About This Position
This exciting internship opportunity will start early June and will not exceed 90 days. Imagine starting your career working side by side with intellectual property (IP) leaders as part of USPTO's Internship Program. Join us as part of a team that makes meaningful changes with a global impact across the IP Community.
Qualifications
To Be Eligible for an Appointment Under the Pathways Internship Program you must meet the following requirements: Student applicants must be accepted for enrollment or enrolled and seeking a degree (diploma, certificate, etc.) in a qualifying educational institution, on a full or half-time basis as defined by the institution in which the student is enrolled. Student Trainees must be in good academic standing, as defined by the institution they are attending. Generally, a student must maintain at least a 2.5 Grade Point Average (GPA) for undergraduate programs (cumulative; no rounding) and a 3.0 GPA for advanced degree programs.
Individuals must meet the definition of a student throughout the duration of their internship appointment. To qualify for this position, you must meet BOTH the Pathway Internship Eligibility requirements as well as the minimum Qualifications for the position.
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 Pathways Internship positions. To qualify for the GS-4 grade level: Completion of 2 full academic years of post-high school study or an associate's degree.
Two full academic years of undergraduate credit hours determined by the college or university attended. All education beyond high school must be accredited by an accrediting body or organization recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
To qualify for the GS-5 grade level: Completion of 4 full academic years of post-high school leading to a bachelor's degree or equivalent degree. Qualifying education includes technical, trade, or vocational school; college or university; a graduate or professional school (e.g., law school or medical school); or a post-secondary homeschool curriculum. All education beyond high school must be accredited by an accrediting body or organization recognized by the U.S.
Department of Education. 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.
Major Duties
As a USPTO Intern, you will receive practical, virtual hands-on experience by engaging in a variety of diverse and challenging activities. This exciting opportunity is ideal for you if: You're inspired by innovative environments that allow you to contribute to the accomplishment of organizational goals. You're interested in engaging directly with agency leadership to gain insight into the USPTO mission by participating in regular senior level sessions.
You desire to explore federal careers while completing your education. You enjoy learning through routine and recurring developmental assignments which will help acquire knowledge and understanding of functions, principles, practices, and methods used in the areas of innovation and intellectual property while completing your education. You're committed to training and development on various topics relating to the USPTO and government service.
You're interested in getting experience in legal writing and analysis. You're excited about assisting with special projects and new initiatives. You're a relationship builder who finds enjoyment in participating in group/team assignments and assisting with research, analysis, statistics and reporting out your findings.
You're an effective writer who finds interest in drafting various documents and reports, creating spreadsheets and charts, etc., to present a variety of data and information. You are excited to assist with IT projects that will change the way we do business. You're enthused and interested in observing appeal hearings, cases, and panels.
You'll get to choose from one of the Organizational Offices below where you can best showcase your skills and make an immediate impact. The Office of the Under Secretary (OUS) Office of the Commissioner for Patents (Patents) Office of the Commissioner for Trademarks (Trademarks) Office of the Chief Financial Officer (OCFO) Office of the Chief Administrative Officer (OCAO) Office of Policy and International Affairs (OPIA) Office of the Chief Communications Officer (OCCO) Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB) Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO) Office of Public Engagement (OPE) Office of Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Office of General Counsel (OGC)
Education
Please note that if you are a Spring or Summer 2026 graduate, you will not be eligible for this internship opportunity unless you are accepted for enrollment at a qualifying educational institution seeking an additional degree (diploma, certificate, degree program, etc.) or an advanced degree.
You must submit proof of acceptance along with your current transcripts for consideration. Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the requirements. Please refer to General Schedule Qualifications Policies for more information.
Special Instructions for Foreign Education: Qualifying education from colleges and universities in foreign countries must be evaluated in terms of equivalency to that acquired in U.S. colleges and universities. Applicants educated in whole or in part in foreign countries must submit sufficient evidence, including transcripts, to an accredited private organization for an equivalency evaluation of coursework and the degree. A listing of services that can perform this evaluation is available at the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) website.
You must provide a copy of the letter containing the results of the equivalency evaluation with a course-by-course listing along with your application. Failure to provide such documentation when requested will result in lost consideration.
