The PTO is not planning to wait until a new Director is appointed before filling other key management slots. Two positions are listed on the PTO job board: (1) Deputy Commissioner for Patent Examination Policy; and (2) Patent Examination Policy Advisor. I believe that the Deputy Commissioner position will fill the spot left by John Love who is reportedly retiring at the end of this month. Pay is between $117k and $177k. For the right person, I will also throw-in a few free favorable Patently-O posts. Seriously, this is one of the top non-political slots at the PTO and a true expert is needed. The Patent Examination Policy Advisor is slightly lower in rank, but will also serve an incredibly important role at the PTO in "providing professional leadership and direction" in the Office of Patent Legal Administration (OPLA). OPLA is the office where the MPEP is written and new rules are drafted.
Applications are due immediately:
- Deputy Commissioner Closes Feb. 24: http://jobsearch.usajobs.gov/getjob.asp?JobID=78943496
- Patent Examination Policy Advisor Closes Feb. 18: http://jobsearch.usajobs.gov/getjob.asp?JobID=78970534
We should all hope that whomever gets these important USPTO positions will finally get, and listen to, a panel of outside advisors with recent and direct PTO practice experience as well as good knowledge of current patent enforcement legal realities, and representing a variety of client industries (not just managerial or law firm representatives of a few large industries with D.C. lobbying budgets).
… meaning that one earns more … or less … for being married?
… and what if one has more than one spouse?
If my guess regarding the
disparity in salaries is correct, it is
sort of “socialistic,” wouldn’t you say?;
and perhaps a bit demeaning to women?
Nice point JAOI. Being “European” I hadn’t even noticed your point, and how bizarre it is, that at the EPO “marital status” should determine salary.
“Starting salary is variable and dependent on … marital status.”
How “European” (õ¿0)!
That would be per calendar month then would it, 2600?
“The European examiners make almost that much starting out (tax free!!).”
From the internet:
‘Starting salary is variable and dependent on experience and marital status. As a guide, the present starting salary is approximately 40 000 – 80 000 EUROS tax free.’
Plus, they already know which lifers they have selected.
Both of these positions will be filled by lifers. Don’t waste your time applying. If you’ve actually engaged in the private practice of law you will be deemed unqualified by virtue of the fact that you are not fluent in the Orwellian Newspeak necessary to function in either of these positions.
PTO (mis)management is not looking for “leadership” despite what Dennis writes. They are looking for more of the same.
“If this position paid 300-500K, then maybe we would actually get the right person for the job and start to see some improvements in the Office.”
LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL – – don’t hold your breath on that one – – btw, 300K-500K is more than most in Obama’s cabinet are making.
“It is SO typical of the federal bureaucracy to post 2 key positions with just a few days to apply.”
Actually, this job has been up at the USAJOBS site for some time now and not “just a few days”.
It is SO typical of the federal bureaucracy to post 2 key positions with just a few days to apply.
Anyone knowledgeable knows the civil service system is dead in the sense that any position paying more than $100K is either not advertised at all [to ensure the drone of choice gets the job] or the time window is effectively meaningless–as here.
If we had a viable government, fixing the civil service system –including real protection of whistle blowers–would be a priority.
[I do not work for the USGOV.]
Nomad, you report that European Examiners, just starting, make “almost” as much as one of the top posts in the USPTO. Yet, Europe is “rediculous” socialist. Something doesn’t compute.
Mind you, to work at the EPO you have to be competent to handle cutting edge cases in any of the three official languages of the EPO; English, French and German. So, the EPO has recruitment problems too.
I think that pay is rediculous. The European examiners make almost that much starting out (tax free!!). Starting associates in the US make more. Where is the motivation to recruit the best people from the job when there is little if any financial incentive? The PTO rakes in over 400 million a year for the Government. If this position paid 300-500K, then maybe we would actually get the right person for the job and start to see some improvements in the Office.
I wonder if these two jobs will be filled in view of the hiring freeze on non-examining positions.
I want Love’s job so I can get in there and take care of 6! You Betcha
Alright all you whiners, now is your chance. DO NOT BLOW IT. Either get in your app, or nominate me, and I promise to bring your concerns to the higher ups attention, each and every day.
At last!
Since I sent one of my congressmen a letter a few years back (and he seemed to know oh so much about patents an’ such), I’m (apparently) more than qualified by the PTO’s standards.
Shoot… bet I’d even pass the psychological test … eventually (but I’ll have to find some other reason to high-tail it outta there in a couple o’ years since I can’t have a baby [far as I know, anyway]).