Legal Instrument Examiner

Join the USPTO Records Program Office, Public Records Division, Assignment Recordation Branch. 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. The position may be eligible for situational telework in accordance with agency policy/business unit discretion, currently allowing for 52 hours of telework per calendar year.

About the role

As a Legal Instrument Examiner, you will review, process, and record legal documents related to patent and trademark ownership, ensuring documents meet recordation requirements and that USPTO official records remain accurate and complete.

Responsibilities

• Conduct a detailed examination of the cover sheet for the request and supporting legal documents to ensure that information is complete, recordation requirements have been met, and correct fees have been paid. Based on this analysis, determine whether documents are recordable in comparison with specific criteria in the manuals governing patent and trademark examination, which are based in law and regulation.
• Examine and update fee information in PTO automated systems to ensure payment of statutory fees. Verify and calculate fees to ensure that amounts are correct, charge fees to customer's deposit account or credit card, generate a non-recordation notice when problems are encountered, and process payments for any additional fees that are imposed.
• Determine when a refund is necessary and process refunds as authorized.
• Respond to customer inquiries from applicants and/or their attorneys regarding procedures for filing documents, making corrections, forms required, pertinent rules and regulations, processing procedures, and guidance in navigating through the online system. Explain rules, regulations, and requirements as needed and describe discrepancies which may occur in a wide variety of documents.

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 Clerical and Administrative Support Positions.

Specialized Experience is experience that has equipped applicants with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position. To be creditable, you must possess one full year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent to GS-06 in the Federal service. Specialized experience for this position includes:

• Experience providing review and recordation services for documents submitted by members of the organization, ensuring accuracy, completeness, and proper processing in accordance with established procedures.
• Experience processing requests for changes in assignment and other information for numerous types of legal documents in accordance with regulatory requirements.

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

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. 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.

Conditions for Employment

• Applications will only be accepted from United States Citizens and Nationals.
• Your resume and question responses must demonstrate the job-related competencies.
• If selected, you will be required to pass a background investigation.