Supervisory Patent Examiner TC1700

Department of Commerce

Patent and Trademark Office

Office of the Commissioner for Patents - TC1700

Summary

Take your career to the next level by becoming one of USPTO's senior leaders within the Patents Corps! As a Supervisory Patent Examiner, imagine being responsible for fostering innovation and enabling the protection of intellectual property.

The challenges and opportunities of a dynamic agency makes leadership at the USPTO a rewarding career!

This job is open to

Internal to an agency

Current federal employees of the hiring agency that posted the job announcement.

Career transition (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL)

Federal employees whose job, agency or department was eliminated and are eligible for priority over other applicants.

Clarification from the agency

Applications will be accepted from current USPTO Federal employees serving on career or career-conditional appointment in the Competitive Service and CTAP eligible candidates in the local commuting area.

Duties

This position is announced as remote, subject to agency policy and applicable law. Employees who are current participants in the USPTO's Telework Enhancement Act Program (TEAP) may be approved to continue to work from their current alternate worksite as their official duty station in this position, with reporting to the office as required pursuant to the TEAP Operating Procedures. Employees whose current alternate worksite is within 50 miles of the USPTO headquarters in Alexandria, VA, are not eligible for new participation in TEAP in this position but may continue to telework and report to the office in accordance with USPTO telework policy.

As a Supervisory Patent Examiner, you will:

Drive innovation in how we examine patents. Beyond day-to-day examination, you'll 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.
Play a key role serving as head of a Patent Examining Art Unit under the general administrative direction of the Group Director.
Guide authoritative interpretation of legal precedents for making a wide variety of decisions involving the subject matter of a Technology Center.
Evaluate cutting-edge technologies by testing innovative tools, including artificial intelligence, and provide insights on their potential to transform how we work; as well as participating in pilot programs and new initiatives. Help shape and refine new work structures and processes, offering recommendations for streamlining operations and improving outcomes.
Lead through the energetic and dynamic exercising of the full range of supervisory and managerial duties associated with the direction of work in the art unit, developing and training employees, reviewing and evaluating the work and performance of subordinates, and determining the staffing needs of the unit.
Selectee(s) may be required to perform an initial rotational assignment at the Patent Training Academy prior to assignment in the Technology Center.

Requirements

Conditions of employment

Applicants will only be accepted from United States Citizens and Nationals.
Your resume and question responses must demonstrate the job-related competencies.
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).
If selected, you may be required to complete a one-year supervisory probationary period.
You must meet all qualification requirements upon the closing date of this announcement.
Time-in-grade/band requirements must be met by the closing date of the announcement.
Suitable for Federal Employment.
This position requires the completion of OGE-450 Financial Disclosure.

Qualifications

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 Professional and Scientific Positions can be found at: Group Coverage Qualifications Standards for Professional and Scientific Positions and the Individual Occupational Requirements (IOR) for GS-1224, Patent Examining Series: General Schedule Qualification Standards. You must meet all qualification requirements including time-in-grade (refer to 5 CFR 300.604 for more information on time-in-grade) by the closing date of the job announcement.

Patent Examining Series: 1224 Individual Occupational Requirements:

Basic Requirements:

Applicants for positions in this series must meet the basic requirements for the scientific, technological, or engineering occupational series related to the area for which they are examining patents. Those requirements are described in the individual occupational requirements for the particular series, e.g., Chemistry, GS-1320; Food Technology, GS-1382; etc.

Evaluation of Graduate Education: Qualifying graduate education must have been in a field appropriate to the position to be filled. An LL.B. or J.D. degree from a recognized law school or membership in the bar of any State, territory, or the District of Columbia is also qualifying for GS-9.

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-15 grade level must have at least 52 weeks of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-14 grade level in the Federal service.

Specialized experience is defined as experience examining patents in art areas involving experience searching and/or examining patent applications involving one or more of the following art areas: biotechnology, biomedical, pharmaceutical, materials engineering, mechanical, business methods, electrical, computer, physics or chemical technologies.

Selective Placement Factor: Must have full signatory authority.

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

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

Additional information

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 risk".

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.

All Federal employees are required to have Federal salary payments made by direct deposit to a financial institution of their choice.

The USPTO participates in E-Verify. For more information on E-Verify, please visit the Department of Homeland Security Website.

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

Relocation Expenses are not authorized and will not be paid.

CTAP 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 eligibility is on the Office of Personnel Management's Career Transition Resources website at: Career Transition.

CTAP 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.

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

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 USPTO's Office of Equal Employment Opportunity via email (oeeo@uspto.gov) or phone (571-272-8292).

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 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.

Your resume will be evaluated based on evidence of your ability to demonstrate possession of any specialized experience and how well your background and experience related to the job announcement. Any experience claimed in a cover letter should be substantiated by information contained in your resume. A HR Representative will validate the qualifications of those candidates eligible to be referred to the hiring official.

If you are deemed qualified, you will be contacted by email and asked to provide supplemental documentation (Accomplishment Record). Please do not submit a separate written response. Subject matter experts (SMEs) will review your supplemental request to determine if meet the qualifications based on the competencies identified and your responses.

