Patent Attorney

About the role

As a Patent Attorney within the Office of the General Counsel (OGC) at NASA Langley Research Center, you will be responsible for supporting the protection of intellectual property, prosecuting NASA patent applications, licensing NASA technologies, reviewing software for release, negotiating data rights for contracts and agreements, and ensuring that NASA publications comply with applicable intellectual property laws.

What you will do

• Provides broad legal support for the NASA legal enterprise in ensuring that NASA intellectual property is protected.
• Prepares, files and prosecutes patent applications at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), including applications, drawings, amendments, affidavits, advocacy before Patent Examiners, motions, petitions and appeal briefs.
• Supports legal review of intellectual property provisions in Federal procurement contracts, grants, cooperative agreements.
• Advises on and drafts intellectual property policy guidance, regulations, and procedures, and supports NASA compliance with external legal requirements related to intellectual property.
• Supports NASA Technology Transfer Office in providing legal review of license agreements and in reviewing/approving NASA software for release.
• Serves as authority on invention disclosures ensuring that legal position/rights of the Agency, inventors, and contractors are clearly defined.
• Reviews and coordinates the disposition of administrative claims for infringement of patents or copyrights.
• Provides legal review of NASA publications prior to release.

Education

Basic Requirements: U.S. degrees must have been awarded from colleges or universities that are accredited by recognized accrediting organizations. For a list of schools that meet this criteria, go to ***

If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show that the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs.

These education credentials must be deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. For further information, visit: ***

All degrees must have been received in the year of, or any year subsequent to the original date of accreditation.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this position based on how well you meet the qualifications and eligibility requirements listed in this vacancy announcement. To determine your qualifications and referral status, we may review your resume and supporting documentation and compare it against your responses to the assessment questionnaire.

Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or assessment questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. These competencies will be assessed using technical assessments.

They may also be evaluated during a structured interview: Intellectual Property Law Interpersonal Skills Legal Application Practice Oral Communication Written Communication To preview the application questionnaire, click on the following link: *** NASA considers 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.

NASA will not ask you to disclose criminal history record information during the application process or before we make a conditional/tentative offer of employment. If you apply for this position and are selected, NASA will conduct a suitability/security background investigation after you accept a tentative job offer.

If you feel you are asked to disclose your criminal history before you accept a tentative offer and wish to file a complaint within 30 days, please contact: ***.

Documents you must provide

• All submitted resumes must not exceed two (2) pages in length.
• Resumes longer than two pages will be rejected by USAJOBS.
• Applicants are strongly encouraged to prioritize including experience and relevant qualifications that directly align with the position advertised.
• All work experience and accomplishments must be associated with dates (month/year) to allow for accurate qualification assessment.
• A complete application package includes a resume, required documents and completion of the vacancy announcement questionnaire.
• Please see this guidance: What to include in your resume.
• If you are using a Curriculum Vitae (CV) as a resume, it must meet all requirements listed above for a complete resume package.
• Your resume should describe your specialized experience and support your answers to the vacancy announcement questionnaire.
• Please note: if any of the following types of information are included on your resume, your application package will be disqualified: Classified or government sensitive information.
• Personal information, such as age, gender, religious affiliation, etc. Encrypted and digitally signed documents.
• Social Security Number (SSN) Photos of yourself If your resume contains any of the above information, you must redact that information prior to the submission of your application.
• The following documents are required: Resume Transcript As listed in the Education section above, this position has a basic education requirement.
• To be found qualified, you must provide a copy of your college transcript that fully demonstrates you meet the requirements listed in the Education section.
• You may provide either an unofficial transcript or a copy of an official transcript.
• Failure to provide a complete copy of your college transcript that shows you have completed a required degree program or coursework may result in you being found not qualified.
• There may be other supporting documents (licenses, certification, veterans preference, etc.), depending on your answers to the questionnaire and job announcement description, that you may have to submit, please verify your application.
• Do not submit an OF-306 with your application.
• Official documents are required at the time of appointment for verification of eligibility and qualifications.

What to expect next

Once you submit your application package, you will receive an acknowledgement email. Throughout the process you will receive regular status updates through USAJOBS. To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account (Account Login), all of your applications will appear on the Welcome screen.

The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: Application Status. Whether or not you are contacted for an interview depends upon the location of the position and the judgment of the hiring manager.

If you are selected, you will be notified by phone or email with a tentative job offer. If you fail to meet the conditions of employment or any other pre-employment requirements, such as missing a scheduled appointment, we may rescind a tentative job offer. An official, written job offer will be issued once all requirements have been verified.

Additional information

Additional selections may be made for similar positions across. By applying, you agree to have your application shared with interested selecting official(s) within NASA.

Any applicant that received a Voluntary Separation Incentive Payment (VSIP) from the federal government within the last five years based of the closing date of this announcement, if selected, may be required to repay the full amount prior to establishing a start date.

For additional information on the VSIP repayment requirement, click here - *** Trial Period You may be required to serve a 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest.

If selected, the requirement to serve such period will be determined by Title 5 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Part 11.

In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider: your performance and conduct; the needs and interests of the agency; whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Upon completion of your probationary period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.