Summary
Do you want to be a part of the conduit between the USPTO, Congress, and external stakeholders on agency matters and policy? As the Deputy Director for Governmental Affairs, you'll have an unparalleled opportunity to formulate legislative proposals and strategies that will influence the agency or intellectual property policy.
The Office of Governmental Affairs works within and across government to support the USPTO's mission to drive U.S. innovation and global competitiveness.
This job is open to
Clarification from the agency
Applications will be accepted from Current United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) Federal Employees.
Duties
As Deputy Director for Governmental Affairs, your role will be vital to the Agency's mission of accomplishing its strategic goals. You'll serve as a Senior Level attorney-advisor and legislative liaison on intellectual property matters, agency policy and operations, strategic planning, and Department of Commerce (DOC) and various stakeholder interests.
Join the dynamic leadership team at the USPTO, working together with Members of Congress and their staff, intellectual property bar associations, industry and other stakeholders concerned with pending intellectual property or agency-related legislation. Here are some of the exciting duties you'll engage in:
- You'll monitor and provide legal review and analysis of legislation pending in Congress and proposed by other Federal agencies that may affect IP policy or USPTO policy, operations, and/or strategic planning goals.
- You'll prepare comprehensive sectional analyses to accompany USPTO legislative proposals and for use by Congress to support the development of legislative history in Congressional reports, including a detailed analysis of the legal basis for the legislation. Analyze Congressional Committee reports and advises on the findings, recommendations, and requirements in the reports.
- You'll draft or provide legal review of Congressional testimony on intellectual property issues and agency operations for the Under Secretary and other USPTO and DOC officials. Work with agency business unit managers and staff, DOC, other Executive Branch agencies, relevant White House Offices and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to ensure accuracy and appropriateness of information presented.
- You'll assemble and present, as appropriate, information to Congress, DOC, the Congressional Research Service (CRS) and the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) on agency operations, goals, objectives, and various intellectual property matters.
- You'll provide expert advice to senior USPTO, Commerce, and Administration officials on all legislative matters and policies that may affect the substantive programs or interests of the agency.
- You'll serve as Acting Director of OGA in the absence of the Director or as designated. Oversee and manage relevant OGA staff to facilitate the accomplishment of the OGA mission, goals and objectives to include outreach and congressional education efforts, and managing timely responses to internal and external requests to a specific area of congressional activity relevant to USPTO.
Join us at the agency unleashing America's Potential! The physical worksite for this position is located in Alexandria, Virginia. This position is telework eligible within 50-mile straight line distance of USPTO Alexandria, VA Headquarters. If selected for an interview, applicants are encouraged to discuss telework options and eligibility specific to the position in which they applied with the hiring manager.
Requirements
Conditions of Employment
- You must be a U.S. Citizen or National.
- Required to pass a background investigation and fingerprint check.
- Must be registered for Selective Service, if applicable (www.sss.gov)
- You must meet all qualification requirements upon the closing date of this announcement.
- You must use the USA Jobs text boxes when submitting narrative responses to the PTQs. (10,000 character limit each).
- If selected, you may be required to complete a two-year trial period.
Qualifications
To meet the minimum requirements for this position, candidates must demonstrate their experience in their narrative responses to the Professional Technical Qualifications (PTQs) questions and all narrative responses must be fully supported within their resume. *Applicants must use the USA Jobs text boxes to submit their narrative responses to the PTQs. Do not write "see resume" or "see attached documents". Each PTQ has a 10,000-character limit (to include spaces) that must be adhered to. Uploaded documents addressing the PTQs will not be accepted.
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.
Please provide your narrative responses to the Professional Technical Qualification (PTQs) questions - Do not write "see resume" or "see attached document". Uploaded documents addressing the PTQs will not be accepted.
The Professional Technical Qualifications (PTQs) for this position are:
- Knowledge of intellectual property law and regulations.
- Expert knowledge of the legislative process, including congressional structures and processes.
- Ability to effectively communicate with high-ranking officials both within and outside the federal government, international organizations, and stakeholders regarding highly complex and sensitive issues pertaining to international intellectual property protection and enforcement laws.
- Demonstrated experience in leadership positions and with managing resources in a technical, legal, or government organization.
