Incumbents will be assigned to an art unit which will primarily examine applications filed by pro se applicants in the chemical, electrical, and mechanical disciplines. These applications often pose difficult legal and procedural problems arising from applicants' lack of familiarity with USPTO processes and procedures, lack of legal expertise, and limited resources. The prosecution history of these applications may be complex and extended prosecution history of these applications, and requires detailed analysis in each application to identify appropriate next steps in examination. Incumbents may participate in a variety of activities including: providing assistance to individual applicants through frequent interviews; responding to telephonic inquiries; development of training materials for examiners and prose applicants; participation in outreach events directed at small and independent inventors; and identification of best practices and process improvements. USPTO Careers Website.
The following links provide information on various hiring authorities that may enable you to apply through merit assignment procedures, or be eligible for a non-competitive appointment.
Incumbents will be assigned to an art unit which will primarily examine applications filed by pro se applicants in the chemical, electrical, and mechanical disciplines. These applications often pose difficult legal and procedural problems arising from applicants' lack of familiarity with USPTO processes and procedures, lack of legal expertise, and limited resources. The prosecution history of these applications may be complex and extended prosecution history of these applications, and requires detailed analysis in each application to identify appropriate next steps in examination. Incumbents may participate in a variety of activities including: providing assistance to individual applicants through frequent interviews; responding to telephonic inquiries; development of training materials for examiners and prose applicants; participation in outreach events directed at small and independent inventors; and identification of best practices and process improvements. USPTO Careers Website.
The following links provide information on various hiring authorities that may enable you to apply through merit assignment procedures, or be eligible for a non-competitive appointment.
-Analyzes claims for compliance with 35 U.S.C. 101, 102, 103 and 112; conducts examination according to statutes, rules, regulations and guidelines governing the examination process.
-Determines the granting or denial of patent applications, and formulates proper office actions.
-Identifies, discusses and resolves issues attendant to the examination of pro se filed applications in the context of interviews with applicants, quality enhancement meetings with other examiners, and consultation with other USPTO areas (e.g. OPAP, OPLA).
-Provides assistance directly to pro se applicants and inventors who are considering filing an application for patent, in response to telephonic or e-mail inquiries.
-Ability to solve technological problems of a highly advanced level of difficulty when examining applications in the related areas.
-Contributes to development of training materials and best practices for examiners and pro se applicants.
You must meet the definition of specialized experience.
You must meet time-in-grade-requirements.
Required to pass a background investigation and fingerprint check.
Must be registered for Selective Service, if applicable (www.sss.gov)
Suitable for Federal employment.
Time-in-grade/band requirements must be met by the closing date of the announcement unless eligible for special hiring authority, reinstatement eligible, non-current Federal employee applying as a VEOA eligible which do not require time-in-grade/band.
Qualifications
You must meet the following United States Office of Personnel Management's (OPM) qualification requirements for the advertised position. OPM's prescribed Group Coverage Qualification Standard for Scientific and Professional series can be found at: Click Here. You must meet all qualification requirements including time-in-grade (refer to 5 CFR 300.604 for more information on time-in-grade) by the closing date of the job announcement.
APPLICANTS MUST MEET THE BASIC QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS: To be considered for this position, you must have either: (A) successfully completed a full 4-year course of study in an accredited college or university leading to a bachelor's or higher degree in Engineering; OR (B) a combination of qualifying education and experience:
The curriculum must:
1. Be accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) as a professional engineering curriculum;
OR
2. Include differential and integral calculus and courses (more advanced than first-year physics and chemistry) in five of the following seven areas:
a) statics, dynamics
b) strength of materials (stress-strain relationships)
c) fluid mechanics, hydraulics
d) thermodynamics
e) electrical fields and circuits
f) nature and properties of materials (relating to particle and aggregate structure to properties)
g) any other comparable area of fundamental engineering science or physics, such as optics, heat transfer, soil mechanics or electronics;
ADDITIONAL QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS: (In addition to the BASIC QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS)
Specialized Experience: is experience that has equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the position to be filled. To be creditable, specialized experience must have been equivalent to at least the next lower grade level. Candidates for the GS-15 grade level must have at least 52 weeks of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower GS-14 grade level in the Federal service.
Specialized experience for this position includes examining patent applications as a Primary Examiner, in the chemical, electrical, and mechanical disciplines including business methods.
SELECTIVE PLACEMENT FACTOR: Selectee MUST have Full Signatory Authority.
