Patent Advisor

**Duties**:

- Prepare necessary affidavits, briefs, motions, and other documentation for instigating and conducting the interference.
- Advise researchers and/or administrators or other stakeholders on matters involving both domestic and foreign patent rights, policies, and procedures.
- Transpose drawings, physical models, observations, and highly abstract concepts into verbal expressions.

**Requirements**:
**Conditions of Employment**:

- You must be a US Citizen or US National.
- Males born after 12/31/1959 must be Selective Service registered or exempt.
- Subject to satisfactory adjudication of background investigation and/or fingerprint check.
- Successful completion of one-year probationary period, unless previously served.
- Direct Deposit: Per Public Law 104-134 all Federal employees are required to have federal payments made by direct deposit to their financial institution

**Qualifications**:

- Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement including specialized experience and/or education, as defined below.**Basic Requirements**:
**A. Degree**: Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study in an accredited college or university leading to a bachelor's or higher degree or with a major in a scientific, technological, or engineering field pertinent to the position to be filled.
- **OR**

**B. Combination of education and experience**:

- Courses equivalent to a major that meets the paragraph B provision of the individual occupational requirements for the particular series pertinent to the position to be filled (Biological Sciences, Chemistry, Engineering, etc.), plus appropriate experience or additional education.
- **OR**

**C.**AND**
In addition to the basic requirement above, all applicants must meet the following minimum qualifications:
**GS-13**GS-14**
- 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 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**:
Please see above for education qualification requirement information.

**Additional information**:

- If you are selected for a position with further promotion potential, you will be placed under a career development plan, and may be non-competitively promoted if you successfully complete the requirements and if recommended by management. However, promotion is neither implied nor guaranteed.
- Recruitment or Relocation Incentive may be authorized. The final determination to pay an incentive will be made by the hiring official at the time of job offer.
- Travel and relocation expenses will not be paid by the Department of Agriculture. Any travel, transportation and relocation expenses associated with reporting for duty in this position will be the responsibility of the selected employee.
- 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. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal 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.

**How You Will Be Evaluated**:
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

Applications will be evaluated in accordance with Office of Personnel Management's (OPM) Delegated Examining Procedures and USDA policy using category rating. Applicants who meet basic minimum qualifications will be placed in one of _two or three_ categories: Best Qualified, Well Qualified, or Qualified. Within these categories, applicants eligible for veteran's preference will receive selection priority over non-veterans. Category placement will be determined based on applicants' quality of experience and the extent they possess the following knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSA) or competencies
- Knowledge Management
- Legal, Government and Jurisprudence
- Oral Communication

Note: If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and or experience, your score may be adjusted to more accurately reflect your abilities, or you may be found ineligible. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating. Providing inaccurate information on Federal documents could be grounds for non-selection or disciplinary action up to including removal from the Federal s