Head, Patent Database Section

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.

1.     Organizational Context

a.    Organizational Setting

The position is located in the Patent Database Section of the Global Databases Division, Infrastructure and Platforms. The Section is responsible for developing and maintaining the PATENTSCOPE system. PATENTSCOPE, one of WIPO's global databases, is WIPO's search system for technology providing public access to the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) applications and national collections of participating offices in full text format.

b.    Purpose Statement

The main role of the incumbent is to lead the Patent Database Section’s activities in administering and further developing WIPO’s PATENTSCOPE system with new functionality to consolidate its position as one of the major free public patent information search platforms worldwide, to ensure the weekly PCT publication is well performed in PATENTSCOPE and to continue bringing quality services to the patent user community as the global repository of patent and non-patent literature information.

c.    Reporting Lines

The incumbent works under the supervision of the Director of the Global Databases Division.

d.    Work Relations

The incumbent works regularly with staff of the Patents and Technology Sector, of the Information and Communication Technology Department and of the Security and Information Assurance Division and with IT peers working at patent offices of WIPO member states.

2.      Duties and Responsibilities

The incumbent will perform the following principal duties:

a.   Manage the Patent Database Section, its staff and external contractors; motivate, coach and supervise staff to enhance performance while maintaining internal controls and segregation of duties.

b.   Lead the Section in developing further the PATENTSCOPE system, with the goal to reach and maintain a position as a globally prominent patent search solution.

c.   Take responsibility for the electronic publication and dissemination of PCT international applications, in particular ensuring that the publication formats comply with WIPO standards, meet the needs of external users and that the PCT publication takes place with no prejudicial delay every week.

d.   Lead the Section’s portfolio of work and have overall responsibility for the management of its human and financial resources, identifying priorities and allocating resources for the timely and quality delivery of work products in accordance with the management models and schemes adopted by the Organization.

e.   Lead the Section in planning and managing projects for formatting, cleaning, enriching and indexing the backfile and frontfile of new national patent collections to be included in PATENTSCOPE.

f.    Implement a framework for monitoring data gaps and update delays in national patent collections included in PATENTSCOPE and set up solution procedures with the concerned offices.

g.   Lead the PATENTSCOPE mirror project and plan and coordinate its execution in collaboration with the management from the concerned office.

h.   Build and maintain close contacts with delegates from national and regional IP offices to encourage their participation in PATENTSCOPE and develop associated technical cooperation activities when required.

i.    Identify needs of users and keep exploring new technological solutions to cover them, including chemical structures searching, patent family building, non-patent literature searching, sequence listings searching and other advanced search capabilities.

j.    Represent the organization in meetings with IP offices, database users, international conferences and other relevant forums, promoting PATENTSCOPE and other WIPO services where applicable.

k. Perform other related duties as required.

3.      Requirements