The USPTO drives U.S innovation for the benefit of all Americans and providing intellectual property protection for innovators and entrepreneurs worldwide. We are looking for talented individuals to examine ideas that benefit society and bring innovation to market. You'll shape the future of patent examination, advance key processes, and support innovation in cutting-edge ways.
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Be part of history in the making - and help shape what's next.
Learn how to become a patent examiner, explore the patent examiner disciplines crosswalk to find the areas that align best with your expertise, meet the people leading the way, and discover how you can use cutting-edge tools to protect breakthrough ideas.
Your next chapter starts here.
If you are a student nearing graduation, within 9 months from the date of your applications, you can still apply! Just submit your application now, and we will verify your degree before your start date.
As a patent examiner, you will:
Examine patent applications and protect groundbreaking ideas. You'll review applications, plan and conduct searches, and apply prior art to determine if inventions meet patentability standards. Early in your career, you'll work closely with supervisors and senior examiners, receiving extensive guidance as you develop your skills and review your findings.
Prepare clear and thoughtful office actions. You'll draft detailed explanations of your examination decisions, discuss them in depth with supervisors or senior examiners, and refine your work based on their feedback before issuing official communications.
Drive innovation in how we examine patents. Beyond day-to-day examination, you'll contribute to improving our processes through analytical research and active involvement in shaping the future of patent work.
Test new ideas and methods. Try alternative examination approaches and share valuable feedback to help improve efficiency and performance.
Evaluate cutting-edge technologies. Assist in testing innovative tools, including artificial intelligence, and provide insights on their potential to transform how we work.
Participate in pilot programs and new initiatives. Help shape and refine new work structures and processes, offering recommendations for streamlining operations and improving outcomes.
Be a voice for improvement. Provide ongoing feedback and insights to help leadership make informed decisions about patent examination practices, technology, and workflow enhancements.
In addition, our Patent Examiner (Computer Engineering) positions may offer a $30,000 recruitment bonus for new federal employees (with a 48-month service commitment). Employee will receive $10,000 after entrance on duty (EOD) and may be eligible for a 2nd installment of $20,000 after attaining promotions two grades greater than the grade on EOD within 24 months.
You will be required to file a confidential financial disclosure report, i.e., the Office of Government Ethics (OGE) Form 450, within 30 days of assuming the position and annually thereafter. You will be required to complete ethics orientation within 3 months of beginning of your position.
Please review the relevant conflict of interest laws and standards of ethical conduct that may affect you as a patent examiner. Carefully review the conflict of interest laws and standards of ethical conduct, as if you have an interest in any company that manufactures devices or markets processes covered by your technology area, you will be subject to a disqualification regarding all patent applications in the technology area unless the value is below $15,000 for any one company and less than $25,000 for all companies.
If you are an attorney applicant, you must also be able to comply with the relevant rules of professional conduct regarding any possible professional responsibility conflicts in connection with your application.
Further, as an employee of the USPTO you are restricted as to your interest in patents consistent with 35 U.S.C. 4.
What are the work history and educational requirements for this position?
Below are the Office of Personnel Management's (OPM) qualification requirements (including specialized experience and/or educational requirements) for the Patent Examiner (Computer Engineer) position. Please see OPM's information on the Engineering Individual Occupational Requirements. OPM's prescribed Group Coverage Qualification Standard for Patent Examiner Series, GS-1224, is available at OPM Patent Examiner Series 1224.
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BASIC REQUIREMENTS for all grade levels in this series include:
A) (1) successfully completed a full four-year course of study in an accredited college or university leading to a bachelor's or higher degree in engineering, OR (2) a combination of qualifying education and experience.
This can be demonstrated by one of the following:
The curriculum must:
OR
B) A combination of education and experience. This combination of college-level education, training, and/or technical experience must have furnished both: a thorough knowledge of the physical and mathematical sciences underlying professional engineering; AND a good understanding, both theoretical and practical, of the engineering sciences and techniques and their application to professional engineering.
Applicants must also meet the additional requirements listed below.
Applicants for the GS-7 position have many ways to qualify. In addition to the basic requirements as stated above, applicants may have A, B, C, D, or E listed below to qualify:
(A) One year of graduate-level education from an accredited college and/or university in an engineering field of study.
(B) Superior Academic Achievement. This can be defined by one of the following:
(C) One year of specialized experience applying basic engineering, biological science, physics, or scientific principles, theories, concepts, and methodologies used in the evaluation of technology; assisting in the collection of and recognizing discrepancies in data. Examples of work include taking measurements and collecting information, learning to take proper samples, conducting routine calculations, checking of numerical data, preparing graphs and data profiles, and/or accomplishing routine analyses.
(D) A combination of graduate level education that is less than 1 year and less than 1 year of specialized experience that together meet the qualification requirements for this position.
(E) Successful completion of a 5-year program of study of at least 160 semester hours leading to a bachelor's degree in engineering.
Applicants for the GS-9 position have many ways to qualify. In addition to the basic requirements as stated above, applicants may have A, B, C, D, or E listed below to qualify:
(A) Two years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a master's degree or master's or equivalent graduate degree from an accredited college and/or university in an engineering field of study.
(B) One year of specialized experience, interpreting and applying intermediate engineering, biological science, physics, scientific principles, theories, concepts, and methodologies used in the evaluation of technology; participating in planning and conducting research; applying appropriate references to the claimed invention; etc. Work experience would have involved following established methods and procedures, or detailed instructions; using some judgment in applying basic principles and procedures; and independently completing recurring assignments, but referring deviations, problems, and unfamiliar situations to a designated person for decision or help.
(C) A combination of education and experience in college-level education, training, and/or technical experience.
