TRAVEL REQUIRED:

Not required

RELOCATION AUTHORIZED:
Relocation expenses reimbursed No

KEY REQUIREMENTS:
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You must be a U.S. Citizen or National.

Your resume and question responses must demonstrate the job-related KSAs.

You must meet the definition of specialized experience.

Required to pass a background investigation and fingerprint check.

Must be registered for Selective Service, if applicable (www.sss.gov)

Suitable for Federal employment.

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You must meet the following United States Office of Personnel Management's (OPM) qualification requirements for the advertised position. OPM's prescribed Group Coverage Qualification Standard for Information Technology Management series can be found at OPM.  You must meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of the job announcement.

Specialized Experience: is experience that has equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the position to be filled. To be creditable, specialized experience must have been equivalent to at least the next lower grade level in the federal service.

Candidates for the GS-13 grade level must have at least 52 weeks of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-12 grade level in the Federal service.

Specialized experience for this position includes all of the following skill sets:

Skill Set 1 - Experience in analyzing, identifying, and resolving users’ problems and concerns and supporting electronic databases and maintaining database accuracy. AND 

Skill Set 2 - Experience in managing and facilitating business requirements, user stories, and User Acceptance Test (UAT) and acting as an interface between users and hardware/software providers. AND

Skill Set 3 – Experience in developing and supporting automated systems and training and advising users and leadership of the technical needs in order to meet organizational goals.

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.

In addition to meeting specialized experience requirements, you must have IT-related experience demonstrating these competencies:

Attention to Detail - Is thorough, accurate and consistent when accomplishing a task with concern for all the areas involved. Pursues quality in all tasks performed.

Customer Service - Anticipates and meets the needs of both internal and external business partners and customers (that is, any individuals who use or receive the services or products that your work unit produces, including the general public, individuals who work in the agency, other agencies, or organizations outside the Government). Provides information or assistance. Delivers high-quality products and services; is committed to continuous improvement. Effectively manages customer relationships. 

Communication - Makes clear and convincing oral presentations to individuals and groups. Listens effectively; clarifies information as needed.  Speaks and writes in a clear, concise, organized, and convincing manner that is appropriate to the audience.  Facilitates an open exchange of ideas to ensure all group input is considered.  Handles technical, sensitive or controversial topics with agility, involving executives/managers as appropriate.

Problem Solving - Identifies and analyzes problems; weighs relevance and accuracy of information; generates and evaluates alternative solutions; makes sound recommendations.

Education may not be substituted for experience at this grade level.

Applicants applying for this position must be a United States Citizen. 

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.

This is a Bargaining Unit position.

This is a Public Trust position and has a risk level designation of "moderate".

Background Investigation - If selected for this position, you may 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.

Probationary Period- If selected, you may be required to complete an initial one-year probationary period.

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.

CTAP and ICTAP candidates 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: https://www.opm.gov/ctap.  CTAP/ICTAP documentation requirements are listed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.

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.

All application materials become the property of the United States Patent and Trademark Office.

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).

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

Your resume, optional cover letter and supporting documentation will be reviewed to determine if you meet the minimum qualifications for the position. If you meet the minimum qualifications stated in the job opportunity announcement, we will compare your resume, optional cover letter and supporting documentation to your responses on the self-assessment questions (True/False, Yes/ No, Multiple Choice questions) and place you in one of three pre-defined categories. These categories are "gold," "silver," and "bronze." Your resume and/or optional cover letter must support your responses to the scored occupational questionnaire, or your score may be lowered. Candidates placed in the "gold" category will be identified for referral to the hiring manager and may be invited for an interview.

How you will be evaluated for preference eligibility: Within each category, those entitled to veterans' preference will be listed at the top of the pre-defined category for which they are placed.

The scored self assessment questions in the job announcement will evaluate you on the following competencies; please do not provide a separate written response:

KSA 1 - Knowledge in applying the Testing Body of Knowledge (STBoK) testing function, such as manual and automated testing and the techniques and tools used to carry out and manage testing processes in order to troubleshoot testing issues with test cases, automated test scripts, test environment, resolve problems in order to meet schedules, and mitigate testing risk.

KSA 2 - Knowledge of the methodologies and tools to carry out and manage testing processes in order to troubleshoot testing issues, resolve highly complex problems and mitigate testing risk.

KSA 3 - Knowledge of

• software development life cycles, software configuration management, technical standards and technologies, integrated development environments, and databases;
• software languages including Java, JavaEE, JavaScript;
• object-oriented programming;
• writing testing scripts;
• multiple target platforms including Unix/Linux/Windows;      
• web servers including Apache Tomcat and JBoss;
• testing applications that integrate with a relational database;
• software and system designs;
• requirements management;
• testing and debugging multi-tiered systems, database interfaces and web services; and
• Testing tools includes SOAPIU, TestComplete and Selenium.

KSA 4 - Skill in applying applications software design principles and methods; and new software design technologies sufficient to investigate, evaluate and select tools and methods for improving productivity and software quality throughout the lifecycle.

KSA 5 -Skill in written and oral communications to produce testing documentation and to articulate a sequence of events regarding a test engagement, problem or issue as well as test environments and test data concerns.

KSA 6 -Ability to research and implement new theories, principles, concepts, prototypes, standards and practices in testing technologies.

For more information on category rating, please go to: http://hr.commerce.gov/s/groups/public/@doc/@cfoasa/@ohrm/documents/content/prod01_009474.pdf

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).

To preview questions please click here.

Read more Security clearance Other

Drug test required No