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Design Patent Examiner Jobs (NOW HIRING)

IP US Filing Specialist

Palo Alto, CA · On-site

$90K - $131K/yr

... patent prosecution filings, including applications, (utility or design, provisional, nonprovisional, divisional, continuation, and national stage), responses to any PTO actions or examinations ...

... patent prosecution filings, including applications, (utility or design, provisional, nonprovisional, divisional, continuation, and national stage), responses to any PTO actions or examinations ...

... patent prosecution filings, including applications, (utility or design, provisional, nonprovisional, divisional, continuation, and national stage), responses to any PTO actions or examinations ...

... patent prosecution filings, including applications, (utility or design, provisional, nonprovisional, divisional, continuation, and national stage), responses to any PTO actions or examinations ...

... patent prosecution filings, including applications, (utility or design, provisional, nonprovisional, divisional, continuation, and national stage), responses to any PTO actions or examinations ...

... patent prosecution filings, including applications, (utility or design, provisional, nonprovisional, divisional, continuation, and national stage), responses to any PTO actions or examinations ...

... patent prosecution filings, including applications, (utility or design, provisional, nonprovisional, divisional, continuation, and national stage), responses to any PTO actions or examinations ...

... patent prosecution filings, including applications, (utility or design, provisional, nonprovisional, divisional, continuation, and national stage), responses to any PTO actions or examinations ...

IP US Filing Specialist (Late Filings)

Palo Alto, CA · On-site

$136K - $136K/yr

... patent prosecution filings, including applications (utility or design, provisional, nonprovisional, divisional, continuation, and national stage), responses to any PTO actions or examinations ...

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Design Patent Examiner information

See salary details

$46.5K

$117.9K

$157K

How much do design patent examiner jobs pay per year?

As of Jul 16, 2026, the average yearly pay for design patent examiner in the United States is $117,945.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $74,500.00 and $156,500.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is the difference between Design Patent Examiner vs Patent Examiner?

AspectDesign Patent ExaminerPatent Examiner
Required CredentialsPatent Bar, technical degree, specialized in design patentsPatent Bar, technical/science degree, general patent law knowledge
Work EnvironmentUSPTO, examining design patent applicationsUSPTO, examining utility and design patent applications
Industry UsageFocused on aesthetic and ornamental aspects of inventionsBroader, covering utility, process, and design patents

Design Patent Examiners specialize in evaluating the aesthetic and ornamental features of inventions, requiring specific knowledge of design patent law. Patent Examiners, in general, handle a wider range of patent types, including utility patents. Both roles are based at the USPTO and require similar credentials, but their focus areas differ significantly.

More about Design Patent Examiner jobs
What cities are hiring for Design Patent Examiner jobs? Cities with the most Design Patent Examiner job openings:
What states have the most Design Patent Examiner jobs? States with the most job openings for Design Patent Examiner jobs include:
Infographic showing various Design Patent Examiner job openings in the United States as of July 2026, with employment types broken down into 89% Full Time, 8% Part Time, and 3% Contract. Highlights an 87% Physical, 3% Hybrid, and 10% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $117,945 per year, or $56.7 per hour.
IP US Filing Specialist

IP US Filing Specialist

Cooley

Palo Alto, CA • On-site

$90K - $131K/yr

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, PTO

Re-posted 15 days ago


Job description

IP US Filing Specialist

Cooley is seeking an IP US Filing Specialist to join the IP Services team.

