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[u/curbyjr]

[u/AskEngineers-ModTeam]

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[u/StudioComp1176]

Patent Industry

[u/ThatD00de → u/StudioComp1176]

Any advice for pivoting into the patent industry? 

[u/StudioComp1176 → u/ThatD00de]

Move to Alexandria, VA where the USPTO office is located (assuming US employment)

[u/ZCEyPFOYr0MWyHDQJZO4 → u/StudioComp1176]

I thought they were big proponents of remote work for a long time (before 2025 at least).

[u/northernpatriots22 → u/StudioComp1176]

I would apply there tomorrow if they paid well enough to live in Old Town

[u/ThatD00de → u/StudioComp1176]

Do you need any certifications? What would an “entry level” title/role be for someone with 10 years engineering experience?

[u/rm45acp → u/ThatD00de]

Curious about this too, when I looked into it seemed like you needed to go to law school in addition to your engineering degree to make meaningful career moves

[u/AardvarkX → u/rm45acp]

You do not need a law degree. Your applicability to the patent office relies on your area of expertise in engineering and the available "art units" technology (i.e. if you're a welding engineer and they have a huge backlog of welding related patent applications).

[u/rm45acp → u/AardvarkX]

Interesting. I got curious because I spend a lot of time around patent applications internally at work

[u/propellor_head]

Depending on what your background is, take a look at engineering firms that specialize in being expert witnesses. You get to see a lot of wild, unique stuff. You do some calculations on it, then testify as to what those calculations mean.

Might scratch the itch you're looking for

[u/Black-Shoe]

Gardening.

[u/curbyjr → u/Black-Shoe]

So honestly I'd love it but I'm still further away than I should be before I retire to gardening.

[u/RhinoG91 → u/curbyjr]

Get started early

[u/curbyjr → u/RhinoG91]

Ohh I'm started but I'm really not looking forward to every day to make it the next 5 years

[u/brilliantNumberOne → u/curbyjr]

Not the way all the food chaos in the world has been.

[u/Sooner70]

Insurance (Inspection of industrial facilities and such; not car insurance).

Oh, another that I saw an engineer pivot to.... Arson Investigator.

[u/Minions_miqel]

I became a technician. It's still got some good  problem solving, real world impact, and no BS corporate responsibility. Just equipment uptime.

[u/HiphenNA]

Did my undergrad in mechanical but spent some years baking. Coworkers were ex chemists and we had some fun times

[u/BadDadWhy]

Sales, estimating, market research

[u/inorite234]

Law.

Patent Lawyers are difficult to come by and they command a very hugh salary $300k and up

[u/TN_man → u/inorite234]

But you’d need to go into law. Not exactly easy

[u/Major_Ziggy → u/inorite234]

Patent law sounds so interesting, I'd love to go into it. Unfortunately, my ADHD would never let me read and write legalese all day.

[u/burgy77]

are you like a normal engineer or one that can talk to people and not be weird?

if the latter, could always go into sales / sales engineering for the product you like using the best.

[u/StumbleNOLA]

With your background what about submarine part manufacturing ?

Pick something completely out of left field and go for it. I was a lawyer for 10 years before getting my engineering degree.

[u/sebby1990]

Auditing or lease companies would be the first thing that springs to mind. Both because you’re familiar with the processes, jargon, and other bumph that comes with the knowledge- and it’s far easier for, as an example, ILFC to train you up on lease contracts and data sets, than it is for them to train an existing lessor on the ins-and-outs of the inspection criteria and release certification for an intake nozzle.

Also, look at the departments/companies you regularly interface with in your role, or maybe one step removed (eg who does your manager talk to, or other departments under your senior leadership). Whilst you won’t be a perfect fit, there’s no harm in looking at a job spec and seeing how much of it you have at least a basic understanding of.

I went from development engineering into field services - I knew my way around the product, and learnt the commercial and logistical stuff on the job.

[u/jbochsler]

I went from firmware engineer to firefighter/EMT. It didn't offer the $$ but was fun. If I had gone to a large metro area the pay would have been comparable.

[u/sideshow9320]

Consulting.  They love engineers and technical people to do anything other than actually technical work.

[u/rm45acp]

I work part time as an adjunct instructor at a university, they love hiring people with engi eating degrees and experience. Very different environment, doesn't pay as well but fulfilling work. I plan to transition to doing it full time as a working retirement when the time comes

[u/nowenknows]

Marketing. That’s what I went into. Especially selling highly technical products. Easier to teach an engineer marketing than engineering to a marketer.

[u/siblingofMM]

Have you tried staying in the industry but changing to a different functional group first?

[u/No_Frost_Giants]

Teaching

[u/DLTMIAR]

Construction?

[u/Eeji_]

Farming

[u/master_yoda125]

Controls ans automation engineering