Trade Mark Examiner or Designs Examiner

Job summary

Trade Mark Examiner or Designs Examiner

The Intellectual Property Office (IPO) is the UK government body for Intellectual Property rights, including patents, designs, trade marks, and copyright. Our mission is to support economic growth by providing an IP system that fosters creativity and innovation.

Trade Mark and Designs Examiner roles are central to our Services Directorate. You’ll receive comprehensive in-house training on the legal framework for registered IP rights.

The IPO offers excellent development opportunities and holds the Gold standard: Investors in People award.

Working Style

This role will be carried out in-line with IPO Hybrid working arrangements where staff are currently expected to spend at least 20% of their time working onsite from one of our offices. This role is based in our NewportOffice. This is a requirement and is not negotiable.

Hybrid working will only apply after the training period at our Newport office. The 12 week training period requires the successful candidates to attend the Newport office in person 5 days a week.

The IPO holds a visa sponsor licence however; this role is not eligible for sponsorship under the Skilled Worker route. Candidates will therefore need to have an existing right to work in the UK at the time of application.

Job description

Main duties consist of but are not limited to:

As a Trade Mark or Designs Examiner, you’ll assess applications under UK IP legislation, ensuring compliance with legal standards. Key responsibilities include:

• Applying legislation and case law to determine registrability
• Writing clear examination reports and guiding customers through the process
• Handling objections and evaluating supporting evidence
• Managing your workload and making informed decisions
• Continuous learning and contributing to service improvements

Additional information:

Due to the intensive nature of the initial twelve-week training period (25/01/2027 to 23/04/2027 subject to change), annual leave will only be granted in exceptional circumstances. Employees are expected to attend all training sessions wherever possible.

Part-time working is not available during the 12-week training period. All successful candidates will be required to work full-time for the duration of the training. If you would prefer a part-time working arrangement, this can be considered following successful completion of the training period.

Person specification

Essential criteria

• Strong analytical, research, and decision-making skills
• Excellent written and verbal communication
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively
• Customer-focused, adaptable, and open to feedback
• Good digital literacy
• Have a positive and focussed attitude to achieving outcomes

How to Apply

Click the 'Applynow' button and complete the application form by providing the following

Please note: the Intellectual Property Office (IPO) reserves the right to raise the minimum qualifying score at sift to manage volumes and ensure a proportionate and fair assessment process

500-word Personal Statement

Please write a personal statement of 500 words telling us the skills and experience that make you suitable for the role including evidence of your writing skills. Particularly include your experience and skills that match what we have asked for in the person specification.

Behaviours

Provide one 250-word example for each of the following Behaviour headings;

In the event of a high volume of application Delivering at Pace will be the lead behaviour

Delivering at Pace (lead behaviour)

• Follow relevant policies, procedures, and legislation to complete your work.
• Regularly check performance against objectives, making suggestions for improvement or taking corrective action where necessary.

Seeing the Big Picture

• Understand how your work and the work of your team supports wider objectives and meets the diverse needs of stakeholders
• Take a keen interest in expanding knowledge in areas related to your work

For further information on the sift and interview stages of this recruitment campaign, please head to our 'Things you need to know' section below.

Please visit our Civil Service Careers page - IPO – Recruitment Support , Civil Service Careers (civil-service-careers.gov.uk)

If you require job-specific information, please contact Hannah Thomas .
E-mail: Hannah.Thomas@ipo.gov.uk
Telephone: 01633 814928

Or

Tania Williams-Smith
E-mail: Tania.Williams-Smith@ipo.gov.uk
Telephone: 01633 433038

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Delivering at Pace
• Seeing the Big Picture
• Communicating and Influencing
• Making Effective Decisions

We only ask for evidence of these behaviours on your application form:

• Delivering at Pace
• Seeing the Big Picture

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £29,952, Intellectual Property Office contributes £8,677 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).

