The United States Patent & Trademark Office (USPTO) is headquartered in Alexandria, VA. The mission of the USPTO is to promote innovation and competitiveness by providing quality and timely examination and issuance of patent and trademark applications, guiding domestic and international intellectual property policy, and delivering intellectual property information and education worldwide.
This position requires a high level of technical expertise in patent operations and the intellectual property field. This position also requires a broad level of management authority and scope. The Commissioner must demonstrate they possesses the necessary attributes to be successful in advancing the duties, which includes the following leadership core qualifications: Commitment to the Rule of Law and Principles of the American Founding: Requires a demonstrated knowledge of the American system of government, commitment to uphold the Constitution and the rule of law, and commitment to serve the American people. Driving Efficiency: Involves the demonstrated ability to strategically and efficiently manage resources, budget effectively, cut wasteful spending, and pursue efficiency through process and technological upgrades. Merit and Competence: Involves the demonstrated knowledge, ability and technical competence to effectively and reliably produce work that is of exceptional quality. Leading People: Involves the demonstrated ability to lead and inspire a group toward meeting the organization's vision, mission, and goals, and to drive a high-performance, high-accountability culture. This includes, when necessary, the ability to lead people through change and to hold individuals accountable. Achieving Results: Involves the demonstrated ability to achieve both individual and organizational results, and to align results to stated goals from superiors.
The USPTO is searching for an experienced technical executive with substantial experience in intellectual property matters. This position requires a results-driven, service-centered, and people-oriented individual to lead the Patents business unit. The Patents business unit is a large, technical-skilled organization that examines applications and grants patents; it publishes and disseminates patent information; records assignments of patents; and maintains search files of U.S. and foreign patents. As the Commissioner for Patents you will work directly with the Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the USPTO and the rest of the executive team at our Alexandria, Virginia headquarters. You'll be at the forefront of the patents life cycle and will develop strategies to support our agency's mission in progressing American innovation. Additional duties and responsibilities will include, but are not limited to: Oversee and responsibly manage all aspects of the Patent organization including policy, operations, and budget relating to patent examination, registration, and maintenance. Serve as the primary agency official for Patents and interacts on a regular basis with a wide array of stakeholders domestically and internationally. Establish the vision for the future of the Patents organization and maps out vision-oriented initiatives and provides strategic direction for accomplishing the initiatives. Engage with members of the public, officials of other government agencies, Department of Commerce and Patent and Trademark Office employees, members of congress, and foreign government officials to expand access to the innovation ecosystem and to promote strong intellectual property protection across the world. Ensure that the best possible processes are in place to issue high quality patents that directly promote innovation, create jobs, and add value to the global economy. The Commissioner for Patents is a term appointment for five years, and may be reappointed to subsequent terms of 5 years.