Education
This position has a positive education requirement. Current Utility Patent Examiners must meet the basic qualification requirements as listed above.
Additional information
Applicants applying for this position must be a United States Citizen.
If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, you must certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System. If you are exempt from registration under Selective Service Law, you must provide appropriate proof of exemption. Please visit the Selective Service System website for more information.
This is a Bargaining Unit position.
This is a Public Trust position and has a risk level designation of “moderate”.
Background Investigation - If selected for this position, you may be required to complete a Declaration for Federal Employment (OF-306), which includes a fingerprint and credit check, to determine your suitability for Federal employment and to authorize a background investigation.
Probationary Period- If selected, you may be required to complete an initial one-year probationary period.
All Federal employees are required to have Federal salary payments made by direct deposit to a financial institution of their choice.
Relocation Expenses are not authorized and will not be paid.
CTAP candidates will be eligible for selection priority if it is determined that they have exceeded the minimum qualifications for the position by attaining at least a "well qualified" rating of 85 out of 100. Information about CTAP eligibility is on the Office of Personnel Management’s Career Transition Resources website at: http://www.opm.gov/ctap. CTAP documentation requirements are listed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.
More than one selection may be made from this announcement if additional identical vacancies in the same title, series, grade, and unit occur within 90 days from the date the certificate was issued.
All application materials become the property of the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
The United States Patent and Trademark Office is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service, or other non-merit factors. If you believe that you have been discriminated against and would like to file an EEO complaint, you must do so within 45 days of the date of the alleged discriminatory act. Claims of employment discrimination must be submitted to the attention of the USPTO’s Office of Equal Employment Opportunity & Diversity via email (oeeod@uspto.gov) or phone (571-272-8292).
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Reasonable Accommodation Policy Statement
Federal agencies, including the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), must provide reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. USPTO job applicants requiring reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process should request accommodation(s) from the USPTO at http://www.uspto.gov/accommodation. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis.
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
How you will be evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
Your eligibility for consideration and qualifications for the position will be determined based upon a review of your detailed resume and your responses to job specific self-assessment questions. Your resume will be evaluated based on evidence of your ability to demonstrate possession of any specialized experience and how well your background and experience relates to the self-assessment questions in the job announcement.
The self-assessment questions relate to the following knowledge, skills, abilities, and competencies (KSA's). You do not have to respond to the KSA's.
KSA 1 - Knowledge of legal matters associated with the patent process in one or more of the designated art areas (chemical, electrical, and mechanical disciplines including business methods) which includes demonstrated competence in examination practice and procedure or comparable experience in the patent field.
KSA 2 - Ability to communicate orally.
KSA 3 - Ability to communicate in writing.
KSA 4 - Knowledge of a wide range of technology in a given discipline and/or the ability to acquire technological expertise in related subject matter areas
KSA 5 – Ability to work closely throughout prosecution with external stakeholders (e.g. inventors and their representatives).
Your responses to the self assessment questions serve as the basis for your initial rating. You will receive a numerical score based on your responses to these questions. Next, your responses will be evaluated by a Human Resources Specialist and/or a subject matter expert against the information provided in your resume and optional cover letter. Your resume must support your answers to the self assessment questions, or your score may be adjusted or lowered accordingly which may affect your overall final rating. The best qualified candidates will be identified for referral to the hiring manager and may be invited for an interview. If referred all relevant documents submitted with your application package will be forwarded to the selecting official, due weight shall be given to performance appraisals and awards in accordance with 5 CFR § 335.103(b)(3), during the interview/selection process conducted by the hiring manager. Falsifying your background, education, and/or experience is cause for not hiring you or for changing your scored responses to questions you’ve answered, which may affect your overall final score.
If you are invited for an interview, you will be asked to bring a copy of your most recent performance appraisal.
Please note that a complete application is required for consideration. (Please review the “Required Documents” section of this job announcement to see what must be included in a complete application).
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Reasonable Accommodation Policy Statement
Federal agencies, including the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), must provide reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities where appropriate. USPTO job applicants requiring reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process should request accommodation(s) from the USPTO at http://www.uspto.gov/accommodation. Determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made on a case-by-case basis.
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
1. A resume or any other written format you choose to describe your job-related qualifications; optional cover letter: Your resume should indicate your citizenship and should list your educational and work experience including titles, salary, employment dates, duties, experience and how it relates to the specialized experience in the job announcement. Please Note: Responses to job questions that are not fully supported by the information in your resume may result in adjustments to your rating. Any experience claimed in a cover letter should be substantiated by information contained in your resume. A HR Representative will validate the qualifications of those candidates eligible to be referred to the hiring official.
