Duties

Summary

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), a progressive organization at the forefront of intellectual property issues around the world, is seeking a high performing professional to join as a Senior Level IP Attorney.

Learn more about this agency

Responsibilities

The Senior Level IP Attorney serves as a recognized technical and legal expert within the USPTO in the field of domestic and international intellectual property rights protection, including patents, trademarks and copyrights, and other trade-related intellectual property rights and related areas of law, especially in the context of intergovernmental organizations that cover intellectual property.

In addition, the Senior Level Attorney IP Attorney will:

• Analyze and draft documents and provide timely expert legal advice to senior USPTO, Department of Commerce, and Administration officials on domestic and international intellectual property policy with emphasis on complex intellectual property issues at the international level;
• Lead and participate in strategic planning, e.g., improvements to international intellectual property filing systems at the World Intellectual Property Organization, improvements at other international fora, and advise on the more complex and sophisticated aspects involved in planning, establishing strategies for, and conducting negotiations of international agreements;
• Frequently working under short deadlines, draft and clear complex intellectual property legislative proposals, such as intellectual property chapters of trade agreements and proposals related to intergovernmental organizations;
• Provide technical assistance, upon request to Members of Congress and their staff, particularly with respect to issues that are legally or technologically difficult, sensitive in nature, and have international ramifications.
• Participate in interagency discussions and make presentations regarding intellectual property to, and receive input from, high-profile private sector groups;
• Provide training on a range of topics from basic intellectual property matters to the most difficult aspects of intellectual property law, to novices as well as other experts; and
• Participate in, as sole representative of the United States or as a senior expert on a team, bilateral and multilateral negotiations to attain the Administration's intellectual property objectives in the foreign policy and trade arenas in international organizations such as the World Trade Organization and the World Intellectual Property Organization.

This position may include some supervisory and related managerial duties. These duties should occupy less than 25 percent of the incumbent's time.

Travel Required

Occasional travel - 30 percent or less of travel may be required.

Supervisory status
Yes

Promotion Potential
00

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen or National.
• Required to pass a background investigation and fingerprint check.
• Financial Disclosure Report (OGE-278) will be required upon appointment.
• Must be registered for Selective Service, if applicable (www.sss.gov)
• Required to complete and pass a drug test.

Before entering on duty, you will be required to complete a Confidential Financial Disclosure Report, OGE-278. You will need to provide the information annually.

A best qualified candidate would have 10 or more years of specialized experience in one or more of patent, trademark, copyright, and intellectual property enforcement law, and at least five years of specialized experience with intellectual property matters in international organizations.

Qualifications

To meet the minimum requirements for this position, candidates must demonstrate their experience in their narrative responses to the Professional Technical Qualifications. In addition, all responses should be reflected within the resume.

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.

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.

Professional Technical Qualifications: Applicants must clearly demonstrate in their application materials that they possess technical attributes in the Professional/Technical Qualifications (PTQs).

The Professional Technical Qualifications (PTQs) for this position are:

Comprehensive knowledge of domestic and international intellectual property law with specialized experience in one or more of patent, trademark, copyright, and intellectual property enforcement law.

Strong knowledge of the functioning of intergovernmental organizations, including having represented the United States or another group at one or more meetings of an intergovernmental organization.

Ability to communicate effectively with high-ranking officials both within and outside the federal government, and with international organizations and stakeholders regarding complex and sensitive issues pertaining to international intellectual property protection and enforcement.

Experience in analyzing, writing and reviewing complex legal documents pertaining to intellectual property protection and enforcement.

Demonstrated experience in leadership positions and with managing resources in a technical, legal, or government organization.

Education

The minimum educational requirement is a law degree and membership in good standing of the bar of a state or territory of the United States, the District of Columbia, or Puerto Rico.

Additional information

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

Probationary Period: You will be required to serve a two-year probationary period.

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 Non-Bargaining Unit position. This position will require you to obtain a Top Secret clearance upon onboarding.

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 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.

Relocation and/or recruitment incentives will not be authorized.

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).

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, answer the Professional Technical Qualifications (PTQs), and submit a detailed resume that supports your answers to the PTQs and specialized experience.

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).

To preview questions please click here .

Background checks and security clearance

Security clearance
Other

Drug test required
Yes

Required Documents

A complete application consists of:

1) A resume or any other written format you choose to describe your job-related qualifications; optional cover letter: Your resume should indicate your citizenship and should list your educational and work experience. Please Note: Responses to job questions that are not fully supported by the information in your resume may result in adjustments to your rating.

2) Your narrative responses to the Professional Technical Qualification (PTQs). Do not write "see resume". Input narrative responses when prompted.

Supporting Documents:

PLEASE NOTE: Applicants who meet the minimum eligibility and qualification requirements for this position may be contacted via email within 7 business days of this announcement closing to submit follow-up supporting docs if applicable. Applicants applying as current/former Federal employees OR as VEOA eligibles who fail to submit supporting documents within 5 business days of receiving the email request will lose further consideration for this position. Applicants claiming CTAP/ICTAP or Sch A eligibility who fail to submit supporting documents within 5 business days of receiving the email request will not lose consideration for this position, however they will not be entitled to special or priority consideration. Supporting docs that may be requested of applicants after the closing date of this announcement are:

1. Notification of Personnel Action (SF-50) - For current and/or former Federal employees, 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" so that we may verify your time-in-grade.

2. Performance Appraisal - Recent performance appraisal with supervisor's signature showing the official final rating of record, and copy of incentive award(s). In cases where the performance appraisal is incomplete or unavailable, applicants may provide an explanation of the reasons.

3. Veterans Employment Opportunities Act (VEOA) documents - If you are a Veteran claiming eligibility under VEOA, you will be asked to submit a copy of your DD-214. Veterans must include dates of military service on their application materials, and submit a copy of each Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, DD-214. For more info, please visit Special Appointing Authorities for Veterans .

4. Special Appointing Authorities - If you are applying under the special appointing authority such as those authorized for the severely disabled (Schedule A) or Vietnam era and disabled veterans (VRA), you will be asked to submit documents showing eligibility to non-competitively apply under Merit Assignment announcements. Please indicate the type of special appointment you are seeking on your application. For more info on non-competitive appointments and supporting documents, please visit Federal Employment of People with Disabilities or Feds Hire Vets - Special Hiring Authorities for Veterans .

You can choose ONE of the following methods to submit Supporting Documents:

1) You can upload your documents when you register or update your information on the Dept. of Commerce site which you access through the USAJobs site.
OR
2) You can fax your documents to 571-258-4052 using the system generated fax cover sheet.

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. Not all documents are applicable to all applicants; if you are unsure which documents apply to you, contact the HR Specialist listed on this announcement.

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education .

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.