*Hybrid Schedule Philosophy: As part of the Cooley culture, we recognize and appreciate the value of being together, in person, to build comradery with others in the office and to be a contributing member of the Cooley office. However, we also appreciate the benefits and flexibility that come from remote working. As such, the default assumption for employees and partners is a hybrid schedule: some in-office presence and some work from home days. Employees on a hybrid work schedule must work from their regular state of residence during hybrid remote days and are expected to be within a commutable distance of a Cooley office. (Department director or manager will provide direction on your schedule and any in-office expectations).
Position Summary: The IP US Filing Specialist (USFS) provides full support to patent attorneys, agents, and clients in filing and maintaining US applications and patents. Specific duties include, but are not limited to, the following
Position Responsibilities:
Coordinate with IP professional staff, patent practitioners and clients with respect to assigned US patent prosecution matters
Analyze correspondence received from USPTO to ensure accuracy of information for docketing purposes; forward all USPTO mail to Client Team and provide timely reminders of upcoming dates
Prepare and review required documents for filing; upload of same with the USPTO all US patent prosecution filings, including applications, (utility or design, provisional, nonprovisional, divisional, continuation, and national stage), responses to any PTO actions or examinations, petitions, terminal disclaimers, issue fee payments, etc
Prepare, file and report of US formalities (e.g., POAs, assignments, declarations, drawings),
and non-substantive USPTO documents, such as filing receipts, publications, along with preparation of reminder letters to clients of upcoming deadlines
Handle and report all substantive USPTO actions with input from Responsible Attorney, including preparing draft amendments/responses to official actions and notices to file missing parts, obtaining identified references, processing notices of allowance including attending to the Notice of Allowance Review Form in coordination with the Patent Prosecution Specialist and Patent Practitioner, addressing any inventorship/assignment issues, and preparing related paperwork (e.g., extensions, RCEs, corrected ADSs, name changes, maintenance fee addresses, etc.)
Proof and forward Letters Patent to the client
Provide client support for portfolio management, including accommodating client-specific reporting guidelines, and responding to client phone calls and/or emails relating to specific requests or reports
Sustain working knowledge of US patent prosecution rules and recommend procedural modifications to accommodate changes as needed
Maintain a secondary docket of due dates for each assigned client as outlined in the Patent Prosecution Policies and Procedures Manual

Review docket reports and provide detailed annotations related to upcoming dates daily
Complete administrative tasks including maintenance of client data rooms, responding to deadlines and changes to dockets, along with other communication with the central Docketing Department, run patent reports, transfer in/out of patent matters and other special projects as assigned with support of assigned administrative staff, where applicable
Communicate regularly with the assigned Patent Prosecution Specialist (PPS) regarding the timing of filing IDSs, as well as reporting any IDS filed to the client
Skills & Experience:
Required:
After orientation at Cooley LLP, exhibit proficiency in the Microsoft Office suite, iManage and other firm applications
Available to work overtime, as required
3+ years relevant IP experience
Preferred:
Bachelor's Degree
Previous law firm experience

Experience researching IP status and history in PTO databases, including USPTO systems (PatentCenter), WIPO Patentscope and, the EPO Patent Register, as well as public databases in other jurisdictions
Possess working knowledge and keep abreast of rules according to USPTO procedures, 37 C.F.R., the Manual of Patent Examining Procedure (MPEP) rules

Competencies:
Excellent attention to detail
Strong verbal and written communication skills
Ability to organize, prioritize and coordinate multiple activities
Strong judgment
Team-player with collaborative spirit
Unwavering ability to handle and maintain confidentiality regarding firm information, projects, client data (if applicable)
High level of professionalism at all times

Cooley offers a competitive compensation and excellent benefits package and is committed to fair and equitable employment practices.

EOE.

The expected hourly pay range for this position with a work schedule of 40 hours per week is $43.50 - $63.00 ($90,480.00 - $131,040.00 annually). Please note that final offer amount will be dependent on geographic location, applicable experience and skillset of the candidate.

We offer a full range of elective benefits including medical, health savings account (with applicable medical plan), dental, vision, health and/or dependent care flexible spending accounts, pre-tax commuter benefits, life insurance, AD&D, long-term care coverage, backup care for children and/or adults and other parental support benefits. In addition to elective benefit options, benefited employees receive firm-paid life insurance, AD&D, LTD, short term medical benefits as well as 20 days of Paid Time Off ("PTO") and 10 paid holidays each year. We provide generous parental leave and fertility benefits. New employees will attend a detailed benefit orientation to learn more about our many benefits and resources.