IMPORTANT NOTICE REGARDING APPLICATION DEADLINE: please note that the deadline for applications is indicated in local time as per the time zone of the applicant’s location.
This post is a limited-term fixed-term post.
1. Organizational Context
a. Organizational Setting
The post is located in the PCT Operations Teams 10 & 11, PCT Operations Services 1 & 2, PCT Operations Division, PCT Services Department, Patents and Technology Sector. The PCT Operations Division is responsible for the receipt, formalities examination, publication and communication of applications and related documents filed under the PCT and delivering high-quality customer services to PCT users in all 10 official PCT publication languages.
b. Purpose Statement
The incumbent is required to reach out to clients as instructed, as well as to carry out processing and formalities examination duties in at least two languages for international patent applications, and provide customer services to applicants and offices.
c. Reporting Lines
The incumbent works under the supervision of the Team Head of the respective PCT Operations Team.
d. Work Relations
The incumbent liaises as instructed frequently with external customers, PCT legal and IT specialists.
2. Duties and Responsibilities
The incumbent will perform the following principal duties:
a. Identify repetitive defects for the same client in daily work, communicate with Principal Client Advisor or Client Advisors, and reach out to clients as instructed.
b. Examine in at least two languages formality requirements of standard international applications, ensuring conformity with set standards; process, carry out data entry and check international applications and related documents for completeness, acknowledge receipt, and follow-up as required; forward more complex examination formalities issues to Team Head for follow-up.
c. Ensure high level of customer services to users and reply to queries in a timely manner. Liaise with PCT users and authorities and provide follow-up as required.
d. Carry out publication preparation and review work; ensure publication and republication work assignments are in final format for international publication within established deadlines; and inform Team Coordinator of delays or other issues.
e. Participate in team meetings and provide input towards improving internal work processes and workflows.
f. On request, participate in customer support on PCT electronic services.
g. On request, participate in testing PCT electronic systems and tools.
h. Keep abreast of and work in line with established work processes.
i. Perform other related tasks as required.
3. Requirements
Education (Essential)
First-level university degree.
Experience (Essential)
Relevant professional experience, preferably at least two years, working with patents, including in an IP office or comparable working environment.
Experience (Desirable)
Experience with formalities examination of patent applications.
Experience in customer service.
Language (Essential)
Excellent written and spoken knowledge of one language and a good knowledge of a second language, (one of which is English), among the following PCT publication languages: Arabic, Chinese, English, French, German, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Russian or Spanish, in accordance with business needs.
Language (Desirable)
Knowledge of other PCT publication languages.
Job Related Competencies (Essential)
Ability to communicate with people from the technical and business field.
Good understanding of the PCT and ability to explain or provide training on the rules, regulations and procedures governing the area of work.
Good IT skills for document processing, data management and data search.
Ability to work within the rules, regulations and procedures governing the area of work.
Client orientation, with ability to deliver high-quality client services.
Ability to work within pre-defined deadlines in an organized and logical manner while maintaining meticulous attention to detail.
Ability to work on own initiative and with a marked sense of teamwork and shared responsibility.
Ability to handle and protect confidential and sensitive data with integrity.
Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to maintain effective partnerships and working relations in a multicultural environment with sensitivity and respect for diversity.
Job Related Competencies (Desirable)
Knowledge of best practices and relevant tools used for customer service.
Ability to use different web browsers.
Ability to use authentication tools.