The externship is intended to give students an opportunity to experience what it's like to work at PTO, as well as interact with experts in several disciplines, explore opportunities and develop or enhance personal and professional skills. As an extern with the USPTO, you will be working with the largest Intellectual Property Rights entity in the nation.
Summary
The externship is intended to give students an opportunity to experience what it's like to work at PTO, as well as interact with experts in several disciplines, explore opportunities and develop or enhance personal and professional skills. As an extern with the USPTO, you will be working with the largest Intellectual Property Rights entity in the nation.
All candidates must be enrolled or accepted for enrollment as a high school or degree-seeking student at an accredited university either as an undergraduate, graduate, legal, or post graduate student.
This announcement is limited to the first 250 applications received. All applications received prior to midnight (11:59 ET) of the day the application limit is reached will be accepted and considered. If the application limit is not reached by the closing date of the announcement, all applications received during the open period will be considered. Any required documents must be submitted at the time that you apply as documents will not be accepted past the day the application limit is reached, if applicable.
This announcement is being used to recruit for multiple extern positions throughout the USPTO. As a Student Extern, you will receive practical experience by engaging in a variety of diverse and challenging activities. Exciting opportunities await you! Come join us and contribute to the accomplishment of organizational goals in an intellectual property environment. Your extern experience will be further enhanced by participating in sessions with agency executives and other USPTO leadership where you will gain insight into USPTO programs. The program is scheduled to begin on June 1, 2022, and end no later than August 26, 2022. Please note that this program will be held in a virtual work environment. We ask that our externs commit to at least 12 weeks of service.
Office of the Commissioner for Patents (Patent Examiner Externs Only)
Primary duties may include, but are not limited to:
Researching and reviewing of patent applications
Conducting prior art searches
Briefing management officials on technology content
Drafting non-final office actions
Proposing an engineering position based on findings
Formulating written legal position dealing with a range of issues from intellectual property to drafting positions on petition decisions
Drafting policy, proposing outreach strategies
Participating in outreach activities
All other USPTO Business Offices: The Office of the Under Secretary (OUS), Office of the Commissioner for Patent (Patent - all other positions), Office of the Commissioner for Trademarks (Trademarks), Office of the Chief Financial Officer (OCFO), Office of the Chief Administrative Officer (OCAO), Office of Policy and International Affairs (OPIA), Office of the Chief Communications Officer (OCCO), Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB), Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB), and the Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO).
Primary duties may include, but are not limited to:
Researching materials and preparing information
Benchmarking other agencies and private industry companies
Participating in group/team assignments
Assisting with special projects and new initiatives
Managing databases and inputting information
Review and analyzing information
Drafting various documents and reports
Creating electronic and hard copy case files, maintaining files
Communicating with customers via phone, e-mail and/or face- to-face
Assisting in preparing for a variety of training classes
Designing various strategies and presentations
Assisting with redesigning business process improvement activities
Testing various software and systems
Creating spreadsheets/charts, etc. using a variety of data sources and information
Assisting in preparing for and observing hearings, cases, panels, interviews, and documenting results
Assisting with researching and contributing toward analysis of IP protection and enforcement policies of U.S. and of selected foreign countries
Assisting in outreach to Members of Congress, state and local elected officials
Assisting economists and technical staff in conducting groundbreaking economic research on innovation and intellectual property
Must be registered for Selective Service, if applicable (www.sss.gov)
Meet educational requirement.
Must be enrolled as a high school or degree-seeking student in a qualifying educational institution.
Must be at least 16 years of age.
Qualifications
All applicants applying to participate in the externship must meet the following requirements:
1. Must be enrolled or accepted for enrollment as a high school or degree-seeking student at an accredited university (either an undergraduate, graduate, law school or post-graduate).
2. Must be in good academic standing.
Education
All candidates must be enrolled or accepted for enrollment as a high school or degree-seeking student at an accredited university either as an undergraduate, graduate, legal, or post graduate student.
Additional information
Applicants applying for this position must be a United States Citizen or National.
