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Trademark Examiner Jobs (NOW HIRING)

United States Patent and Trademark Office

$165 - $210/hr

The United States Patent and Trademark Office's (USPTO) mission is to promote innovation and competition by providing quality examination and issuance of patent and trademark applications, guiding ...

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Trademark Examiner information

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$33.5K

$61.4K

$99K

How much do trademark examiner jobs pay per year?

As of Sep 6, 2026, the average yearly pay for trademark examiner in the United States is $61,362.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $48,000.00 and $69,500.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a trademark examiner?

Trademark Examiners are professionals who review applications for trademarks to determine whether they meet the legal requirements for registration. They analyze proposed trademarks to ensure they are distinctive, not confusingly similar to existing marks, and comply with all relevant laws and regulations. Their work involves researching prior trademarks, communicating with applicants, and issuing decisions or requests for additional information. Trademark Examiners play a crucial role in protecting intellectual property and helping businesses secure their brand identities.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a trademark examiner?

To thrive as a Trademark Examiner, you need a strong knowledge of intellectual property law, attention to detail, and typically a bachelor’s degree in law, business, or a related field. Familiarity with trademark databases, research tools, and case management systems is essential for efficiently processing applications. Excellent analytical thinking, written communication, and time management skills help you interpret laws and effectively convey decisions. These skills and qualities are vital for ensuring accurate, fair, and timely examination of trademark applications, which protects brands and upholds legal standards.

What are common challenges faced by trademark examiners during the application review process?

Trademark Examiners often encounter challenges such as assessing the likelihood of confusion between similar trademarks, interpreting complex legal arguments from applicants, and staying current with evolving trademark laws and precedents. Balancing a high volume of cases with the need for thorough, accurate analysis can also be demanding. However, supportive teams, ongoing training, and access to legal resources help Examiners navigate these challenges and ensure fair, consistent decisions.

What is the difference between Trademark Examiner vs Patent Examiner?

AspectTrademark ExaminerPatent Examiner
Required CredentialsBachelor's degree, often in law, business, or related fields; USPTO registrationBachelor's or higher in engineering, science, or technology; USPTO registration
Work EnvironmentGovernment agency, office setting, examining trademark applicationsGovernment agency, office setting, examining patent applications
Industry UsageIntellectual property, legal, and branding sectorsIntellectual property, innovation, and technology sectors
Search and Comparison IntentUnderstanding roles in IP law, government patent/trademark officesUnderstanding patent law, technical examination roles

The main difference between a Trademark Examiner and a Patent Examiner lies in their focus areas: Trademark Examiners review applications to protect brand identities, while Patent Examiners assess inventions for patentability. Both roles require similar educational backgrounds and work within government intellectual property offices, but they specialize in different types of intellectual property protection.

How much do trademark examiners make?

Trademark examiners typically earn a salary ranging from $50,000 to $100,000 annually, depending on experience, location, and federal agency pay scales. They often require knowledge of intellectual property law and may work in government offices with structured pay grades.

How to become a trademark examiner?

To become a trademark examiner, candidates typically need a bachelor's degree, often in law, business, or a related field. Applicants must pass a civil service exam or meet specific agency requirements, and relevant experience or knowledge of intellectual property law can be advantageous. Training is usually provided by the employing agency, and examiners work in a government office environment evaluating trademark applications for compliance and distinctiveness.
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Cities with the most Trademark Examiner job openings:

What states have the most Trademark Examiner jobs?

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Trademark Examiner jobs near you
Infographic showing various Trademark Examiner job openings in the United States as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 89% Full Time, 7% Part Time, 1% Temporary, 1% Contract, and 1% Nights. Highlights an 89% Physical, 4% Hybrid, and 7% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $61,362 per year, or $29.5 per hour.

Legal Instrument Examiner

Patent and Trademark Office

Alexandria, VA • On-site, Remote

$57K - $75K/yr

Full-time

PTO

This job post has expired 1 day ago. Applications are no longer accepted.

