Legal Instruments Examiner
U.S. Patent and Trademark Office See More Job Openings by This Employer- Full Time
- $57,736/year
- Alexandria, VA
Imagine starting your career as a Legal Instrument Examiner working in an office that is on the cutting edge of planning, developing, implementing and evaluating all initiatives needed to support the examination of patent applications throughout the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). This position is waiting for you to bring your technical expertise to our agency.
This is a term position not to exceed two years. This appointment may be extended without further competition to a maximum of four years.
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 individual selected for this position will…
- Review and analyze legal documents to determine the appropriate fees to be charged.
- Perform an extensive review and analysis of applications and related legal documents including amendments, applications for power of attorney, petitions, requests for continued examination and other associated requirements.
- Calculate fees in accordance with appropriate fee schedules, prepares fee determination record, and charges the authorized applicant or attorney.
- Determine the appropriate type of information Disclosure Statement (IDS) completed and identifies and corrects inaccurate or incomplete information and data.
- Apply critical thinking skills to utilize automated systems to research, evaluate and process applications efficiently and accurately.
- 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.
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 Clerical and Administrative Positions.
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, you must possess one full year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-06 in the Federal service.
Specialized experience for this position includes:
- Communicating information both orally and in writing while preparing notices and correspondence on applicable rules, legal requirements, and policies.
- Analyzing legal documents for completeness of information and compliance with regulations and procedures.
- Providing guidance to applicants, attorneys, patent examiners, and the public regarding applicable rules, legal requirements, policies, and procedures.
As a general rule, education is not creditable above GS-5 for most positions covered by this standard; however, graduate education may be credited in those few instances where the graduate education is directly related to the work of the position.
If this position requires proof of higher education, or you are substituting education for experience, you must submit an unofficial transcript or a list of courses that includes the following information: name of accredited institution, grades earned, completion dates, and quarter and semester hours earned. Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the requirements. Please refer to General Schedule Qualification Policies for more information. You are not required to submit official documents at this time; copies are sufficient.
Special Instructions for Foreign Education: Qualifying education from colleges and universities in foreign countries must be evaluated in terms of equivalency to that acquired in U.S. colleges and universities. Applicants educated in whole or in part in foreign countries must submit sufficient evidence, including transcripts, to an accredited private organization for an equivalency evaluation of course work and degree. A listing of these accredited organizations can be found on the Department of Education's website - US Department of Education. Another listing of services that can perform this evaluation is available at the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) website. You must provide a copy of the letter containing the results of the equivalency evaluation with a course by course listing along with your application. Failure to provide such documentation when requested will result in lost consideration.
NOTE: Only education and experience acquired before the filing deadline will be considered. Report only attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
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.
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
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Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
- $57,736/year