Patent Examiner (Electrical Engineering)

About the role

Turn innovation into impact—become a patent examiner at the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). 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.

Responsibilities

• Examine patent applications and help protect groundbreaking ideas. Assess patent applications for new inventions, ensuring they meet standards and determining if they are eligible for a patent.
• Early in your career, work closely with supervisors and senior examiners and receive extensive guidance and feedback as you develop your skills and evaluate your findings.
• Explore innovation in your review of patent applications. Use specialized and cutting‑edge technology to search prior art—information known publicly before the filing of a U.S. patent application—to determine whether inventions meet patentability standards and are eligible for a patent.
• Prepare clear and thoughtful office actions. Draft written communications to applicants to convey findings in detailed explanations of examination decisions. Discuss them with supervisors or senior examiners and refine work based on feedback before issuing official communications.

Qualifications

BASIC REQUIREMENTS for all grade levels in this series include:

• 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 a combination of qualifying education and experience.
• Professional registration—Current registration as a professional engineer by any state, the District of Columbia, Guam, or Puerto Rico.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.

For detailed OPM qualification requirements, see the USAJOBS posting.

Conditions of 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 and fingerprint check.
• The duties of the position will depend on the level of the role, and the level a selectee is selected for will depend on a variety of factors, including education and experience.