Become 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.

Patent examiners review two main types of applications: design patents and utility patents. Design patents protect the ornamental appearance of an article (e.g., a watch face), while utility patents protect an invention (e.g., the watch itself). A third, less-common type of application is for plant patents, which protect newly invented or discovered asexually reproduced non-tuber plant varieties. 

As a patent examiner, you will:

• Search all known technological knowledge ("prior art") to ensure that an invention is new and unique
• Review patent applications to ensure conformity to formal requirements
• Write office actions communicating your findings on patentability to inventors and patent practitioners