IP Technical Manager

About iPronics iPronics is a deep-tech startup developing silicon photonics optical circuit switches. Over the past years we've built a growing IP working closely with a patent attorney firm specialized in IP.👉 Learn more about us at ipronics.com The role:

We are looking for an IP Technical Manager who can become the primary technical interface between our inventors (engineers/researchers) and our patent attorneys. You'll take ownership of the operational and technical side of our IP process — reviewing drafts, evaluating search reports, coordinating prosecution decisions — while escalating only the genuinely strategic calls to leadership.

What You'll Do:

• Be the main point of contact between iPronics' technical team (inventors) and our external patent attorneys, managing this relationship primarily via email/written correspondence.
• Review and respond to attorney communications, including IP drafts, EPO search reports, and prosecution strategy decisions — providing informed technical and strategic input on our behalf.
• Attend weekly technical meetings with the engineering team to stay close to ongoing developments and proactively identify and propose new patentable ideas.
• Make independent decisions on the majority of day-to-day IP matters, escalating only high-stakes or strategic issues.
• Track and manage the patent pipeline — deadlines, prosecution status, filing decisions — across our existing patents and the incoming pipeline.
• Translate between worlds: convert technical/engineering detail into language attorneys can act on, and convert legal/IP request into something the technical team can engage with.
• Help build and refine internal processes for invention disclosure, prior-art awareness, and patent strategy as the company scales.

What We're Looking For:

• 2+ years of experience working with patents and IP, ideally including direct interaction with patent attorneys and exposure to EPO processes (search reports, prosecution, office actions).
• 2+ years of experience in related technical projects — you don't need to be a photonics expert, but you need enough technical fluency to engage meaningfully with engineers and understand what's actually novel.
• Strong written communication skills — much of this role runs through email correspondence with attorneys, so clarity and precision matter.
• Demonstrated ability to make sound independent judgment calls and know when something genuinely needs to be escalated (vs. handled solo).
• Comfortable operating with a high degree of autonomy in a fast-moving startup environment.

Nice to Have:

• Expertise in silicon photonics, photonics in general, integrated photonics, or semiconductors.
• Prior experience in a deep-tech or hardware startup.
• Experience building or improving internal IP processes from a relatively early stage.

What we offer:

• Permanent full-time position
• Flexible working hours
• December 24th and 31st off
• One extra day off during your birthday month
• Private health insurance
• Pension plan included
• Flexible compensation plan (restaurant tickets, transport, and childcare vouchers)
• Opportunity to work on cutting-edge photonic technologies for AI infrastructure