Expert Intellectual Property (m/f/d) - min. 35h

Festo inspires people and organizations around the world with innovative solutions for industrial automation. We are an independent family business and offer more than 20,000 employees the opportunity to take bold steps, realize their ideas, and take on responsibility. As a team, we grow by tackling challenges together and we welcome everyone who wants to move the world with us.

Expert Intellectual Property (m/f/d) – min. 35h. Location: Esslingen (zip 14468). Permanent. Full time or part time (minimum 90% of a full‑time workload, i.e., at least 35 hours per week).

Your Job

• Advising and supporting the development departments at headquarters as well as at international locations on all matters related to patent law
• Advising management of the business units on IP strategies
• Contributing to the identification of protectable developments and evaluating invention disclosures with regard to the business activities of the Festo Group
• Managing patent application and examination procedures as well as contentious proceedings domestically and internationally in cooperation with external patent attorneys
• Monitoring third‑party IP rights, analysing and evaluating external patents, and ensuring knowledge transfer into development
• Conducting patent searches and analyses (e.g., prior‑art searches, opposition and nullity searches, freedom‑to‑operate analyses), including the development of recommendations for action
• Supporting the drafting or review of IP clauses in contracts with national and international partners

Your Qualification

• Completed degree in engineering or natural sciences (e.g., mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, mechatronics, computer engineering, process engineering, physics) or a degree in patent engineering
• At least 5 years of professional experience in a patent department of an industrial company or a patent law firm in the described field of responsibilities, or at least a partially completed qualification as a European Patent Attorney
• Experience in advising on IP strategies for new subject areas, such as software and artificial intelligence
• Ideally, experience in drafting patent applications and managing prosecution and/or opposition proceedings
• Business‑fluent German and English language skills
• Entrepreneurial mindset and strong analytical skills
• Structured and solution‑oriented working style combined with creativity and strong organisational skills

Contact person: Caroline Duchon,

Your Global Benefits At a Glance Diverse opportunities for your development
A strong team by your side
Freedom to drive your ideas forward
Develop innovative solutions with real impact
Be part of a global network – in a family‑owned company

Attractive Compensation And Additional Benefits We look forward to your application and to getting to know you!