Technology Transfer and Patent Specialist
About This Position
If you are an experienced Technology Transfer & Patent Specialist and you want to play a significant role in a dynamic organization, then consider joining the National Institutes of Health!
This position is located in the National Cancer Institute (NCI), Office of Management (OM), Technology Transfer Center (TTC).
Qualifications
Minimum Education Requirement: In order to meet the Basic Requirements for a Technology Transfer & Patent Specialist, GS-0601, you must possess a Bachelor's or graduate/higher level degree in a major study in an academic field related to the medical field, health sciences, or allied sciences appropriate to the work of the position. This degree must be from an educational program from an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education at the time the degree was obtained.
In addition to meeting the Minimum Education Requirement, you must meet the following Qualification Requirement:
In addition to meeting the Basic Qualifications, you must demonstrate in your resume at least one year of qualifying specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-13 level in the Federal service obtained in either the private or public sector, performing the following types of tasks: managing and monitoring the processes for handling Cooperative Research and Development Agreements (CRADAs) and potential inventions involving all interested parties, including the inventing scientists, or client laboratories; planning, negotiating, originating, and executing a variety of technology transfer agreements such as: Cooperative Research and Development Agreements (CRADAs), Materials-CRADAs (M-CRADAs) or equivalent kinds of agreements; providing technical guidance to others in providing technology transfer services; and advising on matters involving domestic and foreign patent rights, policies and procedures. Do not copy and paste the duties, specialized experience, or occupational assessment questionnaire from this announcement into your resume as that will not be considered a demonstration of your qualifications for this position. To determine your qualifications and referral status, we may review your resume and supporting documentation and compare it against your responses to the vacancy questionnaire.
Ensure you support your self-ratings with the information you provide in your application. We may verify or assess your qualifications at any time. Inflated or unsupported qualifications may affect your rating.
Any misrepresentation or material omission of facts may be sufficient cause to end further consideration of your candidacy. Persons listed as knowing your past accomplishments or experience in your application may be contacted for verification purposes at any time. Verification may, but need not, begin before receiving an offer.
Preview assessment questionnaire before you apply: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12907998
Major Duties
Originate and draft complex Cooperative Research and Development Agreements (CRADAs) to document the terms of joint research and development projects, provide disposition of various parties' rights to intellectual property, and permit the exchange of scientific and technical personnel. Represent the organization in the negotiation of CRADAs. Manage the development and implementation of technology transfer initiatives.
Oversee the organization of strategic partnerships. Develop and conduct educational programs designed to train scientific and administrative staff about technology transfer issues. Analyze, interpret, and evaluate complex, or abstract information on licensing agreements involving competing programs and interests among various parties.
Develop royalty proposals based on analyses of the stage of development of technology, size of market, and availability of competing technologies. Provide authoritative advice to researchers and administrators on matters involving domestic and foreign patent rights, policies and procedures. Represent the organization in attendance of multi-functional collaborative agreement/patent/licensing meetings to discuss collaborative agreements, licensing, policies, regulations, and procedures.
Education
This position has an education requirement. You are strongly encouraged to submit a copy of your transcripts (or a list of your courses including titles, credit hours completed and grades). Unofficial transcripts will be accepted in the application package. Official transcripts will be required from all selectees prior to receiving an official offer.
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How You Will Be Evaluated
You will be evaluated based on how well you meet the qualifications listed in this vacancy announcement.
Your job-related qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents) and your score on the required assessments.
You will be assessed on the following competencies: Attention to Detail Customer Service Decision Making Flexibility Influencing/Negotiating Integrity/Honesty Interpersonal Skills Learning Reasoning Self-Management Stress Tolerance Teamwork Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on an assessment may also result in your removal from consideration. If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application.
Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision.
You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments here: https://help.usastaffing.gov/Apply/index.php?title=Reasonable_Accommodations_for_USA_Hire. To be considered well qualified for the purposes of the Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) you must be able to satisfactorily perform the duties of the position upon entry and substantively exceed the basic qualifications by scoring at least an 80 on the assessment and meet all eligibility, physical, medical, suitability, and all other requirements.
Additional Information
This position is designated as a "non-emergency/teleworker" position and the selected candidate will be considered a "non-emergency/teleworker" employee. In the event of a closure, you must be available to telework or request leave. Based on your appointment, a one or two-year trial/probationary period may be required.
A decision regarding your continued employment with NIH will be made as you near the end of this period. PHS Commissioned Officers interested in performing the duties of this position within the Commissioned Corps should apply online to this announcement to receive consideration. We may make additional selections for similar positions across the National Institutes of Health within the local commuting area(s) identified in this vacancy announcement.
By applying, you agree to have your application shared with any interested selecting official(s) at NIH. Clearance of CTAP will be applied for similar positions across NIH. The National Institutes of Health participates in the USCIS Electronic Employment Eligibility Verification Program (E-Verify).
E-Verify helps employers determine employment eligibility of new hires and the validity of their Social Security numbers. The NIH maintains a tobacco free work environment and campus. Must be able to perform the essential duties of the position, with or without reasonable accommodation.
Visit Help Applying for helpful information on the application process. Veterans' Preference only applies to Schedule A (disability appointment), HHS Reemployment Priority List (RPL) Eligibles, HHS Priority Reemployment List (PRL) Eligibles, and Veterans Recruitment Appointments (if applicable). If selected, you will be required to complete a Confidential Financial Disclosure Report, OGE Form 450 to determine if a conflict or an appearance of a conflict exists between your financial interest and your prospective position with the agency.
