Closing Date: 18th June, 2026
Description:
Summary:The United States Patent and Trademark Office's (USPTO) mission is to promote innovation and competition by providing quality examination and issuance of patent and trademark applications, guiding domestic and international intellectual property policy, and delivering intellectual property information and education worldwide. Through the issuance of patents, the USPTO encourages technological advancement by providing incentives to invent, invest in, and disclose new technology worldwide.
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.
The Senior Level Patent Attorney provides expert legal advice to senior USPTO, Department of Commerce, and Administration officials on domestic and international intellectual property policy with emphasis on complex patent issues on the international level.
The incumbent serves as the staff expert on intricate issues associated with such difficult areas as computer-related technology, biotechnology, pharmaceutical and agricultural chemical data protection, legal and regulatory issues, and patent and industrial design filing and protection issues on the international level.
The Senior Level Patent Attorney also performs the following duties:
Requirements:
Conditions of Employment:
Qualifications:
To meet the minimum requirements for a Senior Level position, candidates must be a recognized subject matter expert with directly related experience. Typically, experience of this nature will have been gained at the GS-15 or equivalent level in the federal service or its equivalent in the private sector. Candidates must demonstrate their experience meets the Professional Technical Qualifications for this position in their two-page resume and this experience must have been at a sufficiently high level of difficulty to clearly show the candidate possesses the required subject matter expertise and 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.
To meet the minimum qualification requirements for this position, you must show that you possess the Professional Technical Qualifications (PTQs) related to the position within your resume - NOT TO EXCEED 2 PAGES. Resumes over the 2-page limit, will not be reviewed beyond page 2 or may be disqualified.
Your resume should include examples of experience, education, and accomplishments applicable to the qualification(s). If your resume does not reflect demonstrated evidence of these qualifications, you may not receive consideration for the position.
Professional Technical Qualifications (PTQS): Your resume should demonstrate accomplishments that would satisfy the technical qualifications.
Professional Technical Qualifications (PTQs):
There is NO requirement to prepare a narrative statement specifically addressing the Professional Technical Qualifications (PTQs).
Education:
Educational requirement is a law degree and membership in good standing of the bar of a state or territory of the United States, the District of Columbia, or Puerto Rico. A technical degree or equivalent is also required for this position.
A college or university degree generally must be from an accredited (or pre-accredited) college or university recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For a list of schools which meet these criteria, please refer to Department of Education Accreditation page.
Foreign Education: Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the requirements. You must show proof the education credentials have been deemed to be at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S. education program. It is your responsibility to provide such evidence when applying.
Additional Information:
OPM must authorize any employment offers made to current or former (within the last 5 years) political Schedule A, Schedule C, or Non-career SES employees in the executive branch. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, or Noncareer SES employee in the executive branch, you must disclose that to the Human Resources Office.
This is a Non-Bargaining Unit position.
You may be required to complete the Fair Credit Act Memo.
This is a Public Trust position and has a risk level designation of "Moderate Risk".
Relocation expenses are not authorized and will not be paid.
All Federal employees are required to have Federal salary payments made by direct deposit to a financial institution of their choice.
USPTO Job Applicants requiring reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process should request accommodation(s) from the USPTO at http://www.uspto.gov/accommodation.
Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy Statement: http://www.eeoc.gov/federal/index.cfm
If you receive a tentative offer of employment for this position, you will be required to complete an Optional Form 306, Declaration of Federal Employment (https://www.opm.gov/forms/pdf_fill/OF0306.pdf), and to sign and certify the accuracy of all information in your application, prior to entry on duty. False statements on any part of the application may result in withdrawal of offer of employment, dismissal after beginning work, fine, or imprisonment.
Employment Information Resources - Resource Center: https://help.usajobs.gov/how-to
The USPTO participates in E-Verify. For more informati
The Senior Level Patent Attorney provides expert legal advice to senior USPTO, Department of Commerce, and Administration officials on domestic and international intellectual property policy with emphasis on complex patent issues on the international level.
The incumbent serves as the staff expert on intricate issues associated with such difficult areas as computer-related technology, biotechnology, pharmaceutical and agricultural chemical data protection, legal and regulatory issues, and patent and industrial design filing and protection issues on the international level.
The Senior Level Patent Attorney also performs the following duties:
- Acts as the senior expert on legal and technical developments in the most challenging technological areas of the USPTO, focusing upon the often unique, increasingly multifaceted international patent law arena. Keeps abreast of the latest developments and the emerging legal and technical issues related to patents in a broad range of technologies.
- Proposes domestic legislation on substantive patent law and administrative matters that is consistent with Administration goals.
- Drafts and reviews, when tasked, complex patent legislative proposals involving the intellectual property law portions of major Administration proposals.