2. Transcripts: (for Individual Occupational Requirements and/or Substitution of Education for specialized experience) You are required to submit your unofficial college transcripts from an appropriately accredited educational institution in order to document completion of the educational requirements for this position. Official transcripts will be required if selected. If you are a current USPTO employee who has previously met the educational requirements you do not need to submit new transcripts.
Supporting Documents:
PLEASE NOTE: Applicants who meet the minimum eligibility and qualification requirements for this position may be contacted via email within 7 business days of this announcement closing to submit follow-up supporting docs if applicable. Applicants applying as current/former Federal employees OR as VEOA eligibles who fail to submit supporting documents within 5 business days of receiving the email request will lose further consideration for this position. Applicants claiming CTAP/ICTAP or Sch A eligibility who fail to submit supporting documents within 5 business days of receiving the email request will not lose consideration for this position, however they will not be entitled to special or priority consideration. Supporting docs that may be requested of applicants after the closing date of this announcement are:
1. Notification of Personnel Action (SF-50) - For current and/or former Federal employees, your status eligibility and highest permanent grade/step/salary held in the Federal service will be validated with a copy of your most recent SF-50, "Notification of Personnel Action" so that we may verify your time-in-grade.
2. Performance Appraisal - Recent performance appraisal with supervisor's signature showing the official final rating of record, and copy of incentive award(s). In cases where the performance appraisal is incomplete or unavailable, applicants may provide explanation of the reasons.
3. Veterans Employment Opportunities Act (VEOA) documents - If you are a Veteran claiming eligibility under VEOA, you will be asked to submit a copy of your DD-214. Veterans must include dates of military service on their application materials, and submit a copy of each Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, DD-214. For more info, please visit Special Appointing Authorities for Veterans.
4. Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) Career Transition Assistance Program documents - Applicants will be asked to submit: (1) A copy of your specific RIF notice, written notice of your expected separation or other documents of priority consideration status; (2) A copy of your latest SF-50 noting current position, grade, and duty location; (3) A copy of your last performance appraisal and the rating; and (4) Any documents from your agency that shows your current promotion potential.
5. Special Appointing Authorities - If you are applying under the special appointing authority such as those authorized for the severely disabled (Schedule A) or Vietnam era and disabled veterans (VRA), you will be asked to submit documents showing eligibility to non-competitively apply under Merit Assignment announcements. Please indicate the type of special appointment you are seeking on your application. For more info on non-competitive appointments and supporting documents, please visit Federal Employment of People with Disabilities or Feds Hire Vets - Special Hiring Authorities for Veterans.
You can choose ONE of the following methods to submit Supporting Documents: 1) You can upload your documents when you register or update your information on the Dept. of Commerce site which you access through the USAJobs site.
OR
2) You can fax your documents to 571-258-4254 using the system generated fax cover sheet. Your application and all required documents must be received by 11:59 pm ET on the closing date of this job announcement.
NOTE: The preceding documents requirement are based on job requirements and individual applicant eligibility. Not all documents are applicable to all applicants; if you are unsure which documents apply to you, contact the HR Specialist listed on this announcement.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
Personally Identifiable Information (PII) Personally Identifiable Information (PII) is defined as information that can be traced back to a specific individual and potentially compromise their security or privacy. Examples of PII include: date of birth, Social Security Number, and place of birth.
Please ensure that you have removed all Personally Identifiable Information from all documents prior to submitting or uploading your applications material.
You MUST apply online. If you experience difficulties with the application process or do not have access to a computer, please contact the HR Specialist listed as the point of contact before the closing date of this job announcement.
If you are a new user to the USAJobs Site and have never registered for an account; you will first need to create an account profile with your basic contact information and a resume to begin applying. You must be a registered USAJobs user AND you must be signed-in to your account in order to apply for this position. For help setting up an account or for general help using USAJobs, go to USAJobs Help Page. Once you have gathered all of the required information and are ready to begin the application process, click the "APPLY ONLINE" button at the right side of the page. You will then be directed away from USAJobs to the Department of Commerce application site for USPTO. You must click "Submit" at the end of the application process to send your application for consideration.
To return to your saved application, log in to your USAJOBS account at http://www.usajobs.gov/ and click on "Applications." Click on the position title, then select "Update Application."