Note: Submit only the documents requested. Additional documents will not be reviewed by the rating panel. Uploaded documents addressing the PTQ's will not be accepted.
Education
The candidate must have a law degree from an accredited law school program and must be a member of a bar in good standing, in the United States or a Territory of the United States.
Benefits
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 windowLearn 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.
How You Will Be Evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
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 fully supports your answers to the PTQs and specialized experience.
*Applicants must use the USA Jobs text boxes to submit their narrative responses to the PTQs. Do not write "see resume" or "see attached documents". Each PTQ has a 10,000-character limit (to include spaces) that must be adhered to. Uploaded documents addressing the PTQs will not be accepted.
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 PTQs click below.
https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12449959
Required Documents
A complete application consists of:
- A resume or any other written format you choose to describe your job-related qualifications: Your resume should indicate your citizenship and should list your educational and work experience including job titles, salary, employment dates, duties and accomplishments, experience and how it relates to the Professional Technical Qualifications (PTQs) in the job announcement. Please Note: Responses to job questions that are not fully supported by the information in your resume may result in adjustments to your rating.
- Narrative responses to the PTQs: Do not write "see resume". Applicants are required to input narrative responses to the PTQs in the text boxes as prompted by USAJobs. Each PTQ has a 10,000-character limit (to include spaces) that must be adhered to.
- Transcript (s): You must submit copies of your law school transcripts for verification of the education requirements. Unofficial copies are acceptable, however, if selected you will be required to furnish official transcripts.
- Bar Membership Documentation: You must submit a copy of 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. Y ou must contact the HR Specialist listed on this announcement to make other arrangements prior to the closing date of the announcement.
- Notification of Personnel Action (SF-50): Please submit a current SF-50 if you are a current or former Federal employee, that indicates federal status, grade, tenure, and type of service. Please redact your social security number and date of birth.
- Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) or Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP)documents: Applicants will be asked to submit: (1) A copy of your specific RIF notice, written notice of your expected separation or other documents of priority consideration status; (2) A copy of your latest SF-50 noting current position, grade, and duty location; (3) A copy of your last performance appraisal and the rating; and (4) Any documents from your agency that shows your current promotion potential.
NOTE: Submit only the documents requested. Additional documents will not be reviewed by the rating panel.
Your application and all required documentation must be received by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on the closing date of this job announcement. Review your resume and responses carefully. Responses to job questions that are not fully supported by the information in your application package may result in adjustments to your rating. A Human Resources Representative will validate the qualifications of those candidates eligible to be referred to the hiring official.
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.
How to Apply
How to Apply: *If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, or Non-career SES employee in the executive branch, you must disclose this information within your application. To apply for this position, you must complete the online application and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below.
Personally Identifiable Information (PII)
Please ensure that you have removed all PII on from all documents prior to submitting or uploading your applications material. 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. A complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration.
- To begin, click Apply to access the online application. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account to apply. If you do not have a USAJOBS account, you will need to create one before beginning the application.
- Follow the prompts to select your résumé and/or other supporting documents to be included with your application package. You will have the opportunity to upload additional documents to include in your application before it is submitted. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process.
- After acknowledging you have reviewed your application package, complete the Include Personal Information section as you deem appropriate and click to continue with the application process.
- You will be taken to the online application which you must complete in order to apply for the position. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation is included with your application package, and submit the application.
- If you need technical assistance during the applicant click the Help Center section at the top of the page.
To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account ( https://my.usajobs.gov/Account/Login), all of your applications will appear on the Welcome screen. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/.You MUST apply online. Email, fax or paper resumes will not be accepted. If you experience difficulties with the application process, it is your responsibility to contact the HR Specialist listed in the "Contact Information" before the closing date of this job announcement.
Next steps
Candidates are evaluated by an executive rating panel based on the degree to which they meet the PTQs and considering the applicant's education, work-related experience, training, awards, and professional recognition, as set forth in the materials submitted by the candidates and placed in one of three pre-defined quality categories. These categories are "Highly Qualified", "Well Qualified" and "Qualified." Candidates placed in the highest quality category will be identified for referral to the hiring manager and may be invited for an interview.
You will receive notification through USAJOBS at each of the following points during the application process: (1) application received; (2) applicant assessed for qualifications; (3) applicant referred or not referred; and (4) selected or not selected.
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