Patent Review Quality Assurance Specialist

DutiesThe physical worksite for this position is located in Alexandria, Virginia. This position is telework eligible per agency and business unit discretion / policy.

• Filling Multiple Positions across all technologies, for the exception of Technology Center 2900
• Major Duties for this position include : Provides professional leadership and direction for a broad range of coordinated programs that focus on critical mission-related activities and issues.Conducts substantive reviews and analyses that involve highly technical, controversial, and / or novel scientific engineering, as well as legal consideration.Acts as a liaison between the Office of Patent Quality Assurance (OPQA) and other areas within the Patents organization, including the Technology Centers (TCs), with respect to quality review matters.Supports quality improvement initiatives and studies throughout the Patents organization.Plans, implements, manages and evaluates a broad range of quality programs.Requirements Conditions of EmploymentApplications 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.Time-in-grade / band requirements must be met by the closing date of the announcement.Suitable for Federal Employment.This position requires the completion of OF-450 Financial Disclosure 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.Specialized Experience : 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-14.Specialized experience for this position includes : Experience as a Primary Examiner applying engineering and / or scientific concepts to the patent examining process; ANDAnalyzing and evaluating unique quality issues with respect to patent examination.Must have Full Signatory AuthorityExperience 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.EducationEducation may not be substituted for specialized experience at this grade level.Additional informationIf 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 Bargaining Unit position and represented by The Patent Office Professional Association (POPA).If selected for this position, you may be required to complete the Fair Credit Act Memo, which gives consent so that one or more consumer credit reports may be obtained for employment purposes.This is a Public Trust position and has a risk level designation of "High Risk."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 / ICTAP.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.USPTO Job Applicants requiring reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process should request accommodation(s) from the USPTO at USPTO Reasonable Accommodation.The United States Patent and Trademark Office is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, retaliation, parental status, military service, or other non-merit factors. If you believe that you have been discriminated against and would like to file an EEO complaint, you must do so within 45 days of the date of the alleged discriminatory act. Claims of employment discrimination must be submitted to the attention of the USPTO's Office of Equal Employment Opportunity & Diversity via email (oeeod@uspto.gov) or phone (571-272-8292). Help 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. Review our benefitsEligibility 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.How You Will Be EvaluatedYou will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above. Your resume, optional cover letter and supporting documentation will be reviewed to determine if you meet the minimum qualification requirements for the position. All applicants who meet the minimum qualification requirements, as defined in the job opportunity announcement, will be referred for selection consideration. Preference eligibles are encouraged to submit their supporting documentation (DD-214 stating disposition of discharge or character of service, VA letter, SF-15, etc.).Your resume will be evaluated based on evidence of your ability to demonstrate possession of any specialized experience and how well your background and experience relates to the self-assessment questions in the job announcement. Responses to job questions that are not fully supported by the information in your resume may result in adjustments to your rating. Any experience claimed in a cover letter should be substantiated by information contained in your resume. A HR Representative will validate the qualifications of those candidates eligible to be referred to the hiring official.The scored occupational questionnaire will evaluate you on the following competencies; please do not provide a separate written response. CommunicationCustomer Service (Clerical / Technical)Quality ManagementTechnical CompetenceYour responses to the self-assessment questions serve as the basis for your initial rating. You will receive a numerical score based on your responses to these questions. Next, your responses will be evaluated by a Human Resources Specialist and / or a subject matter expert against the information provided in your resume and optional cover letter. Your resume must support your answers to the self-assessment questions, or your score may be adjusted or lowered accordingly which may affect your overall final rating. The best qualified candidates will be identified for referral to the hiring manager and may be invited for an interview. If referred all relevant documents submitted with your application package will be forwarded to the selecting official, due weight shall be given to performance appraisals and awards in accordance with 5 CFR § 335.103(b)(3), during the interview / selection process conducted by the hiring manager. Falsifying your background, education, and / or experience is cause for not hiring you or for changing your scored responses to questions you've answered, which may affect your overall final score.Please click the link below to review the Assessment Questionnaire.If you are invited for an interview, you will be asked to bring a copy of your most recent performance appraisal.Please note that a complete application is required for consideration. (Please review the "Required Documents" section of this job announcement to see what must be included in a complete application).