Flexible work schedules
After some time with us, many of our employees become eligible for flexible work schedules, which allow them to complete 80 hours per pay period in whatever way works best for them. For example, employees with a flexible schedule can:
- Work four 10-hour days for two days off each pay period
- Work eight 9-hour days, plus one 8-hour day, for a day off per pay period
- Lengthen your lunch break to run an errand, go to the gym, or attend an appointment
Once you are hired, your supervisor will advise you of your initial work schedule.
Childcare
The USPTO’s campus features the Innovation Station Child Development Center for infants through pre-K. The center is conveniently located in the Jefferson building on the same side as the Madison East building, and is very popular among employees. Contact Innovation Station for more information, including tuition fees.
Fitness Center
The USPTO Fitness Center enables employees to improve their general health and well-being. For a small fee, you’ll have access to the facilities and classes offered at the Fitness Center.
Health unit
The USPTO’s Health Unit offers a variety of free health and wellness services, including first aid, wellness programs, free seasonal flu shots, periodic health evaluations, maintenance of allergen immunotherapy, and on-the-spot testing for COVID-19, strep throat, and flu A and B.
Our location
The USPTO is located just 8 miles south of downtown Washington, D.C., in Alexandria, Virginia, frequently included in lists of best places to live in the U.S. Alexandria offers a range of neighborhoods with housing options well suited to young professionals and metro-accessible through stations such as Eisenhower Avenue, Braddock Road, Potomac Yard, and Van Dorn.
Old Town Alexandria's charming boutiques, restaurants, historic sites, waterfront, and colonial-era architecture, which attract many visitors, are just outside our campus.
Our campus
Our campus has everything you need for an easy flow between work and life activities. Our walkable and bike-friendly neighborhood includes plenty of open spaces and parks, restaurants, a movie theater, preschools, gyms, two supermarkets, and two Metro stations. These Blue and Yellow Line stations are just a few stops away from the shops, restaurants, and residential buildings of Potomac Yard, Crystal City, and Pentagon City, and provide a direct line to downtown Washington, D.C.
Transportation
Our campus is conveniently located near the I-495 Beltway. Our employees may choose discounted parking for $30 per month or a commuting stipend of up to about $315 per month for bus and rail travel.
Metro and train
We are a short walk from the King Street Metro (Blue and Yellow lines) and Alexandria Union Station (Amtrak and Virginia Railway Express).
Biking
Bike-exclusive lanes and bikeshare stations connect our campus to surrounding neighborhoods.
Shuttle
Our neighborhood offers a free shuttle service with stops on all important locations, including King Street Metro and Alexandria Union Station.
More about the USPTO
Our work spurs the kind of American innovation that can change the world.
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has been serving the economic interests of America for more than 200 years. We are responsible for granting U.S. intellectual property rights for patents and trademarks.
Our efforts have provided inventors exclusive rights over their discoveries and brands. It’s an effort that continues to contribute to a strong global economy, to encourage investment in innovation, and to cultivate an entrepreneurial spirit for the 21st century.
Behind the scenes at the USPTO