Background Investigation - If selected for this position, you may be required to complete a Declaration for Federal Employment (OF-306), to determine your suitability for Federal employment. The USPTO participates in E-Verify. For more information on E-Verify, please visit the Department of Homeland Security Website.
Relocation Expenses are not authorized and will not be paid.
All application materials become the property of the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
The physical worksite for this position is located in Alexandria,VA, Detroit, MI, Dallas, TX, Denver, CO or San Jose, CA. However, the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is currently under a maximum telework posture due to the COVID-19 pandemic; therefore, this position is currently under a 100 percent telework schedule. The position's telework schedule will likely change in the future when USPTO moves away from its maximum telework posture. At that time, the incumbent will be expected to report to the physical work site in accordance with the updated status requirements of their supervisor. The nature and scope of future telework opportunities will be subject to the unit's telework policy, any applicable bargaining unit agreements, and supervisory approval. Payment of relocation expenses, as applicable, will be paid in accordance with this Job Opportunity Announcement.
As required by Executive Order 14043, Federal employees are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 regardless of the employee's duty location or work arrangement (e.g., telework, remote work, etc.), subject to such exceptions as required by law. If selected, you will be required to be vaccinated against COVID-19 and submit documentation of proof of vaccination by November 22, 2021 or before appointment or onboarding with the agency, if after November 22. The agency will provide additional information regarding what information or documentation will be needed and how you can request of the agency a legally required exception from this requirement. Contact the USPTO's Office of Equal Employment and Diversity at (571) 272-8292 or OEEOD@uspto.gov for information on obtaining an exception to the requirement.
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.
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.
There is no testing, rating of applicants for this program. Eligibility for appointment is based on applicants meeting the basic requirements for the position as documented in the resume and responses to the assessment questions.
Falsifying your background, education, and/or experience is cause for immediate dismissal.
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.
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 job titles, salary, employment dates, duties and accomplishments, experience.
2. Transcripts and/or an Official Letter for Proof of Enrollment for the upcoming semester at a qualifying educational institution: You MUST submit copies of your college transcripts for verification of the education requirements. Unofficial copies are acceptable when submitting your application package. However, if selected you will be required to furnish official transcripts. Also, proof of enrollment is required upon selection for the externship. It is your responsibility to provide adequate proof that you meet the above educational requirements. Inadequate or illegible information could result in non-qualification and loss of consideration.
To submit Supporting Documents:
You can upload your documents when you register or update your information on the Department of Commerce application site which you access through the USAJobs site.
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) 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" 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! OPM has a Help feature on each page. Use this option when you need assistance.
All required supporting documents will be collected electronically via the USAJobs "Saved Documents" feature.
PATS - Patent Experience Extern Program
500 Elizabeth Lane
Alexandria, VA 22314
US
Next steps
You will receive a notice generated by the USAJobs System when you have successfully submitted your application. You will also receive notification through USAJOBS at each of the following points during the application process: (1) application received; (2) applicant assessed for qualifications; (3) applicant referred or not referred; 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.
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 job titles, salary, employment dates, duties and accomplishments, experience.
2. Transcripts and/or an Official Letter for Proof of Enrollment for the upcoming semester at a qualifying educational institution: You MUST submit copies of your college transcripts for verification of the education requirements. Unofficial copies are acceptable when submitting your application package. However, if selected you will be required to furnish official transcripts. Also, proof of enrollment is required upon selection for the externship. It is your responsibility to provide adequate proof that you meet the above educational requirements. Inadequate or illegible information could result in non-qualification and loss of consideration.
To submit Supporting Documents:
You can upload your documents when you register or update your information on the Department of Commerce application site which you access through the USAJobs site.
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) 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" 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! OPM has a Help feature on each page. Use this option when you need assistance.
All required supporting documents will be collected electronically via the USAJobs "Saved Documents" feature.
PATS - Patent Experience Extern Program
500 Elizabeth Lane
Alexandria, VA 22314
US
Next steps
You will receive a notice generated by the USAJobs System when you have successfully submitted your application. You will also receive notification through USAJOBS at each of the following points during the application process: (1) application received; (2) applicant assessed for qualifications; (3) applicant referred or not referred; 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.
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.
