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Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer

Department of Commerce
Patent and Trademark Office
Office of the Chief Information Officer

Summary

The United States Patent and Trademark Office's (USPTO) mission is to promote innovation and competition by providing quality examination and issuance of patent and trademark applications, guiding domestic and international intellectual property policy, and delivering intellectual property information and education worldwide. Through the issuance of patents, the USPTO encourages technological advancement by providing incentives to invent, invest in, and disclose new technology worldwide.

Overview

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Accepting applications
Open & closing dates
02/12/2026 to 03/06/2026
Salary
$198,491 to - $220,000 per year
Pay scale & grade
ES 00
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Alexandria, VA
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
Yes—Situational Telework Program
Travel Required
Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this position.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Senior Executive
Promotion potential
00
Supervisory status
Yes
Security clearance
Top Secret
Drug test
Yes
Position sensitivity and risk
Special-Sensitive (SS)/High Risk
Trust determination process
Financial disclosure
Yes
Bargaining unit status
No
Announcement number
EXRD-OCIO-26-12885989
Control number
857613700

Duties

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The physical worksite for this position is located in Alexandria, Virginia. Presence at the Alexandria, VA campus is required for this role, as it includes on site functions that must be performed in person. Position may be eligible for situational telework in accordance with agency policy/business unit discretion. The agency currently allows for 52 hours of telework per calendar year.

All applicants will be assessed for executive competency against the five mandatory Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs). If your two-page resume does not reflect demonstrated evidence of the ECQs and PTQs, you will not receive further consideration for the position. For more information regarding the SES and ECQs, please visit the Executive Core Qualifications page.

The Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer (CAIO) is the operational and strategic leader overseeing the development, strategy and implementation of solutions for real world, large-scale problems using artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) at the USPTO.

As the CAIO, you will be responsible for:

  • Leading the strategic direction and execution of AI and ML initiatives across the agency to identify opportunities for innovation and develop cutting-edge AI solutions that support mission critical business areas.
  • Developing and implementing plans and strategies on best in class, appropriate forms of AI and ML to achieve agency goals and deliver business value.
  • Collaborating with the Office of the Chief Information Office's (OCIO) leadership, business units, and stakeholders as it relates to the investment and implementation of the current and relevant forms of AI, ML, and the Robotic Process Automation (RPA).
  • Providing oversight, technical expertise, and hands-on engineering in the areas including but not limited to; Natural Language Processing (NLP), Imagine Processing, Expert Systems, Evolutionary Computation, RPA, Deep Neural Network including training and validation of proper data sets.
  • Representing OCIO leadership by establishing effective relationships with a broad range of stakeholders across the USPTO by leading technical design and delivery of AI, ML, and automation solutions to mission critical efforts, in particular Patents and Trademarks.
  • Leading organizational change, including meeting with internal and external stakeholders, gathering feedback, and designing flexible solutions to unite conflicting stakeholder views.
  • Collaborating with DevSecOps team to design and implement innovative technology solutions that result in technology/capability pipeline that services current and future capabilities for the mission of Patent and Trademark operations.
  • Leveraging a comprehensive understanding of industry dynamics to evaluate requirements for IT procurement solicitations, contracts, and vendors related to AI, ML, and RPA.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • You must be a U.S. Citizen or National.
  • Subject to a 1-year Senior Executive Service (SES) probationary period (unless already completed).
  • Complete a Declaration for Federal Employment to determine your suitability for Federal employment.
  • If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System or are exempt from having to do so. (see https://www.sss.gov/RegVer/wfRegistration.aspx)
  • File a Confidential Financial Disclosure Report OGE-278e within 30 days of appointment and annually from then on.
  • May be subject to pre-employment and random drug tests.

Qualifications

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution. Candidates will not be hired based on their race, sex, color, religion, or national origin.

To meet the minimum qualification requirements for this position, you must show that you possess the Executive Core Qualifications (ECQ) and Professional Technical Qualifications (PTQs) related to this position within your resume - NOT TO EXCEED 2 PAGES. Resumes over the 2-page limit, will not be reviewed beyond page 2 or may be disqualified. Your resume should include examples of experience, education, and accomplishments applicable to the qualification(s). If your resume does not reflect demonstrated evidence of these qualifications, you may not receive consideration for the position.

There is NO requirement to prepare a narrative statement specifically addressing the Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs) or the Professional Technical Qualifications (PTQs).

PROFESSIONAL TECHNICAL QUALIFICATIONS (TQs): Your resume should demonstrate accomplishments that would satisfy the technical qualifications.

