Patent Examiner (Mechanical Engineering) Direct-Hire Authority (DHA)

U.S. Patent and Trademark Office; Alexandria (VA); On-site; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office seeks engineers to examine ideas and assess technology for patent eligibility. This role supports innovation for the nation and helps bring ideas to market.

Candidates typically hold an engineering degree and may qualify at GS-7 through GS-11 levels with education or experience. The position emphasizes rigorous analysis, data collection, and collaboration with multidisciplinary teams.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in engineering from an ABET-accredited program or equivalent.
• Professional registration or passing engineer-in-training exam is acceptable per requirements.
• 60 semester hours in physical, mathematical, and engineering sciences with relevant courses.

Responsibilities

• Examine ideas and assess technical merit for patent eligibility.
• Shape the future of patent examination processes.
• Support innovation and collaborate with multidisciplinary teams.

Skills

Engineering degree

Professional registration

Engineering knowledge

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering

ABET curriculum or equivalent

Job description

The USPTO drives U.S innovation for the benefit of all Americans and providing intellectual property protection for innovators and entrepreneurs worldwide. We are looking for talented individuals to examine ideas that benefit society and bring innovation to market. You'll shape the future of patent examination, advance key processes, and support innovation in cutting-edge ways.

BASIC REQUIREMENTS for all grade levels in this series include:

A) (1) successfully completed a full four-year course of study in an accredited college or university leading to a bachelor's or higher degree in engineering, OR (2) a combination of qualifying education and experience. This can be demonstrated by one of the following:

1. Professional registration--Current registration as a professional engineer by any state, the District of Columbia, Guam, or Puerto Rico.
2. Written test--Evidence of passing the Engineer-in-Training (EIT) examination or the written test required for professional registration, administered by the Boards of Engineering Examiners in various states, the District of Columbia, Guam, and Puerto Rico.
3. Specified academic courses--Successful completion of at least 60 semester hours in the physical, mathematical, and engineering sciences and including the courses specified in the basic requirements. The courses must be fully acceptable toward meeting the requirements of a professional engineering curriculum as described in paragraph A.
4. Related curriculum--Successful completion of a curriculum leading to a bachelor's degree in engineering technology or in an appropriate professional field (for example, physics, chemistry, architecture, computer science, mathematics, hydrology, or geology) may be accepted in lieu of an engineering degree, provided the applicant has had at least one year of professional engineering experience with professional engineering supervision and guidance.

The curriculum must:

1. Be accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) as a professional engineering curriculum; OR
2. Include differential and integral calculus and courses (more advanced than first-year physics and chemistry) in five of the following seven areas: (a) statics, dynamics; (b) strength of materials (stress-strain relationships); (c) fluid mechanics, hydraulics; (d) thermodynamics; (e) electrical fields and circuits; (f) nature and properties of materials (relating to particle and aggregate structure to properties); or (g) any other comparable area of fundamental engineering science or physics such as optics, heat transfer, soil mechanics, or electronics.

OR

B) A combination of education and experience. This combination of college-level education, training, and/or technical experience must have furnished both: a thorough knowledge of the physical and mathematical sciences underlying professional engineering; AND a good understanding, both theoretical and practical, of the engineering sciences and techniques and their application to professional engineering.

Applicants must also meet the additional requirements listed below. Applicants for the GS-7 position have many ways to qualify. In addition to the basic requirements as stated above, applicants may have A, B, C, D, or E listed below to qualify:

(A) One year of graduate-level education from an accredited college and/or university in an engineering field of study.

(B) Superior Academic Achievement. This can be defined by one of the following:

1. Class standing--Upper third of the graduating class in the college, university, or major subdivision, such as the "School of Engineering and Applied Science" or "College of Science and Technology" based on completed courses.
2. Grade point average (GPA) as recorded on the final transcript--3.0 or higher out of a possible 4.0 as recorded on the official transcript, or as computed based on four years of education, or as computed based on courses completed during the final two years of the curriculum; or 3.5 or higher out of a possible 4.0 based on the average of the required courses completed in the major field or the required courses in the major field completed during the final two years of the curriculum. The GPA is rounded to one decimal place (2.95 = 3.0 and 2.94 = 2.9). The final transcript must cover the period being used to determine the GPA.
3. Honor society membership--Election to membership in a national scholastic honor society. Please review the list of qualified honor societies.

(C) One year of specialized experience applying basic engineering, biological science, physics, or scientific principles, theories, concepts, and methodologies used in the evaluation of technology; assisting in the collection of and recognizing discrepancies in data. Examples of work include taking measurements and collecting information, learning to take proper samples, conducting routine calculations, checking of numerical data, preparing graphs and data profiles, and/or accomplishing routine analyses.

(D) A combination of graduate level education that is less than 1 year and less than 1 year of specialized experience that together meet the qualification requirements for this position.

(E) Successful completion of a 5-year program of study of at least 160 semester hours leading to a bachelor's degree in engineering.

Applicants for the GS-9 position have many ways to qualify. In addition to the basic requirements as stated above, applicants may have A, B, C, D, or E listed below to qualify:

(A) Two years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a master's degree or master's or equivalent graduate degree from an accredited college and/or university in an engineering field of study.

(B) One year of specialized experience, interpreting and applying intermediate engineering, biological science, physics, scientific principles, theories, concepts, and methodologies used in the evaluation of technology; participating in planning and conducting research; applying appropriate references to the claimed invention; etc. Work experience would have involved following established methods and procedures, or detailed instructions; using some judgment in applying basic principles and procedures; and independently completing recurring assignments, but referring deviations, problems, and unfamiliar situations to a designated person for decision or help.

(C) A combination of education and experience in college-level education, training, and/or technical experience.

(D) A combination of successfully completed graduate-level education, as described above, that is beyond the first year of progressive graduate study, and professional experience, as described above.

(E) A combination of superior academic achievement and 1 year of appropriate specialized experience.

Applicants for the GS-11 position have many ways to qualify. In addition to the basic requirements as stated above, applicants may have A, B, or C listed below to qualify:

(A) Three years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a Ph.D. degree or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree from an accredited college and/or university in the fields of study as described.

(B) At least one year of specialized experience: interpreting and applying advanced engineering and/or scientific principles, theories, concepts, and methodologies used in the evaluation of technology; or planning and conducting technical research to draft technical papers; or applying appropriate references and case law to claimed inventions. Experience may include independent responsibility for a well-defined study or for a phase of a larger study that required the planning and carrying out of routine (physics, engineer, biological, etc.) work (such as those who have PhDs).

(C) A combination of successfully completed graduate-level education, that is beyond the second year of progressive graduate study, and professional experience, as described above.