14 Dec

A day in the life of a Patent Examiner

Posted by: Career Staff  /  Category: Government

Official seal of the USPTO


An alternative career of interest to those with an engineering or science education may be a patent examiner at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

What is a patent examiner?

A patent examiner is a federal employee who examines patent applications to determine whether or not a patent can be granted for various new inventions – many of which are on the cutting edge of tomorrow’s technological breakthroughs. Examiners research the subject matter in applications and then communicate the findings on the patentability to inventors or patent practitioners.

What education is required to become an examiner?

There are career opportunities for examiners with various education levels from a BS, Masters, or PhD in engineering, life sciences, physical sciences, or computer science. The difference in graduate level education is your entry-level position and salary. A scientist with a BS will enter at a GS-5 entry-level position, whereas a candidate with a PhD will start at a GS-11 level.

What is the career progression of a patent examiner?

Patent Examiners may receive a one-time accelerated promotion after six months, from GS-5 to GS-7; GS-7 to GS-9; or GS-9 to GS-11. The full-performance level is GS-13; However, after completion of the partial/full signatory program, Patent Examiners may be promoted to GS-14. All promotions are submitted by a supervisor and will be based on the productive and timely processing of patent applications.

What benefits does a patent examiner receive?

All examiners receive a comprehensive federal benefits package, as well as enhanced federal government salary rates. While it is required to relocate to Washington DC, patent examiners have some flexibility in their work schedules, which may be a nice option for your life style. Examiners have flextime hours with morning arrival as early as 5:30 am and as late at 11:30 am; a 4/10 plan, where you work 10 hours four days each week, with two days off each pay period; and a 5/4/9 plan, that lets you work eight nine-hour days, plus one eight-hour day, with one day off during each pay period. Another enticing option that is available is the hoteling program, which enables employees to work from home.

What training is available for examiners?

It is mandatory for new examiners to attend an eight-month training at the U.S. Patent Training Academy. The program provides training for new examiners in Legal, Procedural, Automation, Life Skills, Technical, and Professional Development. Additional on-the-job training from an experienced Supervisory Patent Examiner (SPE) is then provided after you start your first position.

Where is there more information?

Visit the USPTO website at http://usptocareers.gov/Pages/PEPositions/Default.aspx to learn more about patent examiners, to find job openings, and to apply.

Additionally, they offer a “Patent Examiner Informational Session“, which is a video with slides, and “A Day in the Life of a Patent Examiner” video series, which can be accessed through the list below.

A Day in the Life of a Patent Examiner Video Series:

  • USPTO Introduction
  • The Work We Do
  • Building a Career with USPTO
  • Resources and Training
  • What I like about my job

    • Source: All information from the USPTO website.

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    10 Dec

    Pharmacy Career Paths

    Posted by: Career Staff  /  Category: Other Positions, Pharmaceutical/Biotech

    SAN ANSELMO, CA - NOVEMBER 23: A pharmacist p...

    Pharmacist jobs continue to be in great demand. As most already know, pharmacists are professionals who provide oversight and expertise in the distribution of prescription and nonprescription drug products. There are several job positions in the pharmacy arena depending on the amount of schooling you would like to complete and compensation based on the position. Job opportunities in the pharmacy field include pharmacy aides, pharmacy technicians, and pharmacists.

    Pharmacy aides or assistants are the lowest-ranked job. These individuals are not allowed to dispense medications. Their primary purpose is to support staff in the pharmacy. They may deal with customers and computer systems to help keep the system working properly. The education to become a pharmacy aide is either on the job only, or a certificate program, usually from a 2-year college. Some 2-year degrees are available as well, but generally it is a certificate program. These programs can help people find jobs, but are not always required.

    Technicians are allowed to dispense medication. Their job consists of helping both the pharmacy aides and the pharmacists make sure the pharmacy runs smoothly. Along with the clerical work that the assistants do, technicians count out pills and measure liquids, then bottle and label the drugs according to the instructions of the pharmacists or the doctors who called them in.

    There is currently no education requirement for pharmacy technicians in the US, but to become a certified technician, there is an exam called the National Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam that must be taken. Some jobs will require a technician to be certified, and if this is the case, the person may opt to enroll in a program through a 2-year college that will train them for the job and prepare them for the exam. After a technician is certified, he or she must pass a given number of continuing education courses in the field each year to remain certified.

    The pharmacist is responsible for making sure that medications are dispensed and taken in a safe manner. Some of the responsibilities of a pharmacist include advising doctors on the dosage and side effects of medication, answering patient’s questions, and helping patients choose over the counter drugs. Pharmacists must be have social skills to communicate with customers about their concerns and advise them about their current prescriptions.
    Additionally, pharmacists must be detail-oriented to ensure no mistakes are made.

    To become competent to serve in these jobs, a pharmacist receives extensive education. A PharmD degree is a 4-year degree in the field of pharmacology, and is generally undertaken after 2-4 years of college level coursework in the pre-pharmacy field. An exam may also be required to enter a PharmD program. Once a student completes the program, there is a national licensing exam that must be taken before they have become licensed pharmacists. According to payscale.com, the starting salary for pharmacists is at least $80,000/year and can be as high as $120,000/year or more.

    As the population starts to skew more towards the elderly, pharmacy professionals will become more and more desirable. Because of this expected growth in the field, now is potentially a great time to get a pharmaceutical education.

    If you like the idea of a pharmaceutical education, but wearing a white lab coat and working behind a counter filling medication orders doesn’t sound that exciting to you, you’re not alone. There is a diverse set of career paths available to those with a pharmaceutical education. Alternative careers in the field include careers in medication therapy management, pharmaceutical care, drug-use review, drug-use management, disease management, and pharmacy benefit management. There are also many job settings that pharmacists work in, including industry, research, drug stores, and academia.

    If a career in the pharmacy field is of interest to you, there is an excellent Career Pathway Evaluation Program for Pharmacy Professionals offered by the American Pharmacists Association (APhA). The evaluation program gives detailed and useful information about many areas of pharmacy practice. Additionally, it is geared to help you choose a career path in pharmacy that is appropriate for you. To learn more about the program, click here.

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