The United States Patent and Trademark Office is seeking an ambitious and enthusiastic legal professional to serve as the Senior Legal Administrator for Trademarks Technology and Systems. In this role you'll have an unparalleled opportunity to provide the vision, guidance and direction on the implementation of electronic filing systems, web services, and tools for the Trademark Organization. If you are an expert in Trademark law, regulations, policies, and procedures, this job may be yours!
Summary
The United States Patent and Trademark Office is seeking an ambitious and enthusiastic legal professional to serve as the Senior Legal Administrator for Trademarks Technology and Systems. In this role you'll have an unparalleled opportunity to provide the vision, guidance and direction on the implementation of electronic filing systems, web services, and tools for the Trademark Organization. If you are an expert in Trademark law, regulations, policies, and procedures, this job may be yours!
As the Senior Legal Administrator for Trademarks Technology and Systems within the Office of the Commissioner for Trademarks, you'll function as the leader for the direction of trademark legal policies related to external (public) and internal programs and activities that utilize automation, information technology (IT), and other electronic capabilities that drive efficiency and effectiveness.
The Senior Legal Administrator for Trademarks Technology and Systems will enjoy a professionally satisfying and fulfilling legal role in actively advising and planning the implementation of electronic filing systems, web services, and tools for the Trademark Organization, the interactions between the USPTO and its stakeholders and customers, and interactions with external Intellectual Property (IP) organizations and offices.
You'll also have the opportunity to:
Lead, address and coordinate the trademark legal policy requirements for external and internal systems content; eFiling, public facing web services content, and tools used by examining attorneys, legal specialists, petitions and policy staff, other internal customers, and external stakeholders.
Work in partnership with Commissioner for Trademarks business unit executives, senior IT specialists and the Office of the Chief Information Office (OCIO) key leaders on trademark IT product/project planning investment decisions and estimates.
Recommend multi-year trademark IT investment priorities in consultation with the Commissioner for Trademarks organization and OCIO.
Coordinate with Lead Product Owners (LPOs), Product Owners (POs), Business Analysts (BAs) and Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) on trademark IT projects regarding legal issues and public content.
Lead special projects of limited duration to explore new concepts and demonstrate operational characteristics of new capabilities related to eFiling, tools and web content.
Represent the commissioner and/or deputy commissioners in meetings with external IP offices and organizations on issues relating to the exchange of trademark data and IT resources.
Participate in international standards development with organizations working on issues relating to trademark data.
Provide legal and technical assistance to IP offices on issues relating to the development and application of IT resources.
Develop and maintain legal policy IT-related facets of Commissioner for Trademarks strategic planning, metrics and targets, and reporting of results.
Manage Trademarks eFile and web services IT investment portfolios.
Establish metrics to measure and evaluate systems performance and total cost of ownership in proposing new systems or evaluating existing ones.
Provide supervision, coordination, implementation, and evaluation of the work performed by staff within the Office.
If you feel inspired and up for the challenge, apply now!
Required to pass a background investigation and fingerprint check.
Must be registered for Selective Service, if applicable (www.sss.gov).
If selected, you will be required to complete a two-year probationary period.
Financial Disclosure Report (OGE-278) will be required upon appointment.
Qualifications
In addition to the education requirements, candidates must demonstrate their experience in their narrative responses to the Professional Technical Qualifications (PTQs) statements, and all narrative responses must be fully supported within their resume. Specialized experience is directly related to the duties and responsibilities of this position, referenced in the technical qualifications, that equipped the candidate with the scope and level of knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the work.
Applicants are required to use the USA Jobs text boxes to submit their narrative responses to the PTQs. Do not write "see resume" or "see attached documents". Each PTQ has a 10,000-character limit (to include spaces) that must be adhered to. Uploaded documents addressing the PTQs will not be accepted.
For the following PTQs, you are required to submit a narrative response addressing your specific knowledge, skills and abilities that demonstrate your possession of these qualifications. Experience must have been at a sufficiently high level of difficulty to clearly show that the candidate possesses the required professional/technical qualifications set forth below.
1. Demonstrated in-depth knowledge and experience providing expert guidance and recommendation of advanced trademark legal policy, principles and methodologies.
