Director, Technology Intelligence and Intellectual Property in Houston, Texas at Robbins Recruiting

Location: Houston, TX
Compensation: $140,000–$180,000 base + 25% target bonus
Position Type: Full-Time | Senior Individual Contributor

Robbins Recruiting Solutions is partnering with a global engineering and manufacturing organization to identify a Director of Technology Intelligence & Intellectual Property Strategy.

This is a unique opportunity for an experienced engineering and intellectual property professional who enjoys working at the intersection of product development, innovation, competitive technology intelligence, and patent strategy.

This is not a traditional legal or people-management position. Rather, this individual will serve as a highly visible technical and strategic advisor, partnering with engineering, product development, executive leadership, and external patent counsel to help protect innovation and guide future product development.

In this role, you will:

• Monitor competitor patents, patent applications, continuations, and emerging technologies
• Conduct patent landscape and competitive technology intelligence analysis
• Partner with engineering and product development teams to identify potentially patentable innovations
• Support preliminary freedom-to-operate (FTO) and design-around assessments
• Analyze patents and translate technical claims into practical guidance for engineering teams
• Identify potential IP risks and opportunities during the product development process
• Support invention disclosures and the patent development process
• Coordinate technical activities with external patent counsel
• Help establish a repeatable internal patent intelligence and IP strategy process
• Develop technology intelligence reporting and recommendations for executive leadership
• Monitor global technology and patent developments that could impact the company's products and competitive position

The ideal candidate combines a strong engineering foundation with meaningful patent and intellectual property experience.

Qualifications include:

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Materials Science, Physics, Chemical Engineering, or a related technical discipline
• 7+ years of relevant experience within engineering, product development, innovation, intellectual property, patent strategy, or a related technical field
• Strong understanding of mechanical systems, physical products, and product functionality
• Experience analyzing patents, technical documentation, engineering drawings, or similar technical materials
• Experience working with patents and the intellectual property process
• Ability to communicate complex technical and IP concepts to both engineering and executive audiences
• Strong analytical, research, and communication skills
• Ability to work independently while collaborating across a global organization

We would be particularly interested in candidates with experience in one or more of the following:

• Patent strategy and portfolio management
• Patentability and prior-art analysis
• Freedom-to-operate (FTO) analysis
• Design-around strategy
• Competitive patent or technology landscape analysis
• Invention disclosures and patent prosecution support
• Working directly with patent attorneys or outside IP counsel
• Patent claim analysis or claim-chart development
• U.S. patent bar registration
• Global patent portfolios

Industry experience involving engineered products, manufacturing, retail fixtures, shelving systems, material handling, plastics, metal fabrication, consumer products, industrial equipment, or related physical products is also highly desirable.

You may currently be working as a:

Patent Engineer | Senior Patent Engineer | IP Manager | Intellectual Property Manager | Patent Agent | Technology Intelligence Manager | Innovation Manager | Product Development Leader | R&D Leader | Engineering Leader

We are open to candidates coming from different career paths. The common denominator is the ability to understand how products are engineered and how innovation intersects with patents and intellectual property.

This is a newly created position with the opportunity to build and shape the company's approach to technology intelligence and intellectual property strategy.

You'll have the opportunity to:

• Work directly with senior executive and technical leadership
• Influence global product development and innovation strategy
• Establish processes and best practices rather than simply inherit them
• Serve as the bridge between engineering, product development, and intellectual property
• Gain exposure across a global organization
• Take on broad strategic responsibility without direct people-management responsibilities

The position is based in Houston, Texas and will include some international travel, particularly during the initial onboarding period and as needed to collaborate with global teams.

Compensation: $140,000–$180,000 base salary, depending on experience, plus a 25% target bonus.

Robbins Recruiting Solutions is an equal opportunity recruiting partner. Qualified candidates will be considered based on experience, skills, and alignment with the requirements of the position.