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U.S. Patent and Trademark Office

Lead Paralegal Specialist

U.S. Patent and Trademark Office See More Job Openings by This EmployerArrow
  • Full Time
  • $102,415 - $133,142/year
  • Alexandria, VA
March 23, 2026 Paralegal

Job Description


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.

This position serves as a Lead Paralegal Specialist. This is your next ideal career move if:

  • You are skilled at coaching teams, advising on work methods, balancing workloads, resolving informal issues, and providing input on promotions, reassignments, recognition, and training needs.
  • You have a track record of delivering and arranging team and technical/legal training, recommending ways to boost quality and output, and coaching employees to improve performance.
  • You are meticulous about oversight-monitoring and reporting progress; checking work to ensure priorities, deadlines, and quality are met; defining success measures; and preparing periodic reports and trend analyses.
  • You are an expert in reviewing, cite-checking, and editing legal documents for compliance with FRCP and trademark statutes and regulations; you stay current on rule changes and guide filings.
  • You are the go-to resource for agency procedures and rules; you review draft SOPs, FAQs, and TBMP inputs before release and handle most inquiries.
  • You have experience designing and monitoring performance and customer metrics; improving filing/TBMP/FAQ web content; partnering with the Quality Team and leading training; communicating with judges, attorneys, paralegals, the public, and USPTO staff; and preparing reports, and presentations.


Requirements
Conditions of employment
  • Applications 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 probationary period.
  • You must meet all qualification requirements upon the closing date of this announcement.
  • Suitable for Federal Employment
  • Time-in-grade/band requirements must be met by the closing date of the announcement.
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 Paralegal Specialist Series 0950

Specialized Experienceis 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. For this position, the next lower grade level is a GS-11.

Specialized experience for this position includes:

  • Experience interpreting and applying laws, regulations, and agency procedures while preparing and reviewing final legal products for correctness, accuracy, and adherence to established precedent and procedures.
  • Experience providing formal or informal training, coaching or mentoring, reviewing quality of legal work products, and using sound judgment to resolve problems and escalate issues, as appropriate.
  • Experience conveying relevant facts, analysis, and conclusions both orally and in writing, while drafting and editing legal documents and SOPs, and coordinating with team members, other business units, and the public.
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 "moderate".

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.

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

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

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: OPM CTAP. 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.

Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments. (https://appsupport.usastaffing.gov/hc/en-us/sections/28980686389652-Reasonable-Accommodation-Information).

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.

Salary
  • $102,415 - $133,142/year


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