If you experience any difficulties with the application site, help is available! If you have problems completing your on-line application, contact the Monster Hiring Management Help Desk at 1-866-656-6831 or by e-mail at MGSHELP@monster.com. The help desk is available Monday - Friday 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. You may call and leave a voice mail message at all other times. All required supporting documents will be collected electronically via the USAJobs “Saved Documents” feature.
PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
550 Elizabeth Lane
Elizabeth Townhouse
Alexandria, Virginia 22314
United States
Next steps
You will receive a notice generated by the USAJobs System when you have successfully submitted your application.
You will be notified of your application status through USAJOBS at four points during the hiring process, as applicable. You can check the status of your application by accessing the USAJOBS website at http://usajobs.gov/ and clicking on “Track Your Online Application.” The four points of notification are:
1. Application Received or Application Incomplete;
2. Minimum Qualification Requirement Met or Minimum Qualification Requirement Not Met;
3. Eligible (Application Referred to the Selecting Official) or Eligible (Application Not Referred to the Selecting Official); and
4. Selected or Not Selected
After all application packages have been received, we will review your application and transcript(s) (if you are qualifying based on education) to ensure you meet the basic qualification requirements. We will evaluate each applicant who meets the basic qualifications on the information provided and you may be contacted for follow-up supplemental documentation. It is the applicant’s responsibility to provide any supplemental documents or information requested by the Office of Human Resources within the allocated timeframes.
You will be required to submit official documentation prior to appointment. The agency will then verify the information provided on your application (i.e., degree, veterans’ preference, disability, etc.).
By submitting your application you are certifying the accuracy of the information contained in your application. If you make a false statement in any part of your application, you may not be hired; you may be terminated after you begin work; or, you may be fined or jailed. After making a tentative job offer, we will conduct a suitability/security background investigation.
You can check the status of your application by logging into USAJOBS. You may also sign up to receive automatic emails anytime the status of your application has changed by logging into your USAJobs Account, editing your profile and changing the"Notification Settings" to indicate that you want to be notified by email when the status changes. Information regarding the status of your application should be updated in the system within 2 weeks after the closing date of this job announcement.
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
1. A resume or any other written format you choose to describe your job-related qualifications; optional cover letter: Your resume should indicate your citizenship and should list your educational and work experience including titles, salary, employment dates, duties, experience and how it relates to the specialized experience in the job announcement. Please Note: Responses to job questions that are not fully supported by the information in your resume may result in adjustments to your rating. Any experience claimed in a cover letter should be substantiated by information contained in your resume. A HR Representative will validate the qualifications of those candidates eligible to be referred to the hiring official.
2. Transcripts: (for Individual Occupational Requirements and/or Substitution of Education for specialized experience) You are required to submit your unofficial college transcripts from an appropriately accredited educational institution in order to document completion of the educational requirements for this position. Official transcripts will be required if selected. If you are a current USPTO employee who has previously met the educational requirements you do not need to submit new transcripts.
Supporting Documents:
PLEASE NOTE: Applicants who meet the minimum eligibility and qualification requirements for this position may be contacted via email within 7 business days of this announcement closing to submit follow-up supporting docs if applicable. Applicants applying as current/former Federal employees OR as VEOA eligibles who fail to submit supporting documents within 5 business days of receiving the email request will lose further consideration for this position. Applicants claiming CTAP/ICTAP or Sch A eligibility who fail to submit supporting documents within 5 business days of receiving the email request will not lose consideration for this position, however they will not be entitled to special or priority consideration. Supporting docs that may be requested of applicants after the closing date of this announcement are:
1. Notification of Personnel Action (SF-50) - For current and/or former Federal employees, your status eligibility and highest permanent grade/step/salary held in the Federal service will be validated with a copy of your most recent SF-50, "Notification of Personnel Action" so that we may verify your time-in-grade.
2. Performance Appraisal - Recent performance appraisal with supervisor's signature showing the official final rating of record, and copy of incentive award(s). In cases where the performance appraisal is incomplete or unavailable, applicants may provide explanation of the reasons.
3. Veterans Employment Opportunities Act (VEOA) documents - If you are a Veteran claiming eligibility under VEOA, you will be asked to submit a copy of your DD-214. Veterans must include dates of military service on their application materials, and submit a copy of each Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, DD-214. For more info, please visit Special Appointing Authorities for Veterans.
4. Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) Career Transition Assistance Program documents - Applicants will be asked to submit: (1) A copy of your specific RIF notice, written notice of your expected separation or other documents of priority consideration status; (2) A copy of your latest SF-50 noting current position, grade, and duty location; (3) A copy of your last performance appraisal and the rating; and (4) Any documents from your agency that shows your current promotion potential.
