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Research engineer
To be a research engineer at Saint-Gobain Research Paris means to work inside a multidisciplinary team, benefit in a cross-cutting way from all our research centre’s scientific skills, and interact with the other Saint-Gobain group entities as well as with the academic world.
You will be in charge of ensuring the completion of one or more research subjects, incorporated into projects aimed at developing new products or processes.
You may also take part in exploratory research programs by proposing new ideas and in this way bring out new projects or new collaborations.
Research technician
Being part of our research teams, research technicians are key employees in our organization. They contribute to all our achievements and participate in accomplishing our overriding mission: improving habitat in its broadest sense while caring for the environment and contributing to the well-being of all.
Research technicians are hired after 2 or 3 years of higher education (either Second-year university level or Degree level). As research engineers, they have the chance to work in a top quality scientific environment. Career opportunities may lead them to work for one of the Saint-Gobain group’s operational entities by joining, for example, a team in production or in another R&D centre.
Be a support function
To be a support function means to hold a key position of assistance and advice with “internal customers” namely the research engineers and technicians with whom contact is permanent.
Management controllers, computer scientists, maintenance managers, communications officers, strategic intelligence monitors, patent engineers, HR managers or purchasers support the drive and momentum of our ever-evolving research departments. Support functions include a generalist dimension to be able to apprehend and control all aspects in a field of competency.
Support functions work regularly together with their counterparts in other Saint-Gobain entities, with whom they share best practices.
While doing her thesis, Laurence discovered that there is a lot of technical information within patent publications. She wanted to stay close to technology and innovation. However, without being a researcher and driven by her desire to find out about the legal aspect of these innovations she directed her towards the role of patent engineer.
After training in Intellectual Property law at CEIPI -French Centre for International Intellectual Property Studies- and a 1st job as engineer-examiner at INPI -French National Industrial Property Institute-, she became a patent engineer, took the European patent agent exam and joined the Saint-Gobain Research Paris Industrial Property Department in September 2011.
Comprising thirty employees, the purpose of the SGR Paris Industrial Property Department is to work with all the Saint-Gobain group's Technical Centres. It brings together the skills needed to obtain rights (lodging patents, extensions in all countries, examinations, oppositions and appeals) and exercise them (exploitation rights, counterfeiting problems, agreements). The department also administers patent portfolios and works on patent information and technological monitoring.
"One of my main roles is to write patent applications. To protect and make best use of the invention, it is important to describe it by considering the strategies that could be implemented to develop and exploit it. In particular, we have to plan for variants and future developments of the invention as well as possible ways that competitors could circumvent them. It is through this anticipatory work that the patent may be protected over time and will allow us to maintain our technological lead over the competition. Once the patent application has been written, it is lodged with the patent office. A major part of our activity is dedicated to examination and opposition procedures, either defending our own patents or attacking competitive patents. As a European agent, we operate directly before the European Patent Office (EPO)." explains Laurence. "When it is a country outside Europe, we work closely with our local agents."
"Another part of my work relates to disputes and exploitation rights. The Activities of Saint-Gobain very often require us to analyze a competitor's patent and to understand its legal and geographical coverage." This is Laurence's daily routine.
What does she particularly like about working for Saint-Gobain Research Paris? "For everything that affects France and Europe, we really do everything in-house and in particular we get directly involved in oral procedures before the EPO, at Examination and Opposition Divisions and at Appeal Hearings. In being at SGR Paris, I enjoy the daily discussions with researchers."
Laurence
Chief
Industrial Property Department
Industrial Property Department
