Summary

This position is located in the Office of the Under Secretary and Director (OUS), United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

This position is established to perform strategic writing and editing work related to USPTO correspondence, documents and other written material which may cover complex or controversial subject matters.

Duties

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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 leave year.

This rewarding career role is ideal for you if:

• You are able to serve as a technical writer-editor responsible for researching, writing, and editing remarks and talking points relative to USPTO's intellectual property (IP) mission, programs, and functions.
• You are able to serve as a content writer-editor responsible for communicating complex information about USPTO's patent and trademark programs, as well as the underlying intellectual property laws, regulations, and policies.
• You are interested in serving as the speechwriter for the Deputy Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Deputy Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
• You are committed to reviewing and verifying information gathered through research or consultation with subject-matter experts.
• You are interested in reviewing work provided by other business units/organizations for alignment with approved agency messaging.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

• Applications will only be accepted from United States Citizens and Nationals.
• Your resume and question responses must demonstrate the job-related competencies.
• You must meet the definition of specialized experience.
• Required to pass a background investigation and fingerprint check.
• Must be registered for Selective Service, if applicable (www.sss.gov).
• If selected, you may be required to complete a one year probationary period.
• You must meet all qualification requirements upon the closing date of this announcement.
• Suitable for Federal Employment.

Qualifications

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 Technical Writing and Editing Series 1083.

Specialized Experienceis experience that has equipped applicants with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the position to be filled. To be creditable, specialized experience must have been equivalent to at least the next lower grade level in the federal service. For this position, the next lower grade level is a GS-12.

Specialized experience for this position includes:

• Experience conducting research and drafting, writing, and editing speeches, remarks, and talking points to both internal and external stakeholders; AND
• Experience planning, developing, and editing written materials for a broad spectrum of audiences; AND
• Experience applying plain language principles to enhance public understanding of complex information and to convey a consistent message both internally and externally across the organization.

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.

Education

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

Additional information

This is a Non-Bargaining Unit position.

This is a Public Trust position and has a risk level designation of "Moderate".

Relocation Expenses are not authorized and will not be paid.

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.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

Benefits

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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. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

Review our benefits

Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.