Summary
Help shape the future of patent quality. The Office of Patent Quality Assurance (OPQA) is hiring highly skilled technical experts to help improve how patent examination is evaluated across the USPTO. These roles blend technical expertise, strategic thinking, and collaboration to boost examination quality, strengthen examiner performance, and support consistent application of patent laws and examination policy.
Duties
The physical worksite for this position is located in Alexandria, Virginia. Presence at the Alexandria, VA campus is required for this role, as it includes on site functions that must be performed in person. Position may be eligible for situational telework in accordance with agency policy/business unit discretion. The agency currently allows for 52 hours of telework per calendar year. As a senior technical leader within the Office of Patent Quality Assurance, you'll influence how patent examination is evaluated across the USPTO. Your expertise will help strengthen examination quality, improve consistency, advise executive leadership, and enhance the effectiveness of programs that support innovation nationwide. You'll make an impact by: Leading agency-wide quality reviews of patent examination work, including office actions, allowances, and Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) applications, to promote consistent application of patent laws, regulations, and examination policy. Driving continuous improvement by analyzing examination trends, evaluating quality data, and transforming review findings into practical recommendations that strengthen patent examination programs and organizational performance. Advising executive leadership, Technology Centers, and management officials on complex patent examination, scientific, engineering, and legal issues while helping shape quality assurance initiatives with agency-wide impact. Developing innovative training, mentoring, and coaching programs that enhance examiner performance, improve examination consistency, and strengthen technical expertise across the Patent organization. Partnering with Patent Examiners, Supervisory Patent Examiners, Technology Centers, and other stakeholders to communicate quality findings, build consensus, and implement solutions that improve examination quality. Championing strategic initiatives by leading special projects, preparing statistical analyses, recommending program improvements, and providing trusted technical advice that influences the future direction of patent quality.
Education
Education may not be substituted for specialized experience at this grade level.
How you will be evaluated
Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), your responses on the application questionnaire, and your responses to all assessments required for this position. You will be assessed on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics): Attention to Detail Customer Service Decision Making Flexibility Influencing/Negotiating Integrity/Honesty Interpersonal Skills Learning Reasoning Self-Management Stress Tolerance Teamwork Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on an assessment may also result in your removal from consideration. 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. To preview the application questionnaire, click the following link: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13061270 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 ([email protected]) or phone (571-272-8292).