5. Special Appointing Authorities - If you are applying under the special appointing authority such as those authorized for the severely disabled (Schedule A) or Vietnam era and disabled veterans (VRA), you will be asked to submit documents showing eligibility to non-competitively apply under Merit Assignment announcements. Please indicate the type of special appointment you are seeking on your application. For more info on non-competitive appointments and supporting documents, please visit Federal Employment of People with Disabilities or Feds Hire Vets - Special Hiring Authorities for Veterans.
You can choose ONE of the following methods to submit Supporting Documents: 1) You can upload your documents when you register or update your information on the Dept. of Commerce site which you access through the USAJobs site.
OR
2) You can fax your documents to 571-258-4254 using the system generated fax cover sheet. Your application and all required documents must be received by 11:59 pm ET on the closing date of this job announcement.
NOTE: The preceding documents requirement are based on job requirements and individual applicant eligibility. Not all documents are applicable to all applicants; if you are unsure which documents apply to you, contact the HR Specialist listed on this announcement.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
Personally Identifiable Information (PII) Personally Identifiable Information (PII) is defined as information that can be traced back to a specific individual and potentially compromise their security or privacy. Examples of PII include: date of birth, Social Security Number, and place of birth.
Please ensure that you have removed all Personally Identifiable Information from all documents prior to submitting or uploading your applications material.
You MUST apply online. If you experience difficulties with the application process or do not have access to a computer, please contact the HR Specialist listed as the point of contact before the closing date of this job announcement.
If you are a new user to the USAJobs Site and have never registered for an account; you will first need to create an account profile with your basic contact information and a resume to begin applying. You must be a registered USAJobs user AND you must be signed-in to your account in order to apply for this position. For help setting up an account or for general help using USAJobs, go to USAJobs Help Page. Once you have gathered all of the required information and are ready to begin the application process, click the "APPLY ONLINE" button at the right side of the page. You will then be directed away from USAJobs to the Department of Commerce application site for USPTO. You must click "Submit" at the end of the application process to send your application for consideration.
To return to your saved application, log in to your USAJOBS account at http://www.usajobs.gov/ and click on "Applications." Click on the position title, then select "Update Application."
If you experience any difficulties with the application site, help is available! If you have problems completing your on-line application, contact the Monster Hiring Management Help Desk at 1-866-656-6831 or by e-mail at MGSHELP@monster.com. The help desk is available Monday - Friday 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. You may call and leave a voice mail message at all other times. All required supporting documents will be collected electronically via the USAJobs “Saved Documents” feature.
PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
550 Elizabeth Lane
Elizabeth Townhouse
Alexandria, Virginia 22314
United States
Next steps
You will receive a notice generated by the USAJobs System when you have successfully submitted your application.
You will be notified of your application status through USAJOBS at four points during the hiring process, as applicable. You can check the status of your application by accessing the USAJOBS website at http://usajobs.gov/ and clicking on “Track Your Online Application.” The four points of notification are:
1. Application Received or Application Incomplete;
2. Minimum Qualification Requirement Met or Minimum Qualification Requirement Not Met;
3. Eligible (Application Referred to the Selecting Official) or Eligible (Application Not Referred to the Selecting Official); and
4. Selected or Not Selected
After all application packages have been received, we will review your application and transcript(s) (if you are qualifying based on education) to ensure you meet the basic qualification requirements. We will evaluate each applicant who meets the basic qualifications on the information provided and you may be contacted for follow-up supplemental documentation. It is the applicant’s responsibility to provide any supplemental documents or information requested by the Office of Human Resources within the allocated timeframes.
You will be required to submit official documentation prior to appointment. The agency will then verify the information provided on your application (i.e., degree, veterans’ preference, disability, etc.).
By submitting your application you are certifying the accuracy of the information contained in your application. If you make a false statement in any part of your application, you may not be hired; you may be terminated after you begin work; or, you may be fined or jailed. After making a tentative job offer, we will conduct a suitability/security background investigation.
You can check the status of your application by logging into USAJOBS. You may also sign up to receive automatic emails anytime the status of your application has changed by logging into your USAJobs Account, editing your profile and changing the"Notification Settings" to indicate that you want to be notified by email when the status changes. Information regarding the status of your application should be updated in the system within 2 weeks after the closing date of this job announcement.
Fair and transparent
The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.
