Deputy Commissioner for Patents - Legal

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. All applicants will be assessed for executive competency against the five mandatory Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs). If your two-page resume does not reflect demonstrated evidence of the ECQs and PTQs, you will not receive further consideration for the position. For more information regarding the SES and ECQs, please visit the Executive Core Qualifications page. This position is located in the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), Office of Commissioner for Patents. The Deputy Commissioner for Patents - Legal (DCPL) formulates policy for all offices under the Commissioner for Patents and manages matters relating to patent petitions, creation and implementation of patent laws, rules and procedures, patent examining quality assurance, and updating the Manual of Patent Examining Procedure (MPEP). The DCPL is responsible for providing legal and policy guidance to the Commissioner for Patents and the other Patents DCPs. The DCPL provides strategic vision, guidance, and direction to ensure that the necessary monitoring, assessment, and training required to instill confidence in the patent system are provided to internal and external stakeholders. The DCPL makes managerial and technical decisions required for successful program development, administration, and management. Major duties include, but are not limited to, the following: The DCPL ensures legal policies/guidance and administrative policies/procedures are communicated to Patent business unit employees. Where practices and procedures are not aligned with the overall goals of the USPTO, it is the DCPL's responsibility to create remedies and implement practices to ensure compliance. The DCPL provides leadership and representation, serving as principal policy and legal advisor to the Commissioner for Patents and as a member of executive committees and working groups, many of which may include representatives from top management levels in the Agency. The incumbent represents the Agency at various meetings with patent bar associations regarding patent laws and practice. The DCPL represents the Commissioner for Patents and has full authority in contacts with members of the public, officials of other Government agencies, Department of Commerce and Patent and Trademark Office employees, members of Congress, and foreign government officials. In the area of practice and procedure, the DCPL maintains up-to-date knowledge of existing practice and has responsibility for the recommendation, development and formation of new examining policies, practices, and procedures as well as revising existing policies, practices, and procedures. The incumbent is specifically responsible for ensuring that revised procedures are appropriately announced to USPTO stakeholders, including applicants, employees, and the public. The DCPL provides oversight of implementation of new rules and procedures in all patent examining areas. A primary responsibility of the DCPL is to resolve questions regarding the interpretation of the patent statutes, regulations, and case law. The DCPL oversees and directs the work of the Office of Patent Legal Administration (OPLA), MPEP, and the Office of Petitions, which are responsible for monitoring and reviewing various special programs and for the preparation of various rulemakings and decisions on petitions to the Under Secretary relating to patent applications and patents. The DCPL participates in matrix management with other DCPs in Patents. Hence, the duties and responsibilities described herein are carried out consistently with the principles set forth in matrix management and require coordination of responsibilities with other DCPs. Additionally, matrix management requires that the DCPL possesses the skills, knowledge and abilities necessary to work in a team environment yet be able to exhibit effective leadership in planning and organizing the assignments of a large number of executives, professionals and their supporting staff.

Qualifications

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. Candidates will not be hired based on their race, sex, color, religion, or national origin. To meet the minimum qualification requirements for this position, you must show that you possess the Executive Core Qualifications (ECQ) and Professional Technical Qualifications (PTQs) related to this position within your resume. Your resume may NOT exceed two pages, and the font size should not be smaller than 11 pts. You will not be considered for this vacancy if your resume is illegible/unreadable. Additional information on resume requirements can be located under "How To Apply". 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. There is NO requirement to prepare a narrative statement specifically addressing the Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs) or the Professional Technical Qualifications (PTQs). PROFESSIONAL TECHNICAL QUALIFICATIONS (TQs): Your resume should demonstrate accomplishments that would satisfy the technical qualifications. PTQ 1: Demonstrated leadership experience directing and evaluating a professional and technical organizational unit, including building strategic partnerships with the USPTO user community and stakeholders. PTQ 2: Comprehensive expertise in patent statutes, regulations, and case law, with the ability to advise senior executives and deliver strategic solutions to complex legal issues. EXECUTIVE CORE QUALIFICATIONS (ECQs): In addition to the Professional Technical Qualification Requirements listed above, all new entrants into the Senior Executive Service (SES) under a career appointment will be assessed for executive competency against the following five mandatory ECQs. If your 2-page resume does not reflect demonstrated evidence of the ECQs and PTQs, you may not receive further consideration for the position. There are five ECQs: ECQ 1: Commitment to the Rule of Law and the Principles of the American Founding - This core qualification requires a demonstrated knowledge of the American system of government, commitment to uphold the Constitution and the rule of law, and commitment to serve the American people. ECQ 2: Driving Efficiency -This core qualification involves the demonstrated ability to strategically and efficiently manage resources, budget effectively, cut wasteful spending, and pursue efficiency through process and technological upgrades. ECQ 3: Merit and Competence - This core qualification involves the demonstrated knowledge, ability and technical competence to effectively and reliably produce work that is of exceptional quality. ECQ 4: Leading People - This core qualification involves the demonstrated ability to lead and inspire a group toward meeting the organization's vision, mission, and goals, and to drive a high-performance, high-accountability culture. This includes, when necessary, the ability to lead people through change and to hold individuals accountable. ECQ 5: Achieving Results - This core qualification involves the demonstrated ability to achieve both individual and organizational results, and to align results to stated goals from superiors. Note: If you are a member of the SES or have been certified through successful participation in an OPM approved SES Candidate Development Program (SESCDP), or have SES reinstatement eligibility, you do not need to respond to the ECQs. Instead, you should attach proof (e.g., SF-50, Certification by OPM's SES Qualifications Review Board (QRB)) of your eligibility for noncompetitive appointment to the SES.

Education

The incumbent must have at least a bachelor's degree in an engineering, scientific or technical field. The incumbent must have a law degree from an accredited law school program and must be a member of a bar in good standing, in the United States or a Territory of the United States. 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: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. If you are qualifying based on foreign education, you must submit proof of creditability of education as evaluated by a credentialing agency. For further information, visit: Recognition of Foreign Qualifications | International Affairs Office (ed.gov)

How to apply

***If you are currently, or have been within the last 5 years, a political Schedule A, Schedule C, or Non-career SES employee in the executive branch, you must disclose this information within your application. To apply for this position, you must complete this application and submit any required documents specified in the Required Documents section and submit by 11:59 PM (EST) on the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration. To begin, click Apply to access the online application. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account to apply. If you do not have a USAJOBS account, you will need to create one before beginning the application. Follow the prompts to select and upload your resume and/or other required documents to be included with your application package. You will have the opportunity to upload additional documents to include in your application before it is submitted. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process. After acknowledging you have reviewed your application package, complete the "Include Personal Information" section as you deem appropriate and click to continue with the application process. You will be taken to the online application which you must complete in order to apply for the position. Complete the online application, verify the required documentation is included with your application package, and submit the application. It is applicant's responsibility to verify that information entered and uploaded, (i.e., resume and other required documents) is complete, accurate, and submitted by the closing date. Human Resources will not modify or change any part of your application. Application packages will NOT be accepted via mail. Due to security processes, mail delivery takes approximately 2-3 weeks to process at which time the vacancy announcement will be closed, and no further consideration will be given to additional application packages.