Job description

Summary
Join the USPTO Records Program Office, Public Records Division, Assignment Recordation Branch as a Legal Instrument Examiner. In this role, you will review, process, and record legal documents related to patent and trademark ownership, helping ensure documents meet recordation requirements and that USPTO official records remain accurate and complete.
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Duties
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The physical worksite for this position is located in Alexandria, Virginia. Presence at the Alexandria, VA campus is required for this role, as it includes on site functions that must be performed in person. Position may be eligible for situational telework in accordance with agency policy/business unit discretion. The agency currently allows for 52 hours of telework per calendar year.
As a Legal Instrument Examiner, the individual selected for this position will be...
  • Conducting a detailed examination of the cover sheet for the request and supporting legal documents to ensure that information is complete, recordation requirements have been met, and correct fees have been paid. Based on this analysis, determines whether documents are recordable in comparison with specific criteria in the manuals governing patent and trademark examination which are based in law and regulation.
  • Examining and updating fee information in PTO automated systems to ensure payment of statutory fees. Verifing and calculating fees to ensure that amounts are correct, charges fee to customer's deposit account or credit card, generates a non-recordation notice when problems are encountered, and processes payments for any additional fees that are imposed. Determining when a refund is necessary and processes refunds as authorized.
  • Responding to customer inquiries from applicants and/or their attorneys regarding procedures for filing documents, making corrections, forms required, pertinent rules and regulations, processing procedures, and guidance in navigating through the online system. Explaining rules, regulations, and requirements as needed and describes discrepancies which may occur in a wide variety of documents.

Requirements
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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.
  • Suitable for Federal Employment

Qualifications
You must meet the United States Office of Personnel Management's (OPM) qualification requirements (including specialized experience and/or educational requirements) for the advertised position. You must meet all eligibility and qualifications requirements by the closing date of the job announcement. OPM Qualifications Standards are available at Clerical and Administrative Support Positions..
Specialized Experienceis experience that has equipped applicants with the particular knowledge, skills and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the position to be filled. To be creditable, you must possess one full year (52 weeks) of specialized experience equivalent to GS-06 in the Federal service:
For this position, the next lower grade level is a GS-06.Specialized experience for this position includes:
  • Experience providing review and recordation services for documents submitted by members of the organization, ensuring accuracy, completeness, and proper processing in accordance with established procedures.
  • Experience processing requests for changes in assignment and other information for numerous types of legal documents in accordance with regulatory requirements.

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.
Education
As a general rule, education is not creditable above GS-5 for most positions covered by this standard; however, graduate education may be credited in those few instances where the graduate education is directly related to the work of the position.
If this position requires proof of higher education, or you are substituting education for experience, you must submit an unofficial transcript or a list of courses that includes the following information: name of accredited institution, grades earned, completion dates, and quarter and semester hours earned. Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the requirements. Please refer to http://www.opm.gov/qualifications/policy/ApplicationOfStds-04.asp for more information. You are not required to submit official documents at this time; copies are sufficient.
Special Instructions for Foreign Education: Qualifying education from colleges and universities in foreign countries must be evaluated in terms of equivalency to that acquired in U.S. colleges and universities. Applicants educated in whole or in part in foreign countries must submit sufficient evidence, including transcripts, to an accredited private organization for an equivalency evaluation of course work and degree. A listing of these accredited organizations can be found on the Department of Education's website - US Department of Education. Another listing of services that can perform this evaluation is available at the (National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) website. You must provide a copy of the letter containing the results of the equivalency evaluation with a course by course listing along with your application. Failure to provide such documentation when requested will result in lost consideration.
NOTE: Only education and experience acquired before the filing deadline will be considered. Report only attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
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 245 (NTEU 245)
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 and ICTAP 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 and ICTAP eligibility is on the Office of Personnel Management's Career Transition Resources website at: OPM CTAP/ICTAP.
CTAP/ICTAP 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 sexual orientation), national origin, political affiliation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions, retaliation for engaging in protected activity, 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 via email (oeeo@uspto.gov) or phone (571-272-8292).
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Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.
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.
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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.

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