Patent Attorney

This position is part of the Office of Science Legal Services, with the Department of Energy. As a Patent Attorney, you will provide policy guidance, advice and assistance, and support to the Consolidated Service Center. You will also provide legal advice on intellectual property and technology matters to several DOE offices, programs and field elements, including four of the Department's National Laboratories, as well as the Savannah River Site for intellectual property matters.

Duties

As a full performance Patent Attorney, you will:

• Review proposed DOE regulations, policies and procedures and make comments or suggested changes at the request of the Deputy Chief Counsel.
• Advise top management regarding intellectual property rights matters related to DOE contracts and subcontracts.
• Review proposals and proposed statements of work to ascertain appropriate intellectual property provisions for inclusion in any resulting contract.
• Contribute to DOE's Technology Transfer Working Group (TTWG) and/or DOE's Technology Transfer Policy Board on issues of DOE-wide significance in the areas of intellectual property and technology transfer.
• Interpret and apply intellectual property provisions in DOE contracts and technology transfer agreements, and communicate intellectual property provisions to DOE contractors and partners.

Salary

• $103,409 - $158,860/year

Conditions of Employment

• You must be a United States Citizen.
• This employer participates in the e-Verify program.
• If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, you must certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System or are exempt from having to do so under the Selective Service Law. See
• If selected, your appointment may be subject to a suitability or fitness determination, as determined by a completed background investigation.
• If selected, you may be required to complete a one year trial period.
• Obtain and maintain a Q security clearance. Failure to obtain and maintain the required security clearance may result in the withdrawal of a job offer or removal.
• If selected, you will be required to submit a Confidential Financial Disclosure Report, OGE Form-450, Executive Branch Personnel Confidential.
• If selected, you must self-identify if you are or were (within the last 5 years) a Schedule A, Schedule C, or non-career SES political appointee as OPM approval is required prior to finalizing your selection.
• Proof of current active member in good standing in the bar of a State, District of Columbia, territory of the United States, or Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
• Employees must maintain active bar membership while employed as an attorney with DOE.
• This position is NOT included in a Bargaining Agreement.
• Proof of registration to practice before the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
• This position requires a completed full four-year course of study in an accredited college or university leading to a Bachelor's degree in a scientific, technological, or engineering field.
• This position is a Testing Designated Position (TDP) subject to applicant and random drug testing.
• This position does not support 100% remote work. You will be required to report physically to the official reporting worksite as specified by the supervisor, but no less than 2 days per pay period.

Qualifications

You must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

Basic Requirements:

• Meet the minimum education requirements of successful completion of a full course of study in a school of law accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA) with a professional law degree (LL.B. or J.D.); AND
• Must be a current, active member in good standing of the bar of a state, territory of the United States, District of Columbia, or Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.

GS-14 Qualifications:

• Three years of professional (attorney) legal experience and active membership in a state or District of Columbia bar and advanced educational attainments that clearly indicate the ability to independently perform complex legal work; AND
• One additional year of professional (attorney) experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to that of an attorney at a level of difficulty comparable to the GS-13 level in the Federal service.

GS-13 Qualifications:

• One year of professional (attorney) legal experience and active membership in a state or District of Columbia bar and advanced educational attainments that clearly indicate the ability to independently perform complex legal work; AND
• One additional year of professional (attorney) experience at a level of difficulty and responsibility equivalent to that of an attorney at a level of difficulty comparable to the GS-12 level in the Federal service.

In addition to the above requirements,

a selectee for a GS-1222 Patent Attorney position must possess the following qualifications:

• Candidates must also have completed a full four-year course of study in an accredited college or university leading to a bachelor's degree in a scientific, technological, or engineering field; AND
• Candidates must also be registered to practice before the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

Education

Attorney positions do have an education requirement. ALL Candidates must be a graduate of a law school accredited by the American Bar Association with a: Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree; OR Bachelor of Law (LL.B.) degree. For positions with an education requirement, you MUST submit: A copy of your transcripts or equivalent. An official transcript will be required if you are selected; AND You must provide proof of bar or your bar number. For the Patent Attorney series candidates, you MUST also have completed a full four-year course of study in an accredited college or university leading to a bachelor's degree in a scientific, technological, or engineering field.

Other Information

The U.S. Department of Energy fosters a diverse and inclusive workplace and is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

• Your position may be eligible for workplace flexibilities which may include remote work or telework options, and/or flexible work scheduling. These flexibilities may be requested in accordance with the DOE Workplace Flexibilities policy.
• New employees to the Department of Energy will be required to successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit
• Veterans and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply.

Required Documents

Please note that if you fail to provide all required information, as specified in this announcement, you may not be considered for this position (or may not receive the special consideration for which you may be eligible).

• RESUME WITH 3 REFERENCES: This can be done by either creating one in USAJOBS or uploading one of your choosing.
• COVER LETTER: This should be no more than 3 pages that describes your interest in this role at the Department of Energy and describes your experience.
• ACTIVE BAR MEMBERSHIP: You must submit evidence of an Active Bar Membership as described in the Qualifications Section of this announcement.
• ACTIVE USPTO MEMBERSHIP: You must submit evidence of an Active USPTO Membership as described in the Qualifications Section of this announcement.
• EDUCATION DOCUMENTATION: You MUST submit a copy of your transcripts or equivalent.

How to Apply

Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application. To apply for this position, you must complete the initial online application, to include submission of the required documentation specified in the Required Documents section. A complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (EST) on the announcement closing date to receive consideration.

Benefits

A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Learn more about federal benefits.