Patent Examiner (Computer Engineering)

Summary

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. Youll shape the future of patent examination advance key processes and support innovation in cutting-edge ways.

Duties

Be part of history in the making - and help shape whats 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. Youll review applications plan and conduct searches and apply prior art to determine if inventions meet patentability standards. Early in your career youll 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. Youll 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 youll 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 $30000 recruitment bonus for new federal employees (with a 48-month service commitment). Employees will receive $10000 after entrance on duty (EOD) and may be eligible for a 2nd installment of $20000 after attaining promotion(s) to GS-12 within 36 months of EOD.

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 $15000 for any one company and less than $25000 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 Managements (OPM) qualification requirements (including specialized experience and / or educational requirements) for the Patent Examiner (Computer Engineer) position. Please see OPMs information on the Engineering Individual Occupational Requirements. OPMs prescribed Group Coverage Qualification Standard for Patent Examiner Series GS-1224 is available at OPM Patent Examiner Series 1224.

Requirements

Conditions of employment

• Your resume and question responses must demonstrate the job-related competencies. You must meet the definition of specialized experience.
• You are required to pass a background investigation and fingerprint check.
• If this is your first federal appointment you will be required to complete a one-year probationary period. Current federal service employees may be given a new appointment and a new probationary period may be required.
• You must meet all qualification requirements upon the closing date of this announcement.
• You must be registered for Selective Service if applicable ().
• This is a Non-Bargaining Unit position.
• This is a Public Trust position and has a risk level designation of moderate.

Qualifications

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 bachelors 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 bachelors 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 masters degree or masters 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 may have 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.

Education

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 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.

OPMs 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.

Additional information

USPTO Job Applicants requiring reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process should request accommodation(s) from the USPTO at 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 Managements 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 announcemen t.

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 USPTOs Office of Equal Employment Opportunity via email ( ) or phone ).

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.

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 window Learn more about federal benefits.

Review our 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.

Required Experience :

IC

Key Skills

Auditing,GAAP,Military Experience,Phlebotomy,Conflict Management,Vital Signs Experience,Computer Forensics,Research Experience,Securities Law,Operating Systems,PTSD Care,RMF

Employment Type : Full-Time

Experience : years

Vacancy : 1

Yearly Salary Salary : 67860 - 120699