Patent Agent
The Office of Technology Management within the Office of the Senior Vice President for Research at The Pennsylvania State University is seeking qualified applicants for the position of Patent Agent. This position will reside in State College, PA, adjacent to the University Park Campus and will report to the Associate Director of the Office of Technology Management, which is responsible for the management of intellectual property developed at Penn State.
Role: This position will be responsible for preparing, filing, and prosecuting patent applications before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office ("USPTO"). This position will contribute to important strategic patent procurement decisions, and the Patent Agent will understand the business context of their efforts. The Patent Agent will work closely with Technology Licensing Officers to protect inventions in a manner that is consistent with his/her technical merit.
A hybrid work opportunity may be available for this position.
Responsibilities: Following are the key responsibilities of this position:

• Perform patent searching.
• Investigate inventorship issues.
• Review invention disclosures for patentability, novelty, and non-obviousness.
• Evaluate qualification and applicability of prior art.
• Study and analyze scientific or technical documents, including previously published patent documents, to assess patentability, novelty and inventiveness.
• Draft new patent applications; act as a primary reviewer for filings; manage the processing of e-File filings.
• Convert prior provisional applications into utility applications and coordinate with foreign associates as needed to convert U.S. applications into foreign applications.
• Prepare replies to U.S. patent office actions.
• Identify alternative prosecution scenarios and claim strategies to develop patent portfolios.
• Conduct interviews with USPTO examiners.
• Prepare reexamination petitions, reissue applications, and IPR petitions.
• Prepare substantive client correspondence.
• Meet with faculty, staff, and students to discuss inventions.
• Ascertain whether the inventions are likely to lead to commercially meaningful patent claims.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Education and Experience:

• Master's Degree or higher in a technical or business discipline and 5 years of experience (or an equivalent combination of education and experience), drafting patent applications and patent prosecution or experience examining patent applications at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office preferred.
• Registered to practice before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
• Excellent writing and research abilities are a must, as well as proficiency in written and verbal communication, and strong organizational skills.

Application: To be considered for the position, candidates must apply online and upload application materials consisting of a resume and cover letter. Application review begins immediately and continues until the position is filled.
The Pennsylvania State University is committed to and accountable for advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in all its forms. We embrace individual uniqueness, foster a culture of inclusive excellence that supports both broad and specific diversity initiatives, leverage the educational and institutional benefits of diversity, and engage all individuals to help them thrive. We value inclusive excellence as a core strength and an essential element of our public service mission.
Penn State offers competitive benefits to full-time employees, including medical, dental, vision, and retirement plans, in addition to tuition discounts (75% discount for spouse and children), and paid holidays. Please visit https://hr.psu.edu/current-employee/benefits for more detailed information.
Apply online at https://psu.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com/PSU_Staff/job/Penn-State-University-Park/Patent-Agent_REQ_0000048337-1
CAMPUS SECURITY CRIME STATISTICS: For more about safety at Penn State, and to review the Annual Security Report which contains information about crime statistics and other safety and security matters, please go to http://www.police.psu.edu/clery/, which will also provide you with detail on how to request a hard copy of the Annual Security Report.
Penn State is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer, and is committed to providing employment opportunities to all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status.
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