Quality Control Assistant
: Job Details :

Quality Control Assistant

Department Of Commerce

Location: Washington,VA, USA

Date: 2025-01-02T08:14:13Z

Job Description:

Summary

Are you up for an exciting challenge of working as a Quality Control Assistant? If so, this job is for you! This is an Upward Mobility Position within the Office of Patent Application Processing/Front End Processing (FEP) Division/FEP Branch. FEP Branch of OPAP is responsible for Front end processing of documents ensuring the quality of image, accuracy of assigned document codes, proper splitting and joining of documents, and the overall integrity of patent application documents.

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Overview

* Accepting applications

* Open & closing dates

12/23/2024 to 01/13/2025

* Salary

$55,924 - $72,703 per year

Salary listed above is for the Washington-Baltimore-Arlington area; Salary dependent on location of selectee; Locality tables are listed on OPM.

* Pay scale & grade

GS 7

* Help

Location

Many vacancies in the following location:

* Alexandria, VA

* Remote job

* Telework eligible

Yes-as determined by the agency policy.

* Travel Required

Not required

* Relocation expenses reimbursed

* Appointment type

Permanent

* Work schedule

Full-time

* Service

Competitive

* Promotion potential

* Job family (Series)

* 0303 Miscellaneous Clerk And Assistant

* Supervisory status

* Security clearance

Not Required

* Drug test

* Position sensitivity and risk

Moderate Risk (MR)

* Trust determination process

* Suitability/Fitness

* Financial disclosure

* Bargaining unit status

Yes

* Announcement number

PATS-OPAP-25-12652405-MP

* Control number

825610100

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This job is open to

* Internal to an agency

Current federal employees of this agency.

* Career transition (CTAP, ICTAP, RPL)

Federal employees who meet the definition of a surplus or displaced employee.

Clarification from the agency

Applications will be accepted from current USPTO Federal employees serving on career or career-conditional appointment in the Competitive Service and CTAP eligible candidates in the local commuting area.

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Duties

The physical worksite for this position is located in Alexandria, Virginia.This position is telework eligible per agency and business unit discretion/policy.

At the entry level of this position the incumbent will perform the following major tasks:

* Conducts preliminary review of applications to determine any deficiencies that could cause the delay of issuance or publication.

* Gatherings data to be used for the purpose of initiating new quality control measures.

* Recommends corrective actions to enhance the quality and timeliness of the issuance and publication cycles.

* Identifies problem areas and/or trends within the issuance cycle.

* Reviews and compiles informational reports from a variety of sources to assist with any corrections.

* Evaluates responses from other PTO personnel to determine accuracy and completeness with regard to Patents Doc codes.

* Participates in the development of quality control initiatives assigned to senior specialists.

NOTE: Selectee's must enter a trainee position by reassignment or downgrade. Selectee's cannot be promoted into a trainee position.

Employees selected for Upward Mobility Program opportunities at a lower grade than the position they currently hold are entitled to pay retention if their existing salary cannot be accommodated within the salary range of the lower Upward Mobility Program grade. This means that the employee's salary in the lower Upward Mobility Program grade will be: 1) the rate of basic pay the employee received immediately before placement in the lower grade; or 2) 150 percent of step 10 of the lower grade, whichever is lower.

While under pay retention, employees receive 50% of annual basic pay increases (based on step 10 of the lower grade) and 100% of annual locality pay increases. Pay retention terminates when one of the following events occur: the employee becomes entitled to a rate of basic pay equal to or higher than the retained rate; the employee has a formal break in service of one workday or more; the employee declines a reasonable offer of a position for which the rate of basic pay is equal to or higher than the retained rate; or the employee is demoted for personal cause or at his/her request.

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Requirements

Conditions of Employment

* Applications will only be accepted from United States Citizens and Nationals.

* Your resume and question responses must demonstrate the job-related competencies.

* You must meet the definition of specialized experience.

* Required to pass a background investigation and fingerprint check.

* Must be registered for Selective Service, if applicable (www.sss.gov).

* If selected, you may be required to complete a one year probationary period.

* You must meet all qualification requirements upon the closing date of this announcement.

* Time-in-grade/band requirements must be met by the closing date of the announcement.

* Suitable for Federal Employment.

Qualifications

Requirements: Applicants must meet the UPWARD MOBILITY CRITERIA prior to the closing date of the announcement.

