Patent Attorney

Patent Attorney

Department: Department of Commerce

Location(s): Alexandria, Virginia

Salary Range: $154254 - $195200 Per Year

Job Summary: As part of its challenging, multi-faceted mission, the Office of Enrollment and Discipline (OED) is responsible for (a) registering attorneys and agents to practice patent law before the USPTO, (b) developing and administering the patent registration exam, (c) investigating allegations of misconduct by practitioners, (d) overseeing USPTO programs, (e) supporting Patents and Trademarks business units regarding anti-fraud initiatives, and (f) federal administrative rulemaking.

Major Duties:

• The physical worksite for this position is located in Alexandria, Virginia. This position is telework eligible per agency and business unit discretion/policy. The individual selected for this position SHOULD enjoy performing the following duties: Screening registration applications of candidates seeking recognition to practice before the USPTO in patent matters to determine if the candidate possesses the required scientific and technical training qualifications. Investigating the moral character and reputation of patent bar 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. Being intimately familiar with the specific policies, rules, regulations, and procedures of the USPTO, including all recent developments and initiatives, including those related to the prevention of patent and trademark fraud. 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 Developing rules, policies and procedures for the regulation of practitioners who practice law before the USPTO.

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. OPM Qualifications Standards are available at Patent Attorney Series. 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. Specialized experience for this position includes: 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. 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.

How to Apply: 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." If you experience any difficulties with the application site, help is available! OPM has a Help feature on each page. Use this option when you need assistance. All required supporting documents will be collected electronically via the USAJobs "Saved Documents" feature. 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.

Application Deadline: 2025-11-24