Congressional Affairs Specialist

Patent and Trademark Office•Alexandria, VA

14h•Onsite

About The Position

This position is located in the Office of Governmental Affairs (OGA), within the Office of the Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the USPTO. The Congressional Affairs Specialist serves as the principal Congressional Affairs advisor to senior agency leadership on Congressional affairs, legislative strategy, and external engagement regarding intellectual property policy. The position is based at the USPTO campus in Alexandria, Virginia. On-site presence is required for functions that must be performed in person. Situational telework may be available under agency policy and business-unit discretion; the agency currently allows 52 hours of telework per leave year. The specialist supports educational and outreach activities for Capitol Hill and agency-sponsored events, including coordinating with agency business units and communicating with Congressional offices about outreach opportunities. The position also prepares and presents information to Congress, the Department of Commerce, the Congressional Research Service, and the Congressional Budget Office on agency operations, goals, objectives, and intellectual property matters. The specialist helps formulate legislative and policy proposals of interest to the agency and researches the status of proposals that may affect agency operations and intellectual property matters. This is a bargaining-unit, Public Trust position with a high risk-level designation. Applicants must be U.S. citizens or nationals and meet the specified qualifications, including one year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-14 level. Education cannot substitute for the required experience.

Requirements

U.S. citizenship or nationality.
One full year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-14 level in the Federal service.
Experience monitoring and reviewing legislative proposals for impact on intellectual property matters, agency policy, operations, and strategic planning goals.
Experience advising senior agency leadership on Congressional affairs, legislative strategy, and external engagement regarding intellectual property policy.
Experience preparing supporting documentation for legislative programs and policies, including briefing materials and talking points.
Pass a background investigation and fingerprint check; the position is designated Public Trust with a high risk level.
Meet time-in-grade or time-in-band requirements by the announcement closing date, unless an applicable exception applies.
Meet all qualification and eligibility requirements by the announcement closing date.
Register for Selective Service if applicable.
Complete a one-year probationary period if required upon selection.
Be able to work on site in Alexandria, Virginia for functions requiring in-person attendance.

Responsibilities

Support educational and outreach activities, independently and in coordination with agency business units, for Capitol Hill and agency-sponsored events.
Communicate with Congressional offices about educational and outreach opportunities.
Assemble and present information, as appropriate, to Congress, the Department of Commerce, the Congressional Research Service, and the Congressional Budget Office about agency operations, goals, objectives, and intellectual property matters.
Assist and coordinate the formulation of legislative and policy proposals of interest to the agency.
Research the status of legislative proposals that could affect agency operations and intellectual property matters.
Advise senior agency leadership on Congressional affairs, legislative strategy, and external engagement regarding intellectual property policy.
Monitor and review legislative proposals for their impact on intellectual property matters, agency policy and operations, and strategic planning goals.
Prepare supporting documentation for legislative programs and policies, including briefing materials and talking points.