Duties

Summary

Come work for the USPTO, we have been ranked as one of the best places to work in the federal government! The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has been serving the economic interests of America for more than 200 years. We are responsible for granting US intellectual property rights for patents and trademarks. The USPTO is headquartered in Alexandria, Virginia, and has over 12,000 employees. For more information about the USPTO, please visit the USPTO Jobs Website .

Learn more about this agency

Responsibilities

During the current period of mandatory telework required by the Agency's COVID-19 response, telework will be mandatory. When it is determined the Agency will be moving to the reopening phase, the expectation will be to physically return to the office at the USPTO - Alexandria, VA campus. Telework days and any waiting period for eligibility will be determined at that time.

This position is located in the Office of Enrollment and Discipline in the Office of General Counsel.

The incumbent is responsible for discipline and enrollment functions, including the following:

• Screening registration applications of candidates seeking recognition to practice before the USPTO to determine if the candidate possesses the required scientific and technical training qualifications.
• Investigating the moral character and reputation of candidates seeking recognition to practice before the USPTO.
• Preparing a nationwide examination of the candidate's proficiency in patent law and USPTO office regulations, policies, and procedures to be registered as a patent attorney or agent.
• Investigating, preparing, and presenting evidence of unethical conduct by registered attorneys and agents in the full range of highly technical and highly controversial disciplinary cases involving scientific, engineering, ethical, and legal considerations.
• Eliciting and evaluating evidence and testimony; and preparing letters, requests for information, formal complaints, and other documentation.
• Interviewing complainants, practitioners, and others having knowledge relevant to an investigation or disciplinary proceeding.
• Conducting outreach efforts to educate the public and patent and trademark practitioners on applicable professional standards and best practices.
• Assisting with coordinating offices, resources and courses across the USPTO, as well as communications with third party CLE providers and stakeholders, to develop courses that would qualify for USPTO CLE credit.

Travel Required

Occasional travel - Occasional travel may be required.

Supervisory status
No

Promotion Potential
15

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen or National.
• Be suitable for Federal employment.
• You must meet the definition of professional and specialized experience.
• You must possess a Law Degree and an active bar membership of any state.
• Required to pass a background investigation and fingerprint check.
• Must be registered for Selective Service, if applicable (www.sss.gov)

Possess a Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree or Master of Laws (LL.M) degree from an American Bar Association accredited law school.

Possess a degree in one of the scientific/engineering disciplines.

You must be a current member of the Bar in Good Standing of any state, District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, or any U.S. territory.

Qualifications

You must meet the United States Office of Personnel Management's (OPM) qualification requirements (including specialized experience and/or educational requirements) for the advertised position. You must meet all eligibility and qualifications requirements by the closing date of the job announcement. Additional information on the qualification requirements is outlined in the OPM Qualifications Standards Handbook of General Schedule Positions. It is available for your review on the OPM Website .

Specialized Experience:is experience that has equipped applicants with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities to successfully perform 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.

GS-14 - Candidates for the GS-14 grade level must have at least 52 weeks of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower GS-13 grade level in the Federal service in the following:

Substantial post-AIA patent prosecution experience as well as handling complex legal problems, preparing and trying cases, making statutory interpretations, preparing legal documents, reviewing documents for legal sufficiency, developing sound legal decisions and recommendations in the field in which little or no legal precedent has been established.

GS-15 - Candidates for the GS-15 grade level must have at least 52 weeks of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower GS-14 grade level in the Federal service in the following:

Substantial post-AIA patent prosecution experience as well as handling complex legal problems, preparing and trying cases, making statutory interpretations, preparing legal documents, reviewing documents for legal sufficiency, developing sound legal decisions and recommendations in the field in which little or no legal precedent has been established.

In addition to the specialized experience listed above, you must have:

GS 14: three (3) years post J.D. of the professional legal experience listed below.

GS 15: four (4) years post J.D. of the professional legal experience listed below.

Professional legal experience is defined as:

• Professional legal/law experience that has equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position to be filled.
• Legal work is described as extremely complex and difficult and requires a high order of original and creative legal endeavor in balancing conflicting interests; has broad or wide-scope impact on an economy, industry, private or public interests; and may involve directly or indirectly very large sums of money.
• Work may also involve acting as principal attorney in charge of the preparation and presentation of cases; recommending policies and developing procedures and regulations to implement new or amended legislation; and acting as legal, general or senior counsel to a major firm or organization.

Successful passing of the examination for registration to practice in patent matters before the United States Patent and Trademark Office is preferred, but not required.

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.

Education

The minimum education requirement for this position is a conferred Juris Doctor (J.D.) or Masters of Laws (LL.M). from an accredited college or university.

Applicants must also possess a degree in one of the scientific/engineering disciplines.

For more information on degree requirements click here .

Additional information

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 Non Bargaining Unit position.

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

This position requires a Financial OF-450 Disclosure. For more information on 450 filing, please visit: https://www.oge.gov

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 .

If selected, you may be required to complete a initial two (2) year trial 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.

Individuals who have special priority selection rights under the Agency Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) or Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) will be eligible if it is determined that they have exceeded the minimum qualifications for the position. Information about CTAP/ICTAP eligibility may be found here: 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 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).

How You Will Be Evaluated

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

Your eligibility for consideration and qualifications for the position will be determined based upon a review of your detailed resume and supplemental documentation.

A writing sample may be requested prior to being interviewed.

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
No

Position sensitivity and risk
High Risk (HR)

Trust determination process
Suitability/Fitness

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.

2. Transcripts: You MUST submit copies of your Undergrad and Law School transcripts for verification of the education requirements. Unofficial copies are acceptable, however, if selected you will be required to furnish official transcripts. It is your responsibility to provide adequate proof that you meet the above educational requirements. Inadequate or illegible information could result in non-qualification and loss of consideration.

3. Bar Membership Documentation: You MUST submit documentation showing that you are an active member of the Bar in Good Standing of any State, District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, or any Territorial Court under the U.S. Constitution.

Supporting documents

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".

Veterans' Preference Documentation: If you are a veteran with preference eligibility, you will be asked to submit a Member 4 copy of your DD-214. If you are a preference eligible claiming a service connected disability of 10 percent or more, you will be asked to submit documentation (i.e. a letter dated 1991 or later from the Department of Veterans Affairs or from a branch of the Armed Forces) certifying to the veteran's present receipt of compensation. Veterans must include dates of military service within the automated application process, and submit Member 4 copy of each Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, DD-214. For more information, please visit Special Appointing Authorities for Veterans . For excepted service positions, Veterans' Preference does not apply; however, Veteran's will receive positive consideration.

Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) or Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) documentation: Applicants will be asked to submit: (1) A copy of your specific RIF notice, written notice of your expected separation or other documentation of priority consideration status; (2) A copy of your latest SF-50 noting current position, grade level, and duty location; (3) A copy of your last performance appraisal; and (4) Any documentation from your agency that shows your current promotion potential.

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 Department of Commerce application site which you access through the USAJobs site.

OR

2) You can fax your documents to 571-258-4254 using the system generated fax cover sheet.

Your application and all required documentation must be received by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on the closing date of this job 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.