PTQ 1: Demonstrated hands-on experience and expert knowledge of how decision intelligence, agentic AI, and other AI practices/approaches/application areas can transform decision making and work practices. Articulate AI's transformative impact on current and future business objectives and deliver measurable value to drive innovation.

PTQ 2: Demonstrated leadership ability and expert knowledge orchestrating AI across large, multifunctional technical organization, leading complex, multidisciplinary talent teams which includes a blended workforce consisting of employees and contractors/vendors in new endeavors and delivering solutions.

EXECUTIVE CORE QUALIFICATIONS (ECQs): In addition to the Professional Technical Qualification Requirements listed above, all new entrants into the Senior Executive Service (SES) under a career appointment will be assessed for executive competency against the following five mandatory ECQs. If your 2-page resume does not reflect demonstrated evidence of the ECQs and PTQs, you may not receive further consideration for the position.

There are five ECQs:

  • ECQ 1: Commitment to the Rule of Law and the Principles of the American Founding - This core qualification requires a demonstrated knowledge of the American system of government, commitment to uphold the Constitution and the rule of law, and commitment to serve the American people.
  • ECQ 2: Driving Efficiency - This core qualification involves the demonstrated ability to strategically and efficiently manage resources, budget effectively, cut wasteful spending, and pursue efficiency through process and technological upgrades.
  • ECQ 3: Merit and Competence - This core qualification involves the demonstrated knowledge, ability and technical competence to effectively and reliably produce work that is of exceptional quality.
  • ECQ 4: Leading People - This core qualification involves the demonstrated ability to lead and inspire a group toward meeting the organization's vision, mission, and goals, and to drive a high-performance, high-accountability culture. This includes, when necessary, the ability to lead people through change and to hold individuals accountable.
  • ECQ 5: Achieving Results - This core qualification involves the demonstrated ability to achieve both individual and organizational results, and to align results to stated goals from superiors.
Note: If you are a member of the SES or have been certified through successful participation in an OPM approved SES Candidate Development Program (SESCDP), or have SES reinstatement eligibility, you do not need to respond to the ECQs. Instead, you should attach proof (e.g., SF-50, Certification by OPM's SES Qualifications Review Board (QRB)) of your eligibility for noncompetitive appointment to the SES.

Education

This job does not have an education qualification requirement. However, a preferred candidate would have a bachelor's degree or higher with focus on Artificial Intelligence, Computer Science, Machine Learning, Data Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Robotics, Applied Mathematics, or Statistics (AI concentration).

Additional information

OPM must authorize any employment offers made to current or former (within the last 5 years) political Schedule A, Schedule C, or Non-career SES employees in the executive branch. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, or Noncareer SES employee in the executive branch, you must disclose that to the Human Resources Office.

Mobility: Organizational and geographical mobility is essential in developing and managing SES leaders. Individuals selected for SES positions members may be subject to reassignment across geographical, organizational, and functional lines, and may be required to sign a Reassignment Rights and Obligation Agreement.

Veterans Preference: Veterans' preference is not applicable to the SES.

Tiering: The USPTO structures its SES positions into categories (i.e. tiers) to determine the pay range for each position. The categories are based on the position scope, breadth, functions, and placement within the structure of organizational levels across the Department/Agency. This position falls within Tier III of USPTO's structure.

Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy Statement: http://www.eeoc.gov/federal/index.cfm

Employment Information Resources - Resource Center: https://help.usajobs.gov/how-to

The USPTO participates in E-Verify. For more information on E-Verify, please visit https://www.e-verify.gov.

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.

The United States Patent and Trademark Office is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, 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 via email (oeeo@uspto.gov) or phone (571-272-8292).

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

Once the application process is complete, a review of your resume and supporting documentation will be conducted. If you meet minimum qualifications, your Application Package will be further reviewed to determine if you possess the Executive Core Qualifications (ECQ) and Professional Technical Qualifications (PTQs) listed above. ECQs and PTQs must be thoroughly addressed within your two (2) page resume. Separate narratives will not be accepted or reviewed. Superior applicants may undergo one or more interviews and may be referred to the selecting official for further consideration.

Upon selection, if not already a member of the SES serving under a career appointment, the individual selected must have his/her executive qualifications certified by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management's SES Qualifications Review Board (QRB) before appointment to this position. The selected individual's application will be forwarded to the OPM for review and certification by the QRB, unless the selectee provides evidence of their noncompetitive status (i.e., a current SES, OPM QRB certified SESCDP graduate, or SES reinstatement eligible). Upon QRB certification, the selected individual will be required to serve a one-year probationary period. For more information regarding the SES, go to https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/senior-executive-service/.

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