ABOUT USPTO'S UPWARD MOBILITY PROGRAM:

Upward Mobility is a career development program that provides increased opportunities for eligible employees to successfully transition into administrative and technical positions with more career growth or potential. Upward Mobility is based on competitive selection and requires a training plan that is developed to prepare the selectee for a new career within the USPTO. The training plan is 6 to 18 months in duration and consists of developmental work assignments, on the job training, formal instruction and self-development activities directly related to the successful performance of the target level position by the selected employee.

UPWARD MOBILITY POSITION(s)ARE FILLED AT THE BRIDGE/ENTRY LEVEL AS FOLLOWS:

BRIDGE POSITION GRADE:

QUALITY CONTROL ASSISTANT -GS-0303-07

TARGET POSITION GRADE:

QUALITY CONTROL SPECIALIST - GS-0301-07

QUALITY CONTROL SPECIALIST - GS-0301-09

FULL PERFORMANCE PROMOTION POTENTIAL: QUALITY CONTROL SPECIALIST - GS-09

NOTE: You are ineligible for the Upward Mobility Program position if you occupy a two-grade interval career ladder position with promotion potential above a GS-09; or you meet the qualification requirements for the TARGET level position.

You must have a current annual performance rating equivalent of at least fully successful.

NOTE: Applicants DO NOT have to meet the below specialized experience requirements to apply to the vacancy announcement. Applicants who are selected for the trainee position will receive the opportunity to participate in training, as identified in their Individual Training Plan (ITP), to allow them to meet the OPM general and specialized experience requirements needed to qualify for the target position at the end of the training period.

You must meet the following United States Office of Personnel Management's (OPM) qualification requirements for the advertised position in order to advance to the next grade level. OPM's prescribed Group Coverage Qualification Standard for Clerical and Administrative Support Positions can be found at: Clerical and Administrative Support Positions.

1) You must meet Upward Mobility program eligibility criteria as described within this announcement; AND

2) You must NOT meet OPM qualification requirements at the TARGET level of the position at time of application; AND

3) If you are currently at the GS-7 level, you must be eligible for the bridge grade level under one of the following ways: A) At least one year of experience related to this position described as basic knowledge of the functions, policies, procedures, practices, and administrative stages related to the processing of patent applications and supporting legal documents. OR, B) One full year of graduate level education; OR, C) Superior academic achievement degree in any academic discipline.

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. Candidates for the GS-07 grade level must have at least 52 weeks of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower GS-06 grade level in the Federal service.

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.

Special Upward Mobility Provisions and Requirements:

You must meet Upward Mobility Program Eligibility criteria in order to be considered. If you are selected, you will be required to:

1. Adhere to requirements in the vacancy announcement for the UMP opportunity;

2. Provide input into the development of your Individual Training Plan (ITP) within 30 days;

3. Participate in career advising activities, when offered by the business unit;

4. Perform periodic self-evaluation of performance and review supervisory evaluation of training performance; and

5. Fulfill all training, educational, and work requirements of the approved ITP.

6. Meet standard career-ladder promotion policies and procedures to be promoted to the GS-09 target grade.

Promotion beyond the target level is based upon the following criteria: 1) you meet the basic qualification requirements (time-in-grade and specialized experience) for the next higher grade level; 2) you have demonstrated the ability to perform at the next higher grade level; and 3) your performance appraisal at the time of review was at least fully successful.

NOTE: Upon successful transition into the target position the employee is no longer considered a trainee or participant in an UMP.

Education

As a general rule, education is not creditable above the GS-5 for most positions covered by clerical and administrative support standard; however, graduate education may be credited in those few instances where the graduate education is directly related to the work of the position.

Additional information

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 Bargaining Unit position and represented by The National Treasury Employees Union, Chapter 243 (NTEU 243)

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.

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 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 eligibility is on the Office of Personnel Management's Career Transition Resources website at: OPM CTAP/ICTAP.

CTAP 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.

USPTO Job Applicants requiring reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process should request accommodation(s) from the USPTO at USPTO Reasonable Accommodation.

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, 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 (...@uspto.gov) or phone (571-###-####).

* Benefits

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A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

Review our benefits

Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

How You Will Be Evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

Your eligibility for consideration and qualifications for the position will be determined based upon a review of your detailed resume and your responses to job specific self-assessment questions.

