Patent Prosecution Paralegal

At Dow, we believe in putting people first and we’re passionate about delivering integrity, respect and safety to our customers, our employees and the planet.  

 

Our people are at the heart of our solutions. They reflect the communities we live in and the world where we do business. Their diversity is our strength. We’re a community of relentless problem solvers that offers the daily opportunity to contribute with your perspective, transform industries and shape the future. Our purpose is simple - to deliver a sustainable future for the world through science and collaboration. If you’re looking for a challenge and meaningful role, you’re in the right place.

About you and this role

Dow has an exciting opportunity for a Patent Prosecution Paralegal! In this role, you will provide patent prosecution support as a member of the Core Legal Practices – Patent team. Based on site in Midland, Michigan, or Lake Jackson, Texas, you will independently manages varied domestic and international patent prosecution assignments involving multiple legal professionals, clients, foreign associates, vendors, jurisdictions, systems, and deadlines, applying patent process knowledge, sound judgment, discretion, analytical thinking, and close attention to detail.

This role offers broad exposure to meaningful patent matters that support timely, accurate, and compliant protection of the Company’s intellectual property. You will collaborate with attorneys, other legal professionals, clients, foreign counsel, agents, vendors, and docketing teams; build capability across U.S. and international patent prosecution processes; and help improve legal service delivery through technology, standardized workflows, knowledge sharing, and continuous improvement.

You will receive work direction and substantive guidance from appropriate legal professionals while independently managing assigned patent matters within established responsibilities, procedures, controls, and authority, and recognizing when coordination or escalation is needed.

Assignments involve patent prosecution, including preparing, reviewing, and filing U.S. patent applications, international PCT applications, office action responses, information disclosure statements, notices, formal documents, and other prosecution-related submissions. You will also coordinate domestic and foreign prosecution activities, monitor dockets and deadlines, review and report patent office correspondence, maintain accurate prosecution records, and communicate with clients and other stakeholders regarding filings, official communications, instructions, signatures, annuity and maintenance matters, and related activities.

Key Responsibilities

• Perform assigned legal support work independently within established responsibilities, procedures, controls, and authority, using initiative, attention to detail, sound judgment, and discretion.
• Recognize when guidance, coordination, or escalation is needed and engage the appropriate legal professional or subject matter expert.
• Participate in knowledge transfer, cross-training, and shared learning activities by sharing knowledge, experience, and best practices to strengthen team capability, effectiveness, continuity, and business resilience.
• Partner effectively with team members to balance workload, provide backup support, and share accountability for any joint/shared responsibilities.
• Maintain working knowledge of Company policies, guidelines, and internal controls applicable to assigned responsibilities.
• Maintain proficiency in Legal, Company, and vendor systems used to support assigned responsibilities; engage subject matter experts, as needed, to ensure alignment with current best practices and recommended use.

Patent Prosecution Responsibilities

• Prepare, review, and file U.S. patent applications, international PCT applications, office action responses, information disclosure statements, notices, formal documents, and other prosecution-related submissions with the USPTO, WIPO, and foreign jurisdictions in accordance with applicable requirements and deadlines.
• Coordinate domestic and foreign patent prosecution activities, including filing instructions, foreign associate communications, national phase instruction letters, and inventor-related filing processes.
• Monitor patent dockets and deadlines and coordinate with attorneys, clients, foreign counsel, vendors, and internal docketing teams to support timely action.
• Review and report patent office correspondence and communicate with clients regarding official communications, deadlines, instructions, signatures, annuity and maintenance matters, and other prosecution activities.
• Support invention evaluation and inventor-related processes by organizing documentation and collecting and maintaining inventor information.
• Maintain accurate patent and document management records.
• Improve efficiency, collaboration, and consistency by developing and maintaining policies, procedures, forms, best practices, and tools that automate or track patent processes.
• Contribute to special projects and perform other duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications

• Associate degree OR 2 years of relevant work experience such as paralegal, legal professional, intellectual property, docketing, or comparable deadline-driven experience.
• A minimum requirement for this U.S. based position is the ability to work legally in the United States.  No visa sponsorship/support is available for this position, including for any type of U.S. permanent residency (green card) process.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience supporting patent prosecution in a corporate legal department or comparable environment.
• Working knowledge of patent prosecution processes, terminology, documentation, and deadline requirements, with the ability to apply applicable procedures and filing requirements accurately.
• Proficiency with legal, company, and vendor systems used for patent prosecution, docketing, document preparation, filing, and recordkeeping.

