Trade Mark Examiner or Designs Examiner

Job summary

Pleasenote: Applicants should review all aspects of this advert to ensure a thorough understanding. If reviewing via a screen reader, please note that the Job summary, Job description, Person specification, Benefits and Things you need to know sections have been emphasised

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.

Flexibility is key. Successful candidates will be appointed to a role based on business needs. While both positions offer similar opportunities, your placement will depend on organisational priorities at the time of appointment.

The vacancies are fixed term appointments for 2 years with a chance of permanency.

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

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

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

Please note: Annual leave may be restricted during the initial training period to ensure full participation in the training room.

500-word Personal Statement

• Use this to explain why you're suitable for the role.
• Structure your statement around the essential criteria in the Person Specification.

Behaviours

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

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.

Developing Self and Others

• Encourage and listen to developmental feedback from colleagues
• Demonstrate a proactive approach to personal development and learning. Identify gaps in your skills and knowledge

AI Usage
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 for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

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 Josie Ash/ Kelly Rowlands
E-mail: Josie.Ash@ipo.gov.uk
Telephone: 01633 814383

E-mail: Kelly.Rowlands@ipo.gov.uk

Telephone: 01633 814014

Behaviours

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

• Delivering at Pace
• Developing Self and Others
• Communicating and Influencing
• Making Effective Decisions

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

• Delivering at Pace
• Developing Self and Others

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.

• 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:

Experience

Your 500 word Personal statement will demonstrate your Experience against the listed essential criteria

Behaviours

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

• Delivering at Pace (lead behaviour)
• Developing Self and Others

Please note, in the event of a high number of applications, Delivering at Pace the lead criteria may be used to carry out an initial sift of applications. Candidates who pass the initial sift will be progressed to a full sift.

Stage 2 – Interviews

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

Make sure it clearly shows how you meet the essential criteria listed in the Person Specification. Written assessment will take place before interview on the same day. The assessment will be 30 minutes, and it will only be marked if the candidate is successful at interview stage.

• 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.

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.

Applicants to note: CVs sent direct to the IPO will not be accepted.

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 for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

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

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 criminal record check.Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window).

See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).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.The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in new window).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

IPO Modernised Terms and Conditions (1) Opens in new window (doc, 149kB)