Deputy Solicitor of the USPTO and Deputy GC for IP Law

Deputy Solicitor of the USPTO and Deputy GC for IP Law

Department: Department of Commerce

Location(s): Alexandria, Virginia

Salary Range: $196489 - $219487 Per Year

Job Summary: The United States Patent & Trademark Office (USPTO) is headquartered in Alexandria, VA. The mission of the USPTO is to promote innovation and competitiveness by providing quality and timely examination and issuance of patent and trademark applications, guiding domestic and international intellectual property policy, and delivering intellectual property information and education worldwide.

Major Duties:

• As the Deputy Solicitor and trusted legal advisor to the Solicitor, General Counsel, and Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office, you will stand at the forefront of intellectual property law and policy - guiding critical patent litigation, influencing national intellectual property strategy and the integrity of decisions that impact inventors, businesses, and the global marketplace. As the Deputy Solicitor, you will: Supervise, in coordination with the Solicitor, all intellectual property litigation involving USPTO as a party or amicus; Argue cases at the Federal Circuit and other courts; Participate in discussions with Department of Justice and Department of Commerce attorneys regarding intellectual property issues before the Supreme Court, and represent the USPTO in discussions about potential positions taken by the United States on intellectual property matters in federal courts; Provide administrative clearances on proposals to amend the Code of Federal Regulations and Federal Register notices involving patent and trademark law; Participate in developing intellectual property policies; and Supervise prosecution of disciplinary proceedings concerning allege violations of rules of governing practice before the USTPO. Come join the USPTO as the Deputy Solicitor and play a pivotal role in shaping the future of American innovation.

Qualifications: To meet the minimum qualification requirements for this position, you must show that you possess the five Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs) and two Technical Qualifications (TQs), listed below in your resume. NOT TO EXCEED 2 PAGES. Resumes over the 2-page limit will not be reviewed and will be disqualified. Your resume should include examples of experience, education, and accomplishments applicable to the qualifications. If your resume does not demonstrate evidence of these qualifications, you may not receive consideration for the position. TECHNICAL QUALIFICATIONS (TQs): Your resume should demonstrate accomplishments that would satisfy the technical qualifications. TQ 1: Demonstrated experience in litigating intellectual property cases in federal district court and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit levels and applying knowledge of intellectual property law in cases involving complex legal and technological issues. TQ 2: Demonstrated administrative, managerial, and interpersonal skills to effectively (a) lead a highly skilled team of experienced professionals, (b) collaborate with individuals, groups, and organizations having diverse prespectives, and (c) deal with, negotiate successfully with and relate well with Judiciary, government officials, and external audiences. EXECUTIVE CORE QUALIFICATIONS (ECQS): In addition to the Technical Qualification requirements listed above, all new entrants into the Senior Executive Service (SES) under a career appointment will be assessed for executive competency against the following five mandatory ECQs. If your 2-page resume does not reflect demonstrated evidence of the ECQs, you may not receive further consideration for the position. ECQ 1: Commitment to the Rule of Law and Principles of the American Founding: Requires a demonstrated knowledge of the American system of government, commitment to uphold the Constitution and the rule of law, and commitment to serve the American people. ECQ 2: Driving Efficiency: Involves the demonstrated ability to strategically and efficiently manage resources, budget effectively, cut wasteful spending, and pursue efficiency through process and technological upgrades. ECQ 3: Merit and Competence: Involves the demonstrated knowledge, ability and technical competence to effectively and reliably produce work that is of exceptional quality. ECQ 4: Leading People: Involves the demonstrated ability to lead and inspire a group toward meeting the organization's vision, mission, and goals, and to drive a high-performance, high-accountability culture. This includes, when necessary, the ability to lead people through change and to hold individuals accountable. EQ 5: Achieving Results: Involves the demonstrated ability to achieve both individual and organizational results, and to align results to stated goals from superiors. Note: If you are a member of the SES or have been certified through successful participation in an OPM approved SES Candidate Development Program (SESCDP), or have SES reinstatement eligibility, you do not need to respond to the ECQs. Instead, you should attach proof (e.g., SF-50, Certification by OPM's SES Qualifications Review Board (QRB)) or your eligibility for noncompetitive appointment to the SES.

How to Apply: You must submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section. To receive consideration, the complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on the closing date. Select Apply. If you are not logged in, you will be prompted to log in or create an account. Then prompted to Start the Application Process by selecting "Start Application". Add your two-page resume. Select the documents you want to be included in this application. Review the package to acknowledge that your documents were reviewed. After reading and certifying the application is true and submitted in good faith, select "Continue to Agency Site." Follow onscreen prompts and instructions to complete your application. Add the supporting documents by indexing your documents with the dropdown. Upload any missing documents or optional documents. Review and Submit Application. While logged in, you can check the status of your application by selecting "+" next to the job title for this position. You can review or revise your application at any point during the open period of the announcement. To update an application, you should log into your USAJOBS account and select "+" next to the job title for this position. Select "Update Application" for this job.

Application Deadline: 2025-12-04