Supervisory Patent Classifier

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. As Director of CSD, you will lead classification systems, programs, and teams that support patent examination across evolving technologies. You can expect to perform the following duties: Lead the development and modernization of U.S. and international patent classification systems, ensuring they effectively support patent examination across complex and evolving technologies.

Serve as a senior technical and policy authority, providing expert guidance on classification standards, systems, and search methodologies to leadership and stakeholders. Direct high-impact classification initiatives and programs, overseeing the design, implementation, and continuous improvement of classification systems, tools, and processes. Represent the USPTO in national and international forums, collaborating with global partners and influencing classification standards and strategies.

Lead and manage a high-performing organization, including supervising subordinate managers and staff, aligning resources and priorities, and ensuring quality, consistency, and mission success.

Applicants should familiarize themselves and must be able to comply with the relevant conflict of interest laws and standards of ethical conduct for employees of the executive branch regarding possible conflicts of interest in connection with their potential area of examination as seen here: https://www.commerce.gov/ogc/about-ogc/bureaus-and-offices/office-assistant-general-counsel-ethics-law-and-programs-office/ethics-rules. Attorney-applicants must also be able to comply with the relevant rules of professional conduct regarding any possible professional responsibility conflicts in connection with their applications. In particular, please notify the USPTO Office of Enrollment and Discipline at [email protected] if you currently represent clients before the USPTO and/or you have a family member who is representing clients or adjudicating matters in which this Office is involved so that we can evaluate any potential conflict of interest or disqualification issue that may need to be addressed under those circumstances.

You will be required to file a confidential financial disclosure report, i.e. Office of Government Ethics (OGE) Form 450 annually.

Education may not be substituted for specialized experience at this grade level.

Your resume will be evaluated, using a Structured Resume Review, for evidence of your ability to demonstrate possession of any specialized experience and how well your background and experience relate to the job announcement, required by this position. Any experience claimed in a cover letter should be substantiated by information contained in your resume. An HR Representative will validate the qualifications of those candidates eligible to be referred to the hiring official.

Resume review: Subject matter experts (SMEs) will review your resume to determine your qualifications for this position based on the required specialized experience.

Your resume should demonstrate how you meet all aspects of the specialized experience statements. SMEs will not review additional information beyond your resume (e.g., links embedded in your resume will not be opened).

You will be assessed on the following competencies (knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics): Communication Influencing/Negotiating Leadership Policy Interpretation and Application Problem Solving Program Management Strategic Thinking Technical Competence (Classification Systems) 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. https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12940168 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).

If 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 Non-Bargaining Unit position. This is a Public Trust position and has a risk level designation of "high." 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. Supervisory Probationary Period- If selected, you may be required to complete an initial one-year supervisory probationary period. 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 sexual orientation), national origin, political affiliation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions, retaliation for engaging in protected activity, 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 via email ([email protected]) or phone (571-272-8292).

You MUST apply online. If you experience difficulties with the application process or do not have access to a computer, please contact the HR Specialist listed as the point of contact before the closing date of this job announcement. If you are a new user to the USAJobs Site and have never registered for an account; you will first need to create an account profile with your basic contact information and a resume to begin applying.

You must be a registered USAJobs user AND you must be signed-in to your account in order to apply for this position. For help setting up an account or for general help using USAJobs, go to USAJobs Help Page. Once you have gathered all of the required information and are ready to begin the application process, click the "APPLY" button at the right side of the page.

You will then be directed away from USAJobs to the Department of Commerce application site for USPTO.

You must click "Submit" at the end of the application process to send your application for consideration. To return to your saved application, log in to your USAJOBS account at http://www.usajobs.gov/ and click on "Applications." Click on the position title, then select "Update Application." If you experience any difficulties with the application site, OPM has a Help feature on each page. Use this option when you need assistance.

All required supporting documents will be collected electronically via the USAJobs "Saved Documents" feature. Personally Identifiable Information (PII) Personally Identifiable Information (PII) is defined as information that can be traced back to a specific individual and potentially compromise their security or privacy. Examples of PII include: date of birth, Social Security Number, and place of birth.

Please ensure that you have removed all Personally Identifiable Information from all documents prior to submitting or uploading your applications material.

A complete application consists of: Resume: All applicants are required to submit a two-page resume (NOT TO EXCEED 2 PAGES). Resumes exceeding this limit will not be considered eligible. Please submit only one resume.

Only the document uploaded under the "Resume "section as the "Document Type" will be reviewed to assess your qualifications and for evaluation purposes. To receive full credit for relevant experience, please list the month/year (MM/YY - MM/YY) and number of hours worked for experience listed on your resume. We suggest that you preview the online questions, as you may need to customize your resume to ensure that it supports your responses to these questions.

Resume should clearly state your experience related to this position as described in the Duties section and Qualifications section. Professional or Academic References - Provide 2-3 professional/academic references (name, phone, email); one must be your current supervisor. We'll notify you before contacting them. Please

Note: 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. Supporting Documents: 1. Notification of Personnel Action (SF-50) - For current and/or former Federal employees, your status eligibility and highest permanent grade/step/salary held in the Federal service will be validated with a copy of your most recent SF-50, "Notification of Personnel Action" so that we may verify your time-in-grade.

1. Performance Appraisal - Recent performance appraisal with supervisor's signature showing the official final rating of record, and copy of incentive award(s). In cases where the performance appraisal is incomplete or unavailable, applicants may provide explanation of the reasons.
2. Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) documents - CTAP applicants MUST submit the following documents: 1. A copy of your RIF separation notice, notice of proposed removal for declining a directed geographic relocation outside of the local commuting area; a Certificate of Expected Separation (CES); or certification that you are in a surplus organization or occupation (this could be a position abolishment letter, a notice of eligibility for discontinued service retirement, or similar notice); 2.

A copy of your SF-50 "Notification of Personnel Action", noting current position, grade/band level, and duty location; 3. A copy of your latest performance appraisal including your rating; and

1. Any documentation from your bureau/operating unit that shows your current promotion potential. You can upload your documents when you register or update your information on the Dept. of Commerce site which you access through the USAJobs site.

Your application and all required documents must be received by 11:59 pm ET on the closing date of this job announcement.

NOTE: The preceding documents requirement are based on job requirements and individual applicant eligibility. Not all documents are applicable to all applicants; if you are unsure which documents apply to you, contact the HR Specialist listed on this announcement.