Your resume will be evaluated based on evidence of your ability to demonstrate possession of any specialized experience and how well your background and experience relates to the self-assessment questions in the job announcement.

The self-assessment questions relate to the following knowledge, skills, abilities, and competencies (KSA's). You do not have to respond to the KSA's.

KSA 1 - Ability to communicate Orally.

KSA 2 - Ability to Communicate in Writing.

KSA 3 - Ability to Interpret, Apply, and Work with Instructions, Regulations, etc.

KSA 4 - Ability to collect, organize, monitor, and analyze data from various resources.

KSA 5 - Ability to use Interpersonal skills.

Your responses to the self-assessment questions serve as the basis for your initial rating. You will receive a numerical score based on your responses to these questions. Next, your responses will be evaluated by a Human Resources Specialist and/or a subject matter expert against the information provided in your resume and optional cover letter. Your resume must support your answers to the self-assessment questions, or your score may be adjusted or lowered accordingly which may affect your overall final rating. The best qualified candidates will be identified for referral to the hiring manager and may be invited for an interview. If referred all relevant documents submitted with your application package will be forwarded to the selecting official, due weight shall be given to performance appraisals and awards in accordance with 5 CFR 335.103(b)(3), during the interview/selection process conducted by the hiring manager. Falsifying your background, education, and/or experience is cause for not hiring you or for changing your scored responses to questions you've answered, which may affect your overall final score.

Selection will be based on evidence of the candidate's potential to perform in the target position. This will involve use of such tools as performance evaluations, assessment of potential and interviews, when necessary, as well as review of past work and experience, outside activities, training, and awards.

Interviews will be conducted by the Upward Mobility screening panel if you:

1) Meet the Upward Mobility program's area of consideration and position/eligibility requirements as stated within this announcement; and

2) Submit a complete application as outlined in the How To Apply section.

Please note that a complete application is required for consideration. (Please review the Required Documents section of this job announcement to see what must be included in a complete application).

* Benefits

Help

Review our benefits

* Required Documents

As a new or existing federal employee, you and your family may have access to a range of benefits. Your benefits depend on the type of position you have - whether you're a permanent, part-time, temporary or an intermittent employee. You may be eligible for the following benefits, however, check with your agency to make sure you're eligible under their policies.

A complete application consists of:

1. A resume or any other written format you choose to describe your job-related qualifications; optional cover letter: Your resume should indicate your citizenship and should list your educational and work experience including titles, salary, employment dates, duties, experience and how it relates to the specialized experience in the job announcement.

Supporting Documents:

1. Notification of Personnel Action (SF-50) - For current and/or former Federal employees, your status eligibility and highest permanent grade/step/salary held in the Federal service will be validated with a copy of your most recent SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action so that we may verify your time-in-grade.

2. Performance Appraisal - Recent performance appraisal with supervisor's signature showing the official final rating of record, and copy of incentive award(s). In cases where the performance appraisal is incomplete or unavailable, applicants may provide explanation of the reasons.

3. CTAP applicants MUST submit the following documents: 1. A copy of your RIF separation notice, notice of proposed removal for declining a directed geographic relocation outside of the local commuting area; a Certificate of Expected Separation (CES); or certification that you are in a surplus organization or occupation (this could be a position abolishment letter, a notice of eligibility for discontinued service retirement, or similar notice); 2. A copy of your SF-50 Notification of Personnel Action , noting current position, grade/band level, and duty location; 3. A copy of your latest performance appraisal including your rating; and 4. Any documentation from your bureau/operating unit that shows your current promotion potential.

1) You can upload your documents when you register or update your information on the Dept. of Commerce site which you access through the USAJobs site.

Your application and all required documents must be received by 11:59 pm ET on the closing date of this job announcement. NOTE: The preceding documents requirement are based on job requirements and individual applicant eligibility. Not all documents are applicable to all applicants; if you are unsure which documents apply to you, contact the HR Specialist listed on this announcement.

* How to Apply

You MUST apply online. If you experience difficulties with the application process or do not have access to a computer, please contact the HR Specialist listed as the point of contact before the closing date of this job announcement.

If you are a new user to the USAJobs Site and have never registered for an account; you will first need to create an account profile with your basic contact information and a resume to begin applying. You must be a registered USAJobs user AND you must be signed-in to your account in order to apply for this position. For help setting up an account or for general help using USAJobs, go to USAJobs Help Page. Once you have gathered all of the required information and are ready to begin the application process, click the APPLY button at the right side of the page. You will then be directed away from USAJobs to the Department of Commerce application site for USPTO. You must click Submit at the end of the application process to send your application for consideration.

