Patent Counsel - Audio

Join the leader in entertainment innovation and help us design the future. At Dolby, science meets art, and high tech means more than computer code. As a member of the Dolby team, you’ll see and hear the results of your work everywhere, from movie theaters to smartphones. We continue to revolutionize how people create, deliver, and enjoy entertainment worldwide. To do that, we need the absolute best talent. We’re big enough to give you all the resources you need, and small enough so you can make a real difference and earn recognition for your work. We offer a collegial culture, challenging projects, and excellent compensation and benefits. 

For this high functioning team, the nature of the work benefits from frequent in-office presence, and employees may be expected to work from a company office up to four days per week. While we remain committed to flexibility, this team’s rhythm includes regular in-person connection to support collaboration, learning, and impact.

The Legal Department provides core legal support to all Dolby functions, runs several IP-centric businesses, and leads government relations.

The successful candidate will be a patent attorney or patent agent responsible for supporting active research, development, standardization, and licensing programs related to Dolby audio technologies. The position includes a variety of responsibilities such as performing and managing patent prosecution, analyzing third‑party patents and standards documents, capturing invention disclosures, and conducting due diligence related to potential acquisitions. In this role within Dolby’s audio patent group, the candidate will be directly responsible for the prosecution of a worldwide portfolio of patents and patent applications related to audio technologies. This patent counsel position reports to the head of the audio patent group.

Primary Responsibilities

• Align a growing, worldwide patent portfolio with evolving business needs, including the capture and review of invention disclosures and the preparation of recommendations for the invention review committee.
• Manage domestic and foreign outside counsel in the preparation and prosecution of patent applications.
• Draft and prosecute patent applications that are of particular importance to Dolby’s business.

Additional Responsibilities

• Advise on the acquisition, development, and commercialization of third‑party technologies and related intellectual property matters.
• Advise on third‑party patent claims involving products and technologies.
• Support patent licensing and enforcement activities.
• Provide information and training to internal groups as required regarding patent protection procedures and programs.
• Provide additional patent, licensing, and intellectual property support as assigned.

Requirements

• B.S. in Electrical Engineering, Physics, or a related field
• Admission to practice before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO)
• Minimum of 2–4 years of experience as a patent attorney or agent in a top‑tier law firm
• Experience managing worldwide patent families and familiarity with global prosecution strategies

Additional Desired Qualifications

• J.D. from a top‑tier law school and admission to practice in at least one U.S. state
• M.S. in Electrical Engineering with an emphasis on communications or digital signal processing, or equivalent professional experience
• Strong familiarity with communication systems, audio and video compression, standards (e.g., MPEG, 3GPP), and standard‑essential patents
• Experience working in‑house as a patent attorney or patent agent
• Experience with intellectual property licensing and litigation
• Experience working with standards bodies and patent pools

The San Francisco/Bay Area base salary range for this full-time position is $190,000 - 261,000, which can vary if outside this location, plus bonus, benefits, and some roles may also include equity. Our salary ranges are determined by role, level, and location. Within the range, individual pay is determined by work location and additional factors, including job-related skills, competencies, experience, market demands, internal parity, and relevant education or training. Your recruiter can share more about the specific salary range and perks and benefits for your location during the hiring process.

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Interested in finding your next role at Dolby? More information and guided steps on this process, including building your career profile and interests, can be found in our Internal Mobility article on PeopleCare portal.

You can also reach out directly to the recruiter listed on the job posting or PeopleCare if you have any questions on the process.