How to Work as a Patent Examiner
Scientific breakthroughs and technological advancements form the basis of a patent application. A patent affords protection for an inventor to develop the product into a form that brings value to the market. Not every patent application, however, meets the legal requirements to gain classification as a patent. This is where the Patent Examiner applies his or her expertise. A Patent Examiner works with the applicant to ensure compliance with patent standards. The job requires a college education, creativity, technical knowledge and an analytical mind.
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Things You'll Need
- High school diploma or GED
- Bachelor's degree
- U.S. citizenship
- Clean criminal background
- Good credit rating
Instructions
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Graduate from college with a bachelor’s degree in an engineering discipline, life sciences discipline, computer science or a physical sciences discipline. Patent Examiners usually specialize in a specific field, such as bioscience or electrical engineering. Students need to obtain their degrees from a regionally accredited college and usually the program needs accreditation from a relevant, recognized professional body. For example, an electrical engineering degree needs accreditation from the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET). Students can expect a curriculum grounded in both science and mathematics. For employment with the Patent and Trademark Office, students must maintain a GPA of 3.5 or above.
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Apply for a Patent Examiner position with the Patent and Trademark office by visiting the USPTO website and viewing vacancies. Candidates need to submit an application by following the guidelines in the specific job posting, take an assessment questionnaire, send all school transcripts, provide a detailed resume and any other supporting documents requested for specific positions, according to the job ad instructions. The USPTO will then respond with an invitation to move forward with the selection process if the candidate meets qualification criteria. A hiring official will interview the candidate. If selected after the interview, the candidate will receive notification of selection and an invitation to begin employment as an intern. The entire process takes about eight weeks from the closing date of the advertised position to the final outcome.
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Attend and complete the PTO training program, which lasts two years. The USPTO first hires Patent Examiners on a two-year paid trial internship. During the internship, interns learn extensive skills related to a specific Patent Examiner position. Upon successful completion of the internship, candidates will receive an appointment to a permanent position. The USPTO provides a complete overview of the training program online for candidates to review.
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Pass the required background checks. All interns must submit to a background check by giving fingerprints and filling out a Declaration for Federal Employment (OF-306). Applicants need to have a clean criminal background and a good credit rating, and cannot have delinquent federal student loans. All interns must pass this background check to gain appointment to a permanent position. The background check will ascertain the authenticity of both the application and resume presented as well.
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Tips & Warnings
Usually, there are quite a few open Patent Examiner positions, but the positions are competitive. To gain a competitive edge, college students should consider doing volunteer work in a patent attorney's office.
All applicants must indicate their U.S. citizenship in the assessment questionnaire. If a candidate neglects to provide the required information, his or her application will not receive consideration.
