Sr. Principal, Legal Counsel, IP – Patents

The role

You will protect and scale Coupang's innovation portfolio by managing the patent lifecycle. You will partner with engineering and product teams to identify inventions and guide patent strategy.

What you will do

• Own and evolve patent portfolios across key technology areas
• Drive end-to-end patent lifecycle execution from invention harvesting to global filings and prosecution
• Partner with engineers and product leaders to identify patentable innovations
• Align IP strategy with business priorities
• Advise on patent risk and strategy including freedom-to-operate, licensing, invalidity, and dispute-related matters
• Build and enhance inventor engagement and patent awareness programs
• Collaborate cross-functionally with Legal, Compliance, Engineering, Product, and business stakeholders

Required qualifications

• Qualified Patent Attorney (US or Korea)
• 15+ years of patent law experience (in-house and/or law firm)
• Strong expertise in patent prosecution and portfolio management
• Fluency in English
• Ability to translate complex legal concepts into clear, actionable business guidance
• Proven ability to work cross-functionally in fast-paced, high-growth environments
• Strong judgment, ownership mindset, and problem-solving capability

Nice to have

• Additional language fluency especially Korean
• Experience working across both law firm and in-house environments
• Technical background in computer science, electrical engineering, or related fields
• Experience with software, platform, or internet technologies (e.g., UI/UX, video, systems, e-commerce)
• Exposure to patent litigation, licensing, FTO, or IP due diligence
• Experience operating in global or technology-driven organizations

Before you apply

• Application Review - Phone Interview - Onsite (or Virtual Onsite) Interview – Offer
• Hiring may be restricted in case the legal qualifications required for hiring and work performance is not met

About the company

Coupang is a global public company with a startup culture disrupting the commerce industry. The company aims to make shopping, eating, and living easier through innovation.