2. Demonstrated ability to identify new investment initiatives that leverage existing resources and infuse emerging technologies to enable the transformation (development and evolution) of intellectual property-related lines of business into an e-Government operations.
3. Demonstrated experience conceptualizing, drafting, reviewing, and approving plans for systems development projects (from design to support) to ensure that they reflect a sound understanding of business requirements specifically focused on intellectual property organizations, systems development principles and approaches, information systems principles and concepts, and applications software design concepts and methods.
4. Demonstrated experience providing legal and policy advice to intellectual property senior leaders and external IP offices on issues relating to the application of IT.
Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.
Education
Candidates must have successfully completed a full course of study in a school of law accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA) and have a professional law degree and must currently be a member in good standing of the bar of a State or Territory of the United States or the District of Columbia.
Additional information
This is a Non-Bargaining Unit position. This is a Public Trust position and a risk level designation of moderate.
Relocation Expenses are not authorized and will not be paid.
The USPTO participates in E-Verify. For more information on E-Verify, please visit http://www.dhs.gov/files/programs/gc_1185221678150.shtm.
All Federal employees are required to have Federal salary payments made by direct deposit to a financial institution of their choice.
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.
The Ethics in Government Act of 1978, as amended, requires senior officials in the executive, legislative and judicial branches to file public reports of their finances as well as other interests outside the Government. If selected for this position, you will be required to file a Financial Disclosure Report (OGE Form 278). The OGE 278 is available to the public. The primary purpose of disclosure is to assist agencies in identifying potential conflicts of interest between a filer's official duties and the filer's private financial interests and affiliations.
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.
In order to be considered for this position, you must demonstrate in your application package that you meet the minimum specialized experience as defined under the "Qualifications" section, fully answer the Professional Technical Qualifications (PTQs), and submit a detailed resume that fully supports your answers to the PTQs and specialized experience.
All applicants must submit a written narrative that demonstrates possession of the PTQs. You must fully address each PTQ to be rated for further consideration. Do not write "see resume". Applicants must use the USA Jobs text boxes to submit their narrative responses to the PTQs. Do not write "see resume" or "see attached documents". Each PTQ has a 10,000-character limit (to include spaces) that must be adhered to. Uploaded documents addressing the PTQs will not be accepted.
Your responses to the PTQs and resume will be evaluated by a Human Resources Specialist and/or a subject matter expert. 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. 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.
A resume or any other written format you choose to describe your job-related qualifications: Your resume should indicate your citizenship and should list your educational and work experience including job titles, salary, employment dates, duties and accomplishments, experience and how it relates to the Professional Technical Qualifications (PTQs) 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.
Narrative responses to the PTQs: All applicants must submit a written narrative that demonstrates possession of the PTQs separately. Applicants are required to input narrative responses to the PTQs in the text boxes as prompted by USAJobs. Each PTQ has a 10,000-character limit (to include spaces) that must be adhered to. You must fully address each PTQ to be rated for further consideration. Do not write "see resume".
Transcripts: You MUST submit copies of your college transcripts for verification of the education requirements. Unofficial copies are accepted, however, if selected you will be required to furnish official transcripts. It is your responsibility to provide adequate proof that you meet the above educational requirement. Inadequate or illegible information could result in non-qualification and loss of consideration.
Bar Membership Documentation: You MUST submit documentation showing that you are an active member of the Bar in Good Standing of any State, District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, or any Territorial Court under the U.S. Constitution. This letter and/or certificate should be dated within the last six months of the closing date of this job announcement. If you are unable to obtain this information by the closing date of this announcement, you must contact the HR Specialist listed on this announcement to make other arrangements prior to the closing date of the announcement.
Notification of Personnel Action (SF-50), if applicable - Please submit a current SF-50 if you are a current or former Federal Employee. 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".
Veterans' Preference Documentation, if applicable: positions are in the excepted service, not the competitive civil service. There is no formal rating system for applying veterans' preference to attorney appointments in the excepted service; however, the USPTO considers veterans' preference eligibility as a positive factor consideration in the hiring process. If you are eligible for veterans' preference in hiring, you are encouraged to include that information in your application along with the supporting documentation, e.g., SF-15, DD 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, or other supporting documentation.