How You Will Be Evaluated
You will be evaluated based on your qualifications for this position as evidenced by the education and training you described in your application package. Falsifying your background, education, and/or experience is cause for immediate dismissal. We will review your application to ensure you meet the job requirements and assess your ability to perform this job.
Before any certificate can be issued to the selecting official, the resume and supporting documents are reviewed by a Human Resources Specialist to ensure that (a) minimum qualification requirements are met and (b) the resume and education support the answers provided to the job-specific questions.
Your answers will be verified against information provided in your online resume, application, and transcripts. Be sure that your resume and transcripts clearly support your responses to all the questions addressing experience and education relevant to this position.
Your qualifications will be evaluated on the basis of your level of knowledge, skills, abilities and/or competencies in the following areas: Attention to Detail, Flexibility, Interpersonal Skills, Learning, Problem Solving, Self-Management, and Technology Application To preview the questionnaire please click the link below: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12903585 Veterans' preference is applied after applicants are assessed. Candidates with veterans' preference will be considered before non-veteran preference candidates. Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: 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. (https://appsupport.usastaffing.gov/hc/en-us/sections/28980686389652-Reasonable-Accommodation-Information). 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).
Additional Information
This is a student internship temporary Excepted Service appointment position under the Pathways Internship Program. This is a non-bargaining unit position. This is a Public Trust position and has a risk level designation of "LOW".
Background Investigation: If selected for this position, you may be required to complete a Declaration for Federal Employment (OF-306), to determine your suitability for Federal employment. The USPTO participates in E-Verify. For more information on E-Verify, please visit the Department of Homeland Security Website Relocation Expenses are not authorized and will not be paid.
All federal employees are required to have federal salary payments made by direct deposit to a financial institution of their choice. CTAP and ICTAP 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 and ICTAP eligibility is on the Office of Personnel Management's Career Transition Resources website at: OPM CTAP/ICTAP.
CTAP/ICTAP 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.
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).
How to Apply
Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application. To apply and be considered for this position, you must complete all required questionnaires, assessments and submit all required documentation as specified in the How to Apply and Required Documents section.
The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on the closing date of the announcement to receive consideration. The application process is as follows: Click the Apply Online button. Answer the questions presented in the application and attach all necessary supporting documentation.
Click the Submit Application button prior to 11:59 PM (ET) on the announcement closing date. 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 at least 2 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. Visit the USA Hire Applicant Resource Center for practice assessments and assessment preparation resources at https://support-usahire.opm.gov/hc/en-us.
To update your application, including supporting documentation: During the announcement open period, return to your USAJOBS account, find your application record, and click Edit my application. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed. To view the announcement status or your application status: Visit https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/howto/application/status/.
Your application status page is where you can view your application status, USA Hire assessment completion status, and review your notifications sent by the hiring agency regarding your application. 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.
Required Documents
A complete application consists of: 1. A resume or any other written format you choose to describe your job-related qualifications; optional cover letter: Your resume should indicate your citizenship and should list your educational and work experience including job titles, salary, employment dates, duties and accomplishments, experience. Please note your resume must be limited to a maximum of two 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.
- Transcripts and/or an Official Letter for Proof of Enrollment for the upcoming semester at a qualifying educational institution: You MUST submit copies of your college transcripts for verification of the education requirements. Unofficial copies are acceptable when submitting your application package.
If selected, you will be required to furnish official transcripts along with proof of current enrollment. It is your responsibility to provide adequate proof that you meet the above educational requirements. Inadequate or illegible information could result in non-qualification and loss of consideration.
- Veterans' Preference Documentation: If you are a veteran with preference eligibility, you will be asked to submit a copy of your DD-214 containing your discharge disposition, dates of service, and rank. If you are a preference eligible claiming a service connected disability of 10 percent or more, you will be asked to submit documentation (i.e. a letter dated 1991 or later from the Department of Veterans Affairs or from a branch of the Armed Forces) certifying your present receipt of compensation.
You must include dates of military service within the automated application process, and submit a copy of each Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty, DD-214. For more information, please visit Special Appointing Authorities for Veterans. You can upload your documents when you register or update your information on the Department of Commerce application site which you access through the USAJobs site.