Job Description:

Department Overview

The Intellectual Property Department of Rakuten Group, Inc. is a specialized division responsible for formulating and executing IP strategies for over 70 services provided by the group. We closely collaborate with various departments to support the achievement of business units' management principles and overall strategies through our IP strategies. By protecting, managing, and leveraging intellectual property, we enhance the competitive strength of Rakuten Group and drive business growth.

The IP Solution Section is a division that promotes patent activities, particularly concerning the following services and technologies:

- Internet services provided by Rakuten Group, Inc. and its domestic/international group companies (e.g., Rakuten Ichiba, Rakuten Travel, Advertising, and more)*
- Fundamental technologies and AI-related technologies being researched and developed by tech divisions, including Rakuten Institute of Technology
* Excluding Mobile and Fintech. These services are currently supported by other divisions.

Position:

Why We Hire

We are seeking a new member to enhance our organization and operations, aligned with the expansion of the Rakuten Group ecosystem.

Position Details

- Gather information on business development projects and access relevant divisions
- Identify inventions from the projects and screen them (determine whether patent clearance and/or patent application are required or not)
- Conduct patent clearance searches and address relevant patents of third parties (analyze and develop non-infringement logic, invalidation strategies, and infringement avoidance measures, as well as coordinate with business divisions)
- Patent application and prosecution (pre-application searches, substantive reviews of applications, responses to office actions, divisional applications, etc.)
- Evaluate and manage our patent portfolio (investigate and analyze our implementation status and that of third parties)

Since Rakuten Group's business is dynamic and rapidly evolving, it is crucial to proactively access business divisions to gather information and identify inventions.

Additionally, you may be assigned the following tasks based on your experience and suitability:
- Provide IP (mainly patents) support for launching new businesses
- Provide support for handling rights infringement notices related to products for sale on Ichiba and Rakuma
- Design patent application and prosecution for graphic images
- OSS license review
- Contract (mainly patent clauses) review
- Introduction of AI in patent operations

Work Environment

Approximately 30 members in the Intellectual Property Department, 12 of whom are in the IP Solution Section

Mandatory Qualifications:

- Experience in handling software-related patents, particularly in actively conducting substantive claim reviews, such as assessing technical scope, patent examination, claim drafting, etc
- Proactive and positive mindset toward tackling any task
- Mindset of leveraging prior work experience while recognizing the differences between the previous company and Rakuten, and adjusting accordingly

Desired Qualifications:

- Experience in identifying inventions in English
- Experience in handling OSS licenses
- Experience in introducing/utilizing AI in patent operations

Others Information:

Additional information on Location

Rakuten Crimson House
1-14-1 Tamagawa, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo

Additional information on related positions

Fintech Patent – Intellectual Property Department, Group Compliance Supervisory Department

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