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. Failure to submit required documents, based upon how you apply, may result in loss of consideration due to an incomplete application.
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.
*If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, or Non-career SES employee in the executive branch, you must disclose this information within your application. 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.
Personally Identifiable Information (PII)
Please ensure that you have removed all PII on from all documents prior to submitting or uploading your applications material. 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. A complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration.
EXRD - Trademarks Organization
Office of Human Resources
Mail Stop 171
P.O. Box 1450
Alexandria, VA 22313-1450
US
Next steps
Candidates are evaluated by an executive rating panel based on the degree to which they meet the PTQs and considering the applicant's education, work-related experience, training, awards, and professional recognition, as set forth in the materials submitted by the candidates and placed in one of three pre-defined quality categories. These categories are "Highly Qualified", "Well Qualified" and "Qualified." Candidates placed in the highest quality category will be identified for referral to the hiring manager and may be invited for an interview.
You will 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.
You can check the status of your application by accessing the USAJOBS website at http://usajobs.gov/ and clicking on "Track Your Online Application." You may also sign up to receive automatic emails anytime the status of your application has changed by logging in to 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 two 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.
A resume or any other written format you choose to describe your job-related qualifications: Your resume should indicate your citizenship and should list your educational and work experience including job titles, salary, employment dates, duties and accomplishments, experience and how it relates to the Professional Technical Qualifications (PTQs) 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.
Narrative responses to the PTQs: All applicants must submit a written narrative that demonstrates possession of the PTQs separately. Applicants are required to input narrative responses to the PTQs in the text boxes as prompted by USAJobs. Each PTQ has a 10,000-character limit (to include spaces) that must be adhered to. You must fully address each PTQ to be rated for further consideration. Do not write "see resume".
Transcripts: You MUST submit copies of your college transcripts for verification of the education requirements. Unofficial copies are accepted, however, if selected you will be required to furnish official transcripts. It is your responsibility to provide adequate proof that you meet the above educational requirement. Inadequate or illegible information could result in non-qualification and loss of consideration.
Bar Membership Documentation: You MUST submit documentation showing that you are an active member of the Bar in Good Standing of any State, District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, or any Territorial Court under the U.S. Constitution. This letter and/or certificate should be dated within the last six months of the closing date of this job announcement. If you are unable to obtain this information by the closing date of this announcement, you must contact the HR Specialist listed on this announcement to make other arrangements prior to the closing date of the announcement.
Notification of Personnel Action (SF-50), if applicable - Please submit a current SF-50 if you are a current or former Federal Employee. 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".
Veterans' Preference Documentation, if applicable: positions are in the excepted service, not the competitive civil service. There is no formal rating system for applying veterans' preference to attorney appointments in the excepted service; however, the USPTO considers veterans' preference eligibility as a positive factor consideration in the hiring process. If you are eligible for veterans' preference in hiring, you are encouraged to include that information in your application along with the supporting documentation, e.g., SF-15, DD 214, Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, or other supporting documentation.
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. Failure to submit required documents, based upon how you apply, may result in loss of consideration due to an incomplete application.
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.
*If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, or Non-career SES employee in the executive branch, you must disclose this information within your application. 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.
Personally Identifiable Information (PII)
Please ensure that you have removed all PII on from all documents prior to submitting or uploading your applications material. 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. A complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration.
EXRD - Trademarks Organization
Office of Human Resources
Mail Stop 171
P.O. Box 1450
Alexandria, VA 22313-1450
US
Next steps
Candidates are evaluated by an executive rating panel based on the degree to which they meet the PTQs and considering the applicant's education, work-related experience, training, awards, and professional recognition, as set forth in the materials submitted by the candidates and placed in one of three pre-defined quality categories. These categories are "Highly Qualified", "Well Qualified" and "Qualified." Candidates placed in the highest quality category will be identified for referral to the hiring manager and may be invited for an interview.
You will 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.
You can check the status of your application by accessing the USAJOBS website at http://usajobs.gov/ and clicking on "Track Your Online Application." You may also sign up to receive automatic emails anytime the status of your application has changed by logging in to 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 two 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.
