Legal Counsel - Intellectual Property

Legal Counsel - Intellectual Property

• Global role working as part of a dynamic and supportive team
• Permanent position based in Brisbane or Perth
• Flexible work arrangements available

About the role

Finding better ways to provide the materials the world needs.

We are looking for a Legal Counsel to join Rio Tinto’s global Intellectual Property (IP) Legal team, comprising legal, patent and trade mark professionals, whilst working directly with the IP Legal team and the business to facilitate the capture and management of IP, and to provide IP legal advice, development and implementation of IP strategies to leverage value for the business.

We are an open, connected global team that includes some of the industry’s best and brightest minds. We offer competitive, performance-focused remuneration and a wide range of benefits to reward your contribution. With a global reach, the opportunities to develop and grow your career are broad and exciting.

Reporting to the Chief Counsel IP Legal and working in dynamic team, you will:

• Work directly and independently with internal clients to identify key IP legal risks and develop strategies to deal with those risks and leverage value for the business
• Work alongside the patent attorneys/agents, other Rio Tinto lawyers and internal clients to develop IP strategies for projects and provide legal advice on IP related issues
• Draft and negotiate research and development, technology joint development, IP and technology licensing, technology services and other IP related agreements with varying degrees of complexity
• Analyse contracts to provide advice in relation to ownership and licensing of IP and issues regarding confidentiality
• Provide advice and support to the business in relation to contentious IP infringement and related issues

What you’ll bring

As a highly motivated individual, this is a fantastic opportunity to join a globally connected team and organisation. Based across Perth, Brisbane, Melbourne and Montreal, you will join a collaborative and supportive team, undertaking an interesting legal portfolio at Rio Tinto. To succeed in this role, you will have:

• A commitment to the safety of yourself and your team
• Demonstrated experience in commercial law (5+ years PQE)
• Current unrestricted practicing certificate in either Queensland or Western Australia
• Demonstrated ability to work both in a self-directed manner and as an active member of a highly functioning team
• The ability to develop strong commercial relationships with internal and external stakeholders through excellent communication skills
• Demonstrated leadership skills, as well as the capacity for strategic decision making

It will also be beneficial if you have:

• Experience in IP (either contentious or non-contentious)

What we offerBe recognised for your contribution, your thinking and your hard work, and go home knowing you’ve helped the world progress.

• A work environment where safety is always the number one priority
• A permanent position working directly for Rio Tinto
• A competitive base salary reflective of your skills and experience with annual incentive program
• Comprehensive medical benefits including subsidised private health insurance for employees and immediate family
• Attractive share ownership plan
• Company provided insurance cover
• Extensive salary sacrifice & salary packaging options
• Career development & education assistance to further your technical or leadership ambitions
• Ongoing access to family-friendly health and medical wellbeing support
• Leave for all of life’s reasons (vacation/annual, paid parental, sick leave)
• Exclusive employee discounts (banking, accommodation, cars, retail and more)
• Possible domestic relocation assistance

About Rio Tinto

Rio Tinto is a leading global mining and materials company. We operate in 35 countries where we produce iron ore, copper, aluminium, critical minerals, and other materials needed for the global energy transition and for people, communities, and nations to thrive.

We have been mining for 150 years and operate with knowledge built up across generations and continents. Our purpose is finding better ways to provide the materials the world needs – striving for innovation and continuous improvement to produce materials with low emissions and to the right environmental, social and governance standards. But we can’t do it on our own, so we’re focused on creating partnerships to solve problems, create win-win and meet opportunities.

Where you’ll be workingRio Tinto Legal provide legal services and expertise to the Rio Tinto Group, including corporate headquarters, operating business units and service divisions. Working to the highest standards collaboratively across the globe, Rio Tinto Legal also devises policy development and advice on legal matters.

You will be able to work a hybrid of at-home and office-based hours, with a manager who is supportive of flexible work arrangements. Due to the global nature of this role, there is a requirement for flexible hours to collaborate with stakeholder groups across global time zones. The ability to schedule your time flexibly around this requirement will be offered in return.Every Voice Matters

At Rio Tinto, we particularly welcome and encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, women, the LGBTI+ community, mature workers, people with disabilities and people from different cultural backgrounds.

We are committed to an inclusive environment where people feel comfortable to be themselves. We want our people to feel that all voices are heard, all cultures respected and that a variety of perspectives are not only welcome – they are essential to our success. We treat each other fairly and with dignity regardless of race, gender, nationality, ethnic origin, religion, age, sexual orientation or anything else that makes us different.

Applications close on 6th of August 2023 (Rio Tinto reserves the right to remove advertised roles prior to this date).