-focused: We are deeply focused on patient outcomes, and all energy in the company is focused on science as it translates to patient impact.
• All-In: We’re All-In on solving some of the hardest scientific challenges and delivering one of the most effective new classes of drugs in history.

The base salary range for this position is $220,000-$290,000 per year, depending on experience, qualifications, and internal practices. Parabilis’s total compensation package also includes an annual target bonus, equity, and a comprehensive suite of competitive benefits designed to support our employees’ overall well-being.

As an equal opportunity employer, Parabilis Medicines values an inclusive workplace and welcomes applicants of all backgrounds and experiences. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, disability, or any other factors prohibited by law.