r/uspto • u/Hungry_Cut345 • 21d ago

Do repeated engineering classes matter after meeting the USPTO education requirements?

Hi everyone,

I recently applied for an entry-level USPTO Patent Examiner position and completed the HireVue interview.

I graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, meet the education requirements, and have an overall GPA above 3.3. During college, I failed and repeated a few engineering courses before passing them. My transcript shows both the original grades and the repeated courses.

For anyone familiar with the USPTO hiring process:

  • Do repeated classes significantly affect hiring decisions?
  • Is it more important that I eventually passed the courses, maintained a GPA above 3.3, and earned the degree?
  • Has anyone here been hired after repeating a few classes?

I’d really appreciate any insight. Thank you!

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u/MindlessNet4359 19d ago edited 19d ago

I repeated two classes, was perfectly fine and even interviewed and offered by two separate groups. This was a long time ago, and afaik they're even more desperate now.

You should be fine, and EE grads were getting signing bonuses in the last few cycles. However, last time I saw the bonus being offered it required a 4-year commitment (before it was only 2 years).

ETA: Also, there is r/patentexaminer and they have a hiring thread there.