IT Project Co-ordinator EPO - European Patent Office

Munich, Germany

Directorate European Co-operation is responsible for co-operation with existing and future EPO member states (MS). It is looking for an IT project co-ordinator for new IT-related co-operation activities.

Main duties

General project co-ordination for new IT-related co-operation activities, in particular online filing of patent applications (OLF) and the espacenet services which the EPO offers to interested member states (content, budget etc):

• Negotiating with national patent offices (NPOs) their needs in the OLF area, in close co-operation with the country co-ordinators concerned;
• Project monitoring, in close co-operation with those responsible for implementing the IT Roadmap (a set of IT projects relating to the patent grant process, search tools and information management);
• Taking care of the transition from the old to the new OLF service;
• In-house co-ordination, with the EPO departments involved, of all aspects of merging espacenet at national and worldwide level and of loading the data involved;
• Regular reporting on project progress, including alerts if necessary.

In addition, day-to-day co-ordination with the Office for Harmonization in the Internal Market (OHIM) at working level:

• Co-ordinating and monitoring the various co-operation projects the EPO is running with OHIM in various areas (IT, training, economy, security, etc.);
• Regular reporting on co-operation activities.

The ideal candidate will have

• have a university degree in IT or business;
• have an excellent understanding of IT-related matters;
• have a general knowledge and understanding of patent/IP-related matters;
• have a good knowledge of co-operation policy, activities, practices and procedures;
• have excellent project management experience;
• have excellent communication and social skills;
• be able to work carefully, accurately and reliably;
• be a team player, able to work independently within a defined framework;
• proactively approach the daily challenges which arise;
• enjoy working in a service-oriented environment;
• have worked in an international environment.

Minimum qualifications

Diploma of completed studies at university level or - in exceptional cases - equivalent professional experience. Excellent knowledge of one official language and ability to understand the other two.

Selection procedure

The successful candidate will be selected on the basis of qualifications, possibly supplemented by interviews and/or tests. It is intended to hold the interviews in calendar week 42.

Please appy online, using the online application form, reference number INT/EXT/5341.

Closing date: 14.09.2012.

As the second largest European organisation, the European Patent Office offers a competitive salary, excellent social benefits and varied work in a modern international environment.

More information on www.epo.org/vacancies.