This information is required annually. For information, visit the NIH Ethics website: https://ethics.od.nih.gov/fd At the supervisor's discretion, this position may offer work schedule flexibilities: Alternative Work Schedules. NIH may repay certain outstanding Federally insured student loans to facilitate the recruitment and retention of highly qualified people.
Recipients will be determined on a case-by-case basis based on organizational need, specific case justification, and budget limitations.
How to Apply
To apply for this position, please read and follow all instructions in this announcement, complete the online application, and submit the documentation specified in the "Required Documents" section.
Your complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM Eastern Time (ET) on 04/03/2026 to receive consideration. To begin, click Apply to access the online application.
You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account to apply.
Follow the prompts to select your resume and/or other supporting documents to be included with your application package. See the "Required Documents" section for any additional forms and/or supplemental materials required. Read all Eligibility questions and respond accordingly to any Eligibility you wish to claim.
You will only be considered for those Eligibility questions (Status Applicant, Reinstatement, Schedule A, etc.) you respond in the affirmative to, regardless of what documentation you submit. We cannot assume you intended to respond differently to a question based on other information in your application package.
Complete the application questionnaire. Applicants are asked all questions regardless of their consideration preferences. We will only consider you for the grades, series, locations, specialties, and other considerations that you self-identify as being qualified for or interested in. Preview application questionnaire before you apply: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12907998 Verify all required documentation is included in your application package, review your responses to the application questionnaire for accuracy, and then submit your application.
After submitting an online application, you will be notified whether or not you are required to take additional online assessments through the USA Hire Competency Based Assessment system. This message will be delivered to you via email notification. The email may be routed to your "Spam" or "Junk" folder.
If you are required to complete any USA Hire Assessments, you will be notified after submitting your application. The notification will be provided in your application submission screen and via email. The notification will include your unique assessment access link to the USA Hire system and the completion deadline.
Additionally, in USAJOBS you can click "Track this application" to return to your assessment completion notice. Access USA Hire using your unique assessment link. Access is granted through your USAJOBS login credentials.
Review all instructions prior to beginning your assessments.
You will have the opportunity to request a testing accommodation before beginning the assessments should you have a disability covered under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended. Set aside about two hours to take the USA Hire assessments; however, most applicants complete the assessments in less time. If you need to stop the assessments and continue later, you can re-use your unique assessment link.
Your responses to the USA Hire Assessments will be reused for one year (in most cases) from the date you complete an assessment. If future applications you submit require completion of the same assessments, your responses will be automatically reused. Verify all required documentation is included in your application package, review your responses to the assessment questionnaire for accuracy, and then submit your application. Visit the USA Hire Applicant Resource Center for practice assessments and assessment preparation resources at https://support-usahire.opm.gov/hc/en-us.
In addition to the required documents, we encourage you to submit a cover letter, copy of your transcripts, and any applicable certifications or licenses. Even though this information is not required at the time of application, we may request this information later. We cannot assume responsibility or grant extensions for personal issues (e.g., troubles navigating the application process, loss of internet, not understanding a question) when applying to our announcements.
For technical difficulties, contact HR Systems Support between 8:00 AM and 4:30 PM ET Monday through Friday at [email protected]. If you need any other accommodation or assistance with applying please contact Rashad Gibson at [email protected]. Requests for reasonable accommodations must be made before the announcement closing date.
Visit our site for information on NIH's EEO program, Reasonable accommodation procedures, laws, policy statements, and the operation of the EEO complaint process.
Required Documents
RESUME: Your resume must clearly demonstrate, in two pages or less, how your skills and experiences align with the "Qualifications" section and support your questionnaire responses. While cover letters provided with your application will be shared with hiring officials, they will not be used for initial qualification determinations. We cannot assume required experience based on your work or academic history.
If your resume exceeds two pages, only the first two will be reviewed. Use a legible font such as Lato, Calibri, Helvetica, or Arial, with 0.5-inch margins. Suggested formatting: 14-point for titles and 10-point for body text.
You may use the USAJOBS Resume Builder or upload your own resume. If uploading, ensure it includes all required information and is organized so we can match the following to each position: Job title Employer name Employment dates (MM/DD/YYYY) Hours worked per week (full-time assumed; part-time prorated) Detailed duties, accomplishments, skills, responsibilities, and supervisory details (if applicable) Series and grade or equivalent (for federal positions) If the position has an education requirement or you are qualifying on the basis of education, you must list your education history including the type of degree and your major of study. If the position requires a certain number of credit hours, you are strongly encouraged to list the relevant courses in your resume.
Do not include a photograph or video of yourself, or any sensitive information (age, date of birth, marital status, protected health information, religious affiliation, social security number, etc.) on your resume or cover letter. We will not access web pages linked on your resume or cover letter to determine your qualifications. For resume writing guidance, please visit the following resources: NIH Help Applying, USAJOBS Resource Center, and the USAJOBS Resume Guidance If the position has an education requirement or you are qualifying on the basis of education, you need to list your education history including the type of degree and your major of study.
APPLICATION QUESTIONNAIRE: You must submit a completed application questionnaire. ELIGIBILITY DOCUMENTATION: To be considered eligible, you must submit the following documentation, if applicable to you AND respond accordingly to the associated question on the online questionnaire. If you do not provide the required information, we will assume you are not eligible or you do not wish to be considered for any preference or eligibility.
SF-50 - A copy of your most recent competitive career or career conditional SF-50 that shows the effective date of your latest position and the full performance level.
You may obtain a copy of your SF-50 from your eOPF. Visit our site on the Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) for more information on eligibility and required documentation. Please do not submit any other supplementary documentation that is not requested of you. To protect your personal information, we will only send your resume and cover letter to the selecting official or hiring manager.