AD/D Intellectual Property and Contracts Manager

Role Summary

As Intellectual Property and Contracts Manager, you will own the development and execution of Aerska's IP strategy and manage all commercial and research contracts. You will be the company's first dedicated legal and IP resource, responsible for building the patent portfolio, ensuring freedom-to-operate, and establishing robust contracting processes as the company scales. Working closely with the leadership team, you will provide strategic guidance on IP positioning, competitive landscape, and partnership structuring while operating with a high degree of autonomy in an infrastructure-light environment.

Key Responsibilities

Intellectual Property Management

• Develop and execute Aerska's IP strategy in alignment with the company's CNS-focused RNAi platform and pipeline priorities.
• Manage patent filings, including drafting or coordinating with external patent counsel, prosecuting applications across multiple jurisdictions, and maintaining the patent portfolio.
• Conduct freedom-to-operate and landscape analyses across RNA therapeutics and brain-shuttle delivery, monitoring competitor activity to identify risks, defensive strategies, and white space.
• Advise scientific and leadership teams on patentability, invention disclosure practices, data publication timing, and conference presentation strategies.

Contracts Management

• Draft, review, and negotiate a broad range of agreements, including confidentiality agreements, material transfer agreements, research collaborations, CRO/CDMO service contracts, and commercial partnerships.
• Ensure compliance with legal, regulatory, and company policies across all contractual arrangements, escalating issues where appropriate.
• Support due diligence processes for partnership discussions, fundraising activities, and regulatory filings.

Cross-functional Collaboration and Process Development

• Partner with Research, Early Development, Business Development, and Platform teams to align IP and contracting activities with business goals and scientific milestones.
• Interface with external patent counsel, legal advisors, and agents to ensure high-quality support and cost-effective service delivery.
• Educate the broader team on IP awareness, best practices for invention disclosure, and contracting processes.

Person Specification

• Significant experience in patent prosecution and portfolio management within biotechnology or pharmaceuticals.
• Familiarity with both European and US patent systems, including prosecution strategy across multiple jurisdictions.
• Strong understanding of RNA therapeutics and oligonucleotides, 
• Demonstrated ability to draft, review, and negotiate complex commercial and research agreements with minimal supervision.
• Experience conducting freedom-to-operate analyses and patent landscape reviews in competitive therapeutic areas.
• Ability to operate with a high degree of autonomy in an early-stage environment where processes and infrastructure are still being built.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to translate complex legal and IP concepts for scientific and commercial audiences.

Values and Culture

Aerska is a values-driven organisation, guided by the belief that "we live in each other's shelter", reflecting our deep sense of interdependence and collaboration. Every member of the team is expected to embody our shared values:

• Walk on Air: Pursue bold ideas with ambition to solve meaningful problems that create real impact.
• Time is Neurons: Every moment counts for patients – act with urgency and care, making data-driven decisions without compromise.
• Win or Learn: Embrace curiosity, adapt quickly and continuously improve.
• We Before Me: Seek diverse perspectives, collaborate with humility, openness and respect, and prioritise collective success above individual advancement.

Why us?

About us

Aerska is a biotechnology company pioneering RNA medicines to treat, delay, and prevent diseases of the brain. We are leveraging advances in ‘brain shuttles’ to enable targeted delivery of next-generation RNAi therapeutics to the CNS. By silencing the genes that cause harm, Aerska aims to preserve the minds, protect the memories, and enable our loved ones to live longer, healthier lives.

We are entering an exciting period of growth and are seeking talented individuals who want to be part of a mission-driven company redefining how brain diseases are treated. Joining now means helping shape a fast-growing organisation with the potential to change millions of lives.