Skills

• Communication: Strong written and verbal communication and collaboration skills, including the ability to provide clear, timely, and accurate information to attorneys, clients, foreign counsel, agents, vendors, docketing teams, and other stakeholders.
• Attention to Detail: Strong organizational, analytical, and problem-solving skills, with close attention to detail and the ability to identify errors, inconsistencies, missing information, dependencies, and potential deadline or compliance risks.
• Time Management: Ability to manage multiple deadlines and communications in a detailed, deadline-driven environment while exercising initiative, sound judgment, discretion, and appropriate escalation under moderate supervision.

Additional Notes

Relocation assistance is not available for this position.

Benefits – What Dow offers you 

We invest in you. 
 

Dow invests in total rewards programs to help you manage all aspects of you: your pay, your health, your life, your future, and your career. You bring your background, talent, and perspective to work every day. Dow rewards that commitment by investing in your total wellbeing.  

Here are just a few highlights of what you would be offered as a Dow employee: 

• Equitable and market-competitive base pay and bonus opportunity across our global markets, along with locally relevant incentives. 
• Benefits and programs to support your physical, mental, financial, and social well-being, to help you get the care you need...when you need it. 
• Competitive retirement program that may include company-provided benefits, savings opportunities, financial planning, and educational resources to help you achieve your long term financial-goals. 
  • Employee stock purchase programs (availability varies depending on location).
• Student Debt Retirement Savings Match Program (U.S. only).
  • Dow will take the value of monthly student debt payments and apply them as if they are contributions to the Employees’ Savings Plan (401(k)), helping employees reach the Company match.
• Robust medical and life insurance packages that offer a variety of coverage options to meet your individual needs. Travel insurance is also available in certain countries/locations.
• Opportunities to learn and grow through training and mentoring, work experiences, community involvement and team building. 
• Workplace culture empowering role-based flexibility to maximize personal productivity and balance personal needs. 
• Competitive yearly vacation allowance.
• Paid time off for new parents (birthing and non-birthing, including adoptive and foster parents).  
• Paid time off to care for family members who are sick or injured.  
• Paid time off to support volunteering and Employee Resource Group’s (ERG) participation. 
• Wellbeing Portal for all Dow employees, our one-stop shop to promote wellbeing, empowering employees to take ownership of their entire wellbeing journey.
• On-site fitness facilities to help stay healthy and active (availability varies depending on location).
• Employee discounts for online shopping, cinema tickets, gym memberships and more.
• Additionally, some of our locations might offer:
  • Transportation allowance (availability varies depending on location)
  • Meal subsidiaries/vouchers (availability varies depending on location)
  • Carbon-neutral transportation incentives e.g. bike to work (availability varies depending on location)

Join our team, we can make a difference together.

About Dow
Dow (NYSE: DOW) is one of the world’s leading materials science companies, serving customers in high-growth markets such as packaging, infrastructure, mobility and consumer applications. Our global breadth, asset integration and scale, focused innovation, leading business positions and commitment to sustainability enable us to achieve profitable growth and help deliver a sustainable future. We operate manufacturing sites in 30 countries and employ approximately 36,000 people. Dow delivered sales of approximately $43 billion in 2024. References to Dow or the Company mean Dow Inc. and its subsidiaries. ​​​​Learn more about us and our ambition to be the most innovative, customer-centric, inclusive and sustainable materials science company in the world by visiting www.dow.com.

As part of our dedication to inclusion, Dow is committed to equal opportunities in employment. We encourage every employee to bring their whole self to work each day to not only deliver more value, but also have a more fulfilling career. Further information regarding Dow's equal opportunities is available on www.dow.com.

Dow is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer and is committed to providing opportunities without regard for race, color, religion, sex, including pregnancy, sexual orientation, or gender identity, national origin, age, disability and genetic information, including family medical history. We are also committed to providing reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities and disabled veterans in our job application procedures. If you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, you may call us at 1-833-My Dow HR (833-693-6947) and select option 8.