Senior Associate General Counsel - Intellectual Property

Building on our past. Ready for the future

Worley is a global professional services company of energy, chemicals and resources experts headquartered in Australia.

Right now, we're bridging two worlds as we accelerate to more sustainable energy sources, while helping our customers provide the energy, chemicals and resources that society needs now.

We partner with our customers to deliver projects and create value over the life of their portfolio of assets. We solve complex problems by finding integrated data-centric solutions from the first stages of consulting and engineering to installation and commissioning, to the last stages of decommissioning and remediation. Join us and help drive innovation and sustainability in our projects.

Purpose:

We are seeking an experienced Senior Associate General Counsel - IP to join Worley's newly established Technology & IP Centre of Excellence (CoE). This strategic role will lead the management, protection, and commercialisation of Worley's intellectual property portfolio and support the company's innovation and digital transformation agenda globally.

The successful candidate will work closely with senior business leaders, Digital and Growth functions, and finance stakeholders to design and implement robust frameworks for IP management and structuring and innovation enablement.

Responsibilities:

• IP Portfolio Management
  • Lead the development, protection, and ongoing management of Worley's global IP portfolio (patents, trade marks, copyrights, know-how, data, and proprietary products and solutions).
  • Establish IP registration, maintenance, and renewal processes, including coordination with external Counsel.
  • Conduct IP audits and develop an IP classification and valuation framework aligned with business priorities.
    
• IP Structuring & Commercialisation
  • Develop and implement group-wide IP structuring strategies to ensure legal ownership, tax, and operational alignment (in coordination with Tax, Finance, and Corporate functions).
  • Advise on IP ownership and licensing in joint ventures, collaborations, digital solutions, and technology-enabled projects.
  • Support technology commercialisation initiatives, including spin-outs, licensing programs, and partnership models.
    
• Transfer Pricing & Cross-Border Alignment
  • Partner with Tax to ensure IP ownership and exploitation models align with global transfer pricing arrangements and intercompany agreements.
  • Advise on IP flows and cross-border transactions relating to royalties, cost sharing, and R&D allocations.
    
• Innovation & Capability Building
  • Support Worley's Advanced Development Lab (ADL) and Innovation team on IP strategy, protection of emerging technologies (including AI and data-driven solutions), and defensible IP positions.
  • Provide thought leadership on IP strategy for digital products, software, and data models.
  • Develop and deliver internal IP education and awareness programs across the business.
    
• Governance, Policy & Training
  • Lead the development of Worley's IP policy framework, playbooks, and training modules as part of the Technology & IP CoE.
  • Support integration of IP considerations into AI governance, software procurement, and technology contracting frameworks.
  • Act as a trusted advisor to the business on IP risks, opportunities, and compliance.

What you will bring
Technical/Industry Experience and Qualifications Requirements:

• You will be a commercially minded lawyer with a strong understanding of intellectual property, technology, and innovation in a complex multinational environment.
• Strong expertise in intellectual property law, including IP ownership, licensing, protection, and commercialisation.
• Experience with IP structuring and alignment with transfer pricing frameworks.
• Familiarity with technology-driven businesses.
• Proven ability to influence and collaborate across global business, tax, and innovation teams.
• Strong project management and stakeholder engagement skills.

Additional Information:

• Location: Australia (Sydney, Melbourne or Perth), London or Houston (Hybrid).

• Reports to: Group General Counsel - Technology & IP.

Education - Qualifications, Accreditation, Training:

Required:

• Law degree with relevant years post-qualification experience (ideally with time spent in a leading law firm and/or multinational corporate environment).

Preferred:

• Desirable
  • Experience in the energy, resources, or engineering sectors.
  • Exposure to digital product development, AI, or data-driven innovation.
  • Experience with IP valuation, tax planning, or corporate structuring.

Moving forward together

We want our people to be energized and empowered to drive sustainable impact. So, our focus is on a values-inspired culture that unlocks brilliance through belonging, connection and innovation.

We're building a diverse, inclusive and respectful workplace. Creating a space where everyone feels they belong, can be themselves, and are heard.

And we're not just talking about it; we're doing it. We're reskilling our people, leveraging transferable skills, and supporting the transition of our workforce to become experts in today's low carbon energy infrastructure and technology.

Whatever your ambition, there's a path for you here. And there's no barrier to your potential career success. Join us to broaden your horizons, explore diverse opportunities, and be part of delivering sustainable change.

We're committed to building a diverse, inclusive and respectful workplace where everyone feels they belong, can bring themselves, and are heard. We provide equal employment opportunities to all qualified applicants and employees without regard to age, race, creed, color, religion, sex, national origin, ancestry, disability status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, marital status, citizenship status or any other basis as protected by federal, state, or local law.

Our policy is to conduct background checks for all candidates who accept an offer of employment with us.

Please note: No agency representation or submissions will be recognized for this vacancy.