Summary
This position is located in the Office of Information Technology for Patents (OITP) , Office of Patent Automation (OPA), Office of the Commissioner for Patents, U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) OPA is responsible for program and project management functions to ensure that the necessary functional and technical requirements are addressed in the development of automation tools and technologies needed to support improvements in Patents business operations.
Duties
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 calendar year. Major Duties for this position include: Directs the development and execution of the USPTO's strategic vision, goals, and priorities, ensuring alignment with internal stakeholder's objectives, modernization efforts, and long-term technology roadmaps. Serves as the Director, OPA, providing executive leadership, strategic direction, and oversight for enterprise-wide patent automation programs, products, services, and initiatives supporting the USPTO patent examination and business operations as well as represents the USPTO and OPA in interactions with external stakeholders, including the DOC, GAO, OIG, foreign intellectual property offices, the WIPO, industry groups, applicants, practitioners, vendors, contractors, and other federal agencies. Evaluates organizational performance and program effectiveness using performance metrics, data analytics, customer feedback, operational assessments, and continuous improvement practices; identifies risks and opportunities; and implements corrective actions and strategic improvements to enhance service delivery and mission outcomes. Leads the planning, design, development, implementation, modernization, enhancement, and sustainment of mission-critical patent automation systems, applications, data services, and technology solutions that support the end-to-end patent lifecycle, including filing, examination, classification, publication, issuance, post-grant processing, international obligations, and related business operations. Collaborates with senior executives, business unit leaders, legal counsel, technical organizations, and operational stakeholders across the USPTO to identify business needs, establish priorities, resolve complex issues, and advance strategic initiatives that support the agency's mission and objectives. Provides executive oversight of artificial intelligence (AI), including agentic approaches, to improve automation, efficiency, and operational effectiveness, machine learning, advanced analytics, automation, and emerging technology initiatives, including examiner-facing tools, prior art search capabilities, classification systems, workflow automation, fraud detection and mitigation capabilities, decision-support tools, and other innovations that improve patent quality, operational efficiency, and customer experience.
Education
Education may not be substituted for specialized experience at this grade level.
How you will be evaluated
Your resume will be evaluated based on evidence of your ability to demonstrate possession of any specialized experience and how well your background and experience relates to the job announcement. Any experience claimed in a cover letter should be substantiated by information contained in your resume. A HR Representative will validate the qualifications of those candidates eligible to be referred to the hiring official. Subject matter experts (SMEs) will review your resume to determine whether you meet the qualifications for this position based on the competencies identified in the job announcement. Your resume should clearly demonstrate how your experience aligns with each competency. SMEs will review only the information contained in your resume; embedded links and external references will not be accessed. Administration and Management Leadership Strategic Thinking Technology The best qualified candidates will be identified for referral to the hiring manager and may be invited for an interview. If referred all relevant documents submitted with your application package will be forwarded to the selecting official, due weight shall be given to performance appraisals and awards in accordance with 5 CFR § 335.103(b)(3), during the interview/selection process conducted by the hiring manager. Falsifying your background, education, and/or experience is cause for not hiring you or for changing your scored responses to questions you've answered, which may affect your overall final score. Please click the link below to review the Assessment Questionnaire. https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13024327 If you are invited for an interview, you will be asked to bring a copy of your most recent performance appraisal. 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).