Patent and Trademark Office Hiring for Human Resources Specialist (Trainee) at Alexandria, Virginia Full Time

Summary Come work for the USPTO, we have been ranked as one of the best places to work in the federal government! The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has been serving the economic interests of America for more than 200 years. We are responsible for granting US intellectual property rights for patents and trademarks. The USPTO is headquartered in Alexandria, Virginia, and has over 12,000 employees. For more information about the USPTO, please visit the USPTO Jobs Website. Responsibilities This position is an entry-level trainee position in the Office of Human Resources. The incumbent will perform various on the–job assignments and receive training designed to develop knowledge and skills in the areas of staffing, classification, compensation, recruitment, workforce analysis, leave, employee relations and other related areas, while interpreting federal human resources regulations, policies and procedures. The incumbent, through training and work assignments, will develop the skills necessary to provide practical HR advice and direction in support of their customers in one of the following divisions within the Office of Human Resources: Compensation and Benefits The Compensation Branch is a subgroup of the Compensation and Benefits Division. They are the primary liaison that works with the National Finance Center (NFC) on payroll and personnel documents for pay and other time and attendance (T&A) related issues. Benefits and Worklife Branch The Benefits and Worklife Branch is a subgroup under the Compensation and Benefits Division. It provides guidance and regulatory interpretation and oversight of employee benefits. They counsel employees on benefit options related to health insurance, life insurance, the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP), retirement, flexible spending accounts, long term care insurance, and Workers’ Compensation. The Worklife team provides health and wellness education through EAP, LifeCare & Wellness. Office of Human Resources -Employee Relations Division Provides advice and assistance to employees and managers for a variety of employee relation matters, including but not limited to administrative grievances, conflict resolution, problem intervention, and performance and conduct issues. Office of Human Resources – Workforce Employment Division Provides policy and operational guidance on external recruitment and appointments. Ensures that external hiring programs, including the Delegated Examining Unit (DEU) and other special programs comply with legal and regulatory requirements and meet customer needs. Provides consultative, policy, and operational services on position and organizational management, staffing, and classification to the Patents business unit. DUTIES MAY INCLUDE: *Performing routine human resources functions in one of the assigned divisions within the Office of Human Resources. *Responding to requests for information. *Performing limited research and analysis of applicable laws, regulations, policy, etc. and prepares summaries and recommendations for action. *As assigned, performing designated segments of more complex personnel assignments of higher-graded specialists. *Advising management, employees, and/or the public on human resources related matters. Requirements Conditions of Employment You must be a U.S. Citizen or National. You must meet the definition of specialized experience. You must meet time-in-grade-requirements. Required to pass a background investigation and fingerprint check. Must be registered for Selective Service, if applicable (www.sss.gov) Suitable for Federal employment. Time-in-grade/band requirements must be met by the closing date of the announcement. The physical worksite for this position is located in Alexandria, VA. However, the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO)is currently under a maximumtelework posture due to the COVID-19 pandemic; therefore, this position is currently under a 100 percent telework schedule. The position’s telework schedule will likely change in the future when USPTOmoves away from its maximumtelework posture. At that time, the incumbent will be expected to report to the physical work site in accordance with the updated status requirements of their supervisor. The nature and scope of future telework opportunities will be subject to the unit’s telework policy, any applicable bargaining unit agreements, and supervisory approval. Payment of relocation expenses, as applicable, will be paid in accordance with this Job Opportunity Announcement. Qualifications You must meet the following United States Office of Personnel Management’s (OPM) qualification requirements for the advertised position. OPM’s prescribed Group Coverage Qualification Standard forAdministrative and Management positionscan be foundHere.You must meet all qualification requirements including time-in-grade (refer to 5 CFR 300.604 for more information on time-in-grade) by the closing date of the job announcement.Specialized Experience: is experience that has equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the position to be filled. To be creditable, specialized experience must have been equivalent to at least the next lower grade level in the federal service.Candidates for the GS-07grade level must have at least 52 weeks of specialized experience equivalent to theGS-05grade level in the Federal service.Specialized experience for this position includes experiencein providing assistance and support to specialists or analysts who apply organizational regulations, principles, systems, policies, methods and practices, conducting fact-finding and research, and providing customer service support. OR Completion of 1 full academic year of graduate level education.ORBachelor’s Degree with Superior Academic Achievement demonstrated through class standing (upper third of the graduating class); grade point average (a GPA of 3.0 or higher out of a possible 4.0 based on 4 years education or courses completed during the final 2 years; or a GPA of 3.5 or higher out of a possible 4.0 based on required courses in the major field); or election to membership in a national scholastic honor society. Please referherefor information on the OPM Superior Academic Achievement (S.A.A.) provision. 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, 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. Education Special Instructions for Foreign Education: Qualifying education from colleges and universities in foreign countries must be evaluated in terms of equivalency to that acquired in U.S. colleges and universities. Applicants educated in whole or in part in foreign countries must submit sufficient evidence, including transcripts, to an accredited private organization for an equivalency evaluation of course work and degree. A listing of these accredited organizations can be found on the Department of Education’s website – US Department of Education. Another listing of services that can perform this evaluation is available at the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) website. You must provide a copy of the letter containing the results of the equivalency evaluation with a course by course listing along with your application. Failure to provide such documentation when requested will result in lost consideration.NOTE: Only education and experience acquired before the filing deadline will be considered. Report only attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Additional Information Applicants applying for this position must be a United States Citizen.If you are a male applicant born after December 31, 1959, you must certify that you have registered with the Selective Service System. If you are exempt from registration under Selective Service Law, you must provide appropriate proof of exemption. Please visit the Selective Service System website for more information.This is a Non-Bargaining Unit position.This is a Public Trust position and has a risk level designation of “moderate”.Background Investigation – If selected for this position, you may be required to complete a Declaration for Federal Employment (OF-306), which includes a fingerprint and credit check, to determine your suitability for Federal employment and to authorize a background investigation.The USPTO participates in E-Verify. For more information on E-Verify, please visit the Department of Homeland Security Website.Probationary Period- If selected, you may be required to complete an initial one-year probationary period. All Federal employees are required to have Federal salary payments made by direct deposit to a financial institution of their choice.Relocation Expenses are not authorized and will not be paid.CTAP and ICTAP candidates will be eligible for selection priority if it is determined that they have exceeded the minimum qualifications for the position by attaining at least a “well qualified” rating of 85 out of 100. Information about CTAP and ICTAP eligibility is on the Office of Personnel Management’s Career Transition Resources website at: OPM CTAP/ICTAP. CTAP/ICTAP documentation requirements are listed in the “Required Documents” section of this announcement.More than one selection may be made from this announcement if additional identical vacancies in the same title, series, grade, and unit occur within 90 days from the date the certificate was issued.All application materials become the property of the United States Patent and Trademark Office.The United States Patent and Trademark Office is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service, or other non-merit factors. If you believe that you have been discriminated against and would like to file an EEO complaint, you must do so within 45 days of the date of the alleged discriminatory act. Claims of employment discrimination must be submitted to the attention of the USPTO’s Office of Equal Employment Opportunity & Diversity via email ([email protected]) or phone (571-272-8292).