The assessment will evaluate you on the following general/technical competencies required to perform the job:

Interpersonal Communication
Leadership
Problem Solving
Scientific Knowledge-1700
Written Communication

The best qualified candidates will be identified for referral to the hiring manager and may be invited for an interview. If referred all relevant documents submitted with your application package will be forwarded to the selecting official, due weight shall be given to performance appraisals and awards in accordance with 5 CFR § 335.103(b)(3), during the interview/selection process conducted by the hiring manager. 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 click the link below to preview the Assessment Questionnaire:

https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13019505

If you are invited for an interview, you may be asked to bring a copy of your most recent performance appraisal.

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.)

Required Documents

A complete application consists of:

Resume: All applicants are required to submit a two-page resume (NOT TO EXCEED 2 PAGES). Resumes exceeding this limit will not be considered eligible. Please submit only one resume. Only the document uploaded under the "Resume "section as the "Document Type" will be reviewed to assess your qualifications and for evaluation purposes. To receive full credit for relevant experience, please list the month/year (MM/YY - MM/YY) and number of hours worked for experience listed on your resume. We suggest that you preview the online questions, as you may need to customize your resume to ensure that it supports your responses to these questions. Resume should clearly state your experience related to this position as described in the Duties section and Qualifications section.
Professional or Academic References - Provide 2-3 professional/academic references (name, phone, email); one must be your current supervisor. We'll notify you before contacting them.

Please Note: Any experience claimed in a cover letter should be substantiated by information contained in your resume. A HR Representative will validate the qualifications of those candidates eligible to be referred to the hiring official.

Supporting Documents:

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 explanation of the reasons.

3. Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) documents:

CTAP applicants MUST submit the following documents: 1. A copy of your RIF separation notice, notice of proposed removal for declining a directed geographic relocation outside of the local commuting area; a Certificate of Expected Separation (CES); or certification that you are in a surplus organization or occupation (this could be a position abolishment letter, a notice of eligibility for discontinued service retirement, or similar notice); 2. A copy of your SF-50 "Notification of Personnel Action", noting current position, grade/band level, and duty location; 3. A copy of your latest performance appraisal including your rating; and 4. Any documentation from your bureau/operating unit that shows your current promotion potential.

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.

How to Apply

Personally Identifiable Information (PII) Personally Identifiable Information (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. Please ensure that you have removed all Personally Identifiable Information from all documents prior to submitting or uploading your applications material.

You MUST apply online. If you experience difficulties with the application process or do not have access to a computer, please contact the HR Specialist listed as the point of contact before the closing date of this job announcement.

If you are a new user to the USAJobs Site and have never registered for an account; you will first need to create an account profile with your basic contact information and a resume to begin applying. You must be a registered USAJobs user AND you must be signed in to your account in order to apply for this position. For help setting up an account or for general help using USAJobs, go to USAJobs Help Page.

Once you have gathered all of the required information and are ready to begin the application process, click the "APPLY" button at the right side of the page. You will then be directed away from USAJobs to the Department of Commerce application site for USPTO. You must click "Submit" at the end of the application process to send your application for consideration.

To return to your saved application, log in to your USAJOBS account at http://www.usajobs.gov/ and click on "Applications." Click on the position title, then select "Update Application."

All required supporting documents will be collected electronically via the USAJobs "Saved Documents" feature.

Agency contact information

Catherine Zuraski

Phone: 571-270-5632
Email: CATHERINE.ZURASKI@USPTO.GOV

Address: PATS - Tech Center 1700
Office of Human Resources
Mail Stop 171
P.O. Box 1450
Alexandria, VA 22313-1450
US

Next steps

You will receive a notice generated by the USAJobs System when you have successfully submitted your application.

You will be notified of your application status through USAJOBS at four points during the hiring process, as applicable. You can check the status of your application by accessing the USAJOBS website at http://usajobs.gov/ and clicking on "Track Your Online Application." The four points of notification are:

1. Application Received or Application Incomplete;
2. Minimum Qualification Requirement Met or Minimum Qualification Requirement Not Met;
3. Eligible (Application Referred to the Selecting Official) or Eligible (Application Not Referred to the Selecting Official); and
4. Selected or Not Selected

After all application packages have been received, we will review your application and transcript(s) (if you are qualifying based on education) to ensure you meet the basic qualification requirements. We will evaluate each applicant who meets the basic qualifications on the information provided and you may be contacted for follow-up supplemental documentation. It is the applicant's responsibility to provide any supplemental documents or information requested by the Office of Human Resources within the allocated timeframes.

You will be required to submit official documentation prior to appointment. The agency will then verify the information provided on your application (i.e., degree, veterans' preference, disability, etc.).

By submitting your application you are certifying the accuracy of the information contained in your application. If you make a false statement in any part of your application, you may not be hired; you may be terminated after you begin work; or, you may be fined or jailed. After making a tentative job offer, we will conduct a suitability/security background investigation.

You can check the status of your application by logging into USAJOBS. You may also sign up to receive automatic emails anytime the status of your application has changed by logging into your USAJobs Account, editing your profile and changing the "Notification Settings" to indicate that you want to be notified by email when the status changes. Information regarding the status of your application should be updated in the system within 2 weeks after the closing date of this job announcement.

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