• A flexible working scheme with excellent development opportunities
• 25 days annual leave moving to 30 days in annual increments (1 day per year) over 5 years of reckonable service. You will also get 8 days public leave and 1 day privilege leave
• Family friendly policies that support modern working families and individuals with caring responsibilities
• A variety of support functions; Staff Counselling Service, Peer to Peer Support Group
• Eligibility for special and office-wide bonus payments
• The opportunity to form part of our many inclusive network groups, find out more by looking at Intellectual Property Office (IPO) (diversityjobsgroup.com)
• A range of wellbeing initiatives; Onsite Gym (Newport office), Eye Care Scheme, Volunteering Programme, Cycling facilities
• Free car parking is available on site at our Newport office
• On-site shop, restaurant and coffee shop at our Newport office

For more information about what’s on offer at the Intellectual Property Office please review our IPO benefit pack attached to the bottom of this advert.

Please note that benefits may be subject to change.

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths and Experience.

The assessment process will comprise of the following:

Stage 1 – Sift

An initial sift of applications will be carried out to create a shortlist. This will be based on the evidence provided for the following Success Profile elements:

Please note: the Intellectual Property Office (IPO) reserves the right to raise the minimum qualifying score at sift to manage volumes and ensure a proportionate and fair assessment process

Experience

Please write a personal statement of 500 words telling us the skills and experience that make you suitable for the role including evidence of your writing skills. Particularly include your experience and skills that match what we have asked for in the person specification.

Behaviours

Provide one 250-word example for each of the following Behaviour headings;

In the event of a high volume of application Delivering at Pace will be the lead behaviour

Delivering at Pace (lead behaviour)

• Follow relevant policies, procedures, and legislation to complete your work.
• Regularly check performance against objectives, making suggestions for improvement or taking corrective action where necessary.

Seeing the Big Picture

• Understand how your work and the work of your team supports wider objectives and meets the diverse needs of stakeholders
• Take a keen interest in expanding knowledge in areas related to your work

Stage 2 – Interviews

If invited to interview Behaviours and Strengthbased questioning will be used.

Please note candidates that proceed to the interview stage will be required to complete a written assessment. Details will be provided in the invite to interview information.

Specific information regarding the Success Profile elements that will be assessed at interview will be contained within the interview invitation.

Interviews for this role will be carried out in person at our Newport Office.

This recruitment campaign will keep a reserve list for 12 months. If you meet the requirements for this role but aren't offered after passing the interview, you'll be placed on the reserve list. If a suitable position opens up during this time, we will reach out to individuals in merit order.

The successful candidate would be expected to remain in the role for a minimum of 12 months before applying for another role.

The Recruitment team operational hours are 09:00 to 17:00 Monday – Friday excluding bank holidays.

This post is being advertised to Internal, acrossGovernment and external candidates at the same time.

Incomplete and/or late submissions will not be accepted or considered. Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

We do not routinely reimburse travel expenses for candidates, however if participating in the selection process would cause you undue financial hardship or if it restricts your ability to participate, please contact the recruitment team for more information.

In line with Government guidance, successfully appointed candidates will need to provide documents for our Right to Work checks. Information on this will be sent within the invite to interview text.

If you require a reasonable adjustment at any stage of the recruitment process, then please let the recruitment team know viarecruitment@ipo.gov.uk

In the event of a high volume of applications, the Intellectual Property Office (IPO) reserves the right to raise the minimum qualifying score at sift to manage volumes and ensure a proportionate and fair assessment process.

Please be aware that only one application per candidate is permitted for each recruitment campaign. Multiple applications, including those made using different accounts, may result in your application being withdrawn or rejected at any stage of the process.

For more information on the IPO’s terms and conditions, please review the attached IPO Modernised Terms and Conditions document attached at the bottom of this advert.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a basic (or equivalent) criminal record check.People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see theCivil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

Apply and further information

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job contact :

• Name : IPO Recruitment team
• Email : recruitment@ipo.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : recruitment@ipo.gov.uk

Further information

Commissioners Statement
The Civil Service recruits by merit on the basis of fair and open competition as outlined in the Civil Service Commission’s Recruitment Principles.

Complaints Procedure:
If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles and you wish to make a complaint, please contact;
Penny Phillpotts
Intellectual Property Office,
Concept House,
Cardiff Road,
Newport,
NP10 8QQ.

If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission at: http://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/civil-service-recruitm…

Attachments

What's on offer at the IPO Opens in new window (pdf, 2034kB)IPO Modernised Terms and Conditions Opens in new window (doc, 149kB)