For direct online access to VA benefits and resources, create an account here.
If you’re a veteran who’s interested in studying science or engineering, information technology, finance, or project or program management, and you either have your collegiate degree(s), are in the midst of pursuing it — or plan on pursuing it (you can check the status/amount of your G.I. Bill benefits by clicking here) — a career at the United States Patent and Trade Office might be a perfect fit: a start to a very fruitful and fulfilling post-service career.
Broadly speaking, it’s the federal agency that issues patents for inventions, as well as trademarks for products and intellectual property.
What are a few notable patents filed at their offices, in their history? U.S. patent No. 549160, by George Selden, in 1895. The automobile. U.S. patent No. 821393, by Orville and Wilbur Wright, in 1906. The airplane (or as they first dubbed it, the “flying machine”). And last but certainly not least, U.S. patent No. 5415649A, in 1991: the disposable diaper.
On average, they pay their employees anywhere from $55,000 a year to $153,000 a year.
A lot of their open positions are competitive, like most federal jobs, and are listed on this website: USAJOBS. However, the agency does utilize a number of programs that give vets special advantages during their hiring processes. One is the Veteran Opportunity Employment Act (VEOA), the second is the Veterans Recruitment Appointment (VRA) — which allows agencies to appoint eligible veterans without competition — and the last is Veterans Preference (which is a points system that’s explained here).
The USPTO has an entire page on how they hire veterans, and it includes not only the aforementioned programs, their qualifications and links, but also email addresses that can be used to ask questions, inquire about opportunities, and more. To visit this page, click here.