To return to your saved application, log in to your USAJOBS account at and click on Applications. Click on the position title, then select Update Application.

If you experience any difficulties with the application site, OPM has a Help feature on each page. Use this option when you need assistance.

All required supporting documents will be collected electronically via the USAJobs Saved Documents feature.

Personally Identifiable Information (PII)

Personally Identifiable Information (PII) is defined as information that can be traced back to a specific individual and potentially compromise their security or privacy. Examples of PII include: date of birth, Social Security Number, and place of birth.

Please ensure that you have removed all Personally Identifiable Information from all documents prior to submitting or uploading your applications material.

Agency contact information

Lanett Williams

Phone 571-###-#### Email ...@USPTO.GOV

Address PATS - Office of Patent Application Processing

Office of Human Resources

Mail Stop 171

P.O. Box 1450

Alexandria, VA 22313-1450

Learn more about this agency

Next steps

You will receive a notice generated by the USAJobs System when you have successfully submitted your application.

You will be notified of your application status through USAJOBS at four points during the hiring process, as applicable. You can check the status of your application by accessing the USAJOBS website at and clicking on Track Your Online Application. The four points of notification are:

1. Application Received or Application Incomplete;

2. Minimum Qualification Requirement Met or Minimum Qualification Requirement Not Met;

3. Eligible (Application Referred to the Selecting Official) or Eligible (Application Not Referred to the Selecting Official); and

4. Selected or Not Selected

After all application packages have been received, we will review your application and transcript(s) (if you are qualifying based on education) to ensure you meet the basic qualification requirements. We will evaluate each applicant who meets the basic qualifications on the information provided and you may be contacted for follow-up supplemental documentation. It is the applicant's responsibility to provide any supplemental documents or information requested by the Office of Human Resources within the allocated timeframes.

You will be required to submit official documentation prior to appointment. The agency will then verify the information provided on your application (i.e., degree, veterans' preference, disability, etc.). You can check the status of your application by logging into USAJOBS. You may also sign up to receive automatic emails anytime the status of your application has changed by logging into your USAJobs Account, editing your profile and changing the Notification Settings to indicate that you want to be notified by email when the status changes. Information regarding the status of your application should be updated in the system within 2 weeks after the closing date of this job announcement.

The United States Patent and Trademark Office offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes, in part, paid vacation, sick leave, paid holidays, life insurance, health benefits, and participation in the Federal Employees Retirement System. Alternative Work Schedule (AWS) and Telework Program are available to eligible employees.

* Fair and Transparent

The Federal hiring process is set up to be fair and transparent. Please read the following guidance.

* Criminal history inquiries

* Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Policy

* Financial suitability

* New employee probationary period

* Privacy Act

* Reasonable accommodation policy

* Selective Service

* Signature and false statements

* Social security number request

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Required Documents

A complete application consists of:

Supporting Documents:

1) You can upload your documents when you register or update your information on the Dept. of Commerce site which you access through the USAJobs site.

Help

How to Apply

To return to your saved application, log in to your USAJOBS account at and click on Applications. Click on the position title, then select Update Application.

If you experience any difficulties with the application site, OPM has a Help feature on each page. Use this option when you need assistance.

All required supporting documents will be collected electronically via the USAJobs Saved Documents feature.

Personally Identifiable Information (PII)

Please ensure that you have removed all Personally Identifiable Information from all documents prior to submitting or uploading your applications material.

Agency contact information

Lanett Williams

Phone 571-###-#### Email ...@USPTO.GOV

Address PATS - Office of Patent Application Processing

Office of Human Resources

Mail Stop 171

P.O. Box 1450

Alexandria, VA 22313-1450

Learn more about this agency

Next steps

You will receive a notice generated by the USAJobs System when you have successfully submitted your application.

1. Application Received or Application Incomplete;

2. Minimum Qualification Requirement Met or Minimum Qualification Requirement Not Met;

3. Eligible (Application Referred to the Selecting Official) or Eligible (Application Not Referred to the Selecting Official); and

4. Selected or Not Selected

The United States Patent and Trademark Office offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes, in part, paid vacation, sick leave, paid holidays, life insurance, health benefi

Apply Now!

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