- Clears legislative proposals and views through the Office of Management and Budget, the Department of State, the Department of Justice, et al.
- Advocates enactment before the private sector, Members of Congress and their staff, particularly when the issues involved are legally or technologically difficult, highly sensitive in nature, and have international ramifications.
- Participates in interagency groups and makes presentations to and secures comments from private sector groups.
- Participates in, as sole representative of the United States or as the senior expert on a team, bilateral and multilateral negotiations to obtain the Administration's objectives in the foreign policy and trade arenas where particularly sophisticated intellectual property law issues are involved.
- Advises other attorneys on the more complex and subtle aspects involved in planning, establishing strategies for, and conducting negotiations of international agreements.
- Consults and coordinates with top level officials in other agencies such as the Office of the United States Trade Representative, the Department of State, and the International Trade Administration.
- Participates in executive planning sessions and panels that establish policies and goals for the USPTO.
Requirements:
Conditions of Employment:
- You must be a U.S. Citizen or a National.
- Complete a Declaration of Federal Employment to determine your suitability for Federal employment.
- Required to pass a background investigation and fingerprint check.
- If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, you must certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System or are exempt from having to do so. (see https://www.sss.gov/RegVer/wfRegistration.aspx)
- Financial Disclosure Report (OGE-278) will be required upon appointment and annually.
- If this is your first federal appointment, you will be required to complete a one-year probationary period. Current federal service employees may be given a new appointment, and a new probationary period may be required.
Qualifications:
To meet the minimum requirements for a Senior Level position, candidates must be a recognized subject matter expert with directly related experience. Typically, experience of this nature will have been gained at the GS-15 or equivalent level in the federal service or its equivalent in the private sector. Candidates must demonstrate their experience meets the Professional Technical Qualifications for this position in their two-page resume and this experience must have been at a sufficiently high level of difficulty to clearly show the candidate possesses the required subject matter expertise and 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.
To meet the minimum qualification requirements for this position, you must show that you possess the Professional Technical Qualifications (PTQs) related to the position within your resume - NOT TO EXCEED 2 PAGES. Resumes over the 2-page limit, will not be reviewed beyond page 2 or may be disqualified.
Your resume should include examples of experience, education, and accomplishments applicable to the qualification(s). If your resume does not reflect demonstrated evidence of these qualifications, you may not receive consideration for the position.
Professional Technical Qualifications (PTQS): Your resume should demonstrate accomplishments that would satisfy the technical qualifications.
Professional Technical Qualifications (PTQs):
- Comprehensive knowledge of U.S. patent law, the legislative process, and patent enforcement frameworks; experienced in advising on domestic and international patent policy matters.
- Skilled in drafting and reviewing complex patent documents and briefing high-ranking officials, Members of Congress, international organizations, and stakeholders on sensitive, complex IP issues.
There is NO requirement to prepare a narrative statement specifically addressing the Professional Technical Qualifications (PTQs).
Education:
Educational requirement is a law degree and membership in good standing of the bar of a state or territory of the United States, the District of Columbia, or Puerto Rico. A technical degree or equivalent is also required for this position.
A college or university degree generally must be from an accredited (or pre-accredited) college or university recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For a list of schools which meet these criteria, please refer to Department of Education Accreditation page.
Foreign Education: Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the requirements. You must show proof the education credentials have been deemed to be at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S. education program. It is your responsibility to provide such evidence when applying.
Additional Information:
OPM must authorize any employment offers made to current or former (within the last 5 years) political Schedule A, Schedule C, or Non-career SES employees in the executive branch. If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, or Noncareer SES employee in the executive branch, you must disclose that to the Human Resources Office.
This is a Non-Bargaining Unit position.
You may be required to complete the Fair Credit Act Memo.
This is a Public Trust position and has a risk level designation of "Moderate Risk".
Relocation expenses are not authorized and will not be paid.
All Federal employees are required to have Federal salary payments made by direct deposit to a financial institution of their choice.
USPTO Job Applicants requiring reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process should request accommodation(s) from the USPTO at http://www.uspto.gov/accommodation.
Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy Statement: http://www.eeoc.gov/federal/index.cfm
If you receive a tentative offer of employment for this position, you will be required to complete an Optional Form 306, Declaration of Federal Employment (https://www.opm.gov/forms/pdf_fill/OF0306.pdf), and to sign and certify the accuracy of all information in your application, prior to entry on duty. False statements on any part of the application may result in withdrawal of offer of employment, dismissal after beginning work, fine, or imprisonment.
Employment Information Resources - Resource Center: https://help.usajobs.gov/how-to
The USPTO participates in E-Verify. For more informati