(D) A combination of successfully completed graduate-level education, as described above, that is beyond the first year of progressive graduate study, and professional experience, as described above.
(E) A combination of superior academic achievement and 1 year of appropriate specialized experience.
Applicants for the GS-11 position have many ways to qualify. In addition to the basic requirements as stated above, applicants mayhave A, B, or C listed below to qualify:
(A) Three years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree from an accredited college and/or university in the fields of study as described.
(B) At least one year of specialized experience: interpreting and applying advanced engineering and/or scientific principles, theories, concepts, and methodologies used in the evaluation of technology; or planning and conducting technical research to draft technical papers; or applying appropriate references and case law to claimed inventions. Experience may include independent responsibility for a well-defined study or for a phase of a larger study that required the planning and carrying out of routine (physics, engineer, biological, etc.) work (such as those who have PhDs).
(C) A combination of successfully completed graduate-level education, that is beyond the second year of progressive graduate study, and professional experience, as described above.
An engineering curriculum must be accredited by the ABET as a professional engineering curriculum, OR must 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); or (g) any other comparable area of fundamental engineering science or physics, such as optics, heat transfer, soil mechanics, or electronics.
Unless otherwise indicated by the school, 18 semester hours will be considered an academic year of graduate study.
Education completed at foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the requirements. Please refer to http://www.opm.gov/qualifications/policy/ApplicationOfStds-04.asp for more information. You are not required to submit official documents at this time; copies are sufficient.
Special Instructions for Foreign Education: Qualifying education from colleges and universities in foreign countries must be evaluated in terms of equivalency to that acquired in U.S. colleges and universities. Applicants educated in whole or in part in foreign countries must submit sufficient evidence, including transcripts, to an accredited private organization for an equivalency evaluation of coursework and the degree. A listing of services that can perform this evaluation is available at the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) website. You must provide a copy of the letter containing the results of the equivalency evaluation with a course-by-course listing along with your application. Failure to provide such documentation when requested will result in lost consideration.
NOTE: Only education and experience acquired before the filing deadline will be considered. Report only attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
OPM's prescribed Group Coverage Qualification Standard for Patent Examiner Series, GS-1224, is available at OPM Patent Examiner Series 1224. 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). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment.
If you are substituting education for experience, you must submit an unofficial transcript or a list of courses that includes: your name, name of accredited institution, grades earned, completion dates, and quarter and semester hours earned.
For documentation requirements, see REQUIRED DOCUMENTS
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.
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.
Background Investigation - If selected for this position, you will 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.
The USPTO participates in E-Verify. For more information on E-Verify, please visit the Department of Homeland Security Website.
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.
A recruitment incentive may be paid to an employee who is newly appointed to the Federal Government. "Newly appointed" refers to the first appointment as an employee of the Federal Government or an appointment following a break in service of at least 90 days from a previous appointment as an employee of the Federal Government.
Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) or Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) applicants 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 and ICTAP eligibility is on the Office of Personnel Management's Career Transition Resources website at: OPM CTAP/ICTAP.
CTAP/ICTAP documentation requirements are listed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.
More than one selection may be made from this announcement.
All application materials become the property of the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
Please search USAJOBS for "Patent Examiner" or visit our Careers Website for further information.
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 sexual orientation), national origin, political affiliation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions, retaliation for engaging in protected activity, 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).
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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 resume and supporting documentation will be reviewed to determine if you meet the minimum qualifications for the position. 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 relate to the assessment questions in the job announcement.
If you meet the minimum qualifications stated in the job announcement, the USPTO will compare your resume and supporting documentation to your responses to the assessment questions and place you in one of two categories: "gold" and "bronze." Applicants placed in the "gold" category will be referred to the hiring manager. If you fall under the "gold" category, your On-Demand interview will be evaluated by the hiring manager.
How you will be evaluated for preference eligibility: Dependent upon the grade level of which you are qualified, Preference eligibles with a service-connected disability of 10% or more will be listed at the top of the highest quality category (gold).
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. An HR Representative will validate the qualifications of those applicants eligible to be referred to the hiring official. Please note that any updates or changes to your application may impact your overall rating and/or move your application to the next cut-off date for review.
The scored occupational questionnaire will evaluate you on the following competencies. Please do not provide a separate written response.
For more information on category rating, please go to: DOC Bulletins
The questionnaire includes four short, free-response essay questions. Applicants will be required to certify that they are using their own words, and did not use a consultant or AI (such as a large language model [LLM]). The responses cannot exceed 200 words per question.
To preview the questionnaire please click the link below:
https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12724508
Please answer each question to the full extent of your experience/ability and be sure to consider ALL of your experience when answering.
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.).
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You MUST apply online. If you experience difficulties with the application process or do not have access to a computer, please contact the JoinUSPTO@uspto.gov or 571-272-6000 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)
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.
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Join USPTO
Phone
571-272-6000
JoinUSPTO@USPTO.GOV
Address
PATS - Deputy Commissioner for Patents
Office of Human Resources
Mail Stop 171
P.O. Box 1450
Alexandria, VA 22313-1450
US
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; and
2. Minimum Qualification Requirement Met or Minimum Qualification Requirement Not Met; and
3. Eligible (Application Referred to the Selecting Official) or Eligible (Application Not Referred to the Selecting Official); and
4. Selected or Not Selected.
Upon receiving application packages, we will conduct an initial review of your application and transcripts (if you qualify based on education) to confirm that you meet the basic requirements. All minimally qualified candidates will be invited for an On Demand interview. However, the hiring manager will only review interviews left by those marked qualified and referred on the certificate (gold category).
If you are referred to the hiring manager, you may be contacted if additional interviews or follow-ups are necessary.
If selected, 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.). 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 two weeks after the closing date of this job announcement.
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