Patents Examiner

A patents examiner assesses patent applications lodged with IP Australia against statutory requirements, prior art, and technical merit. They conduct detailed searches of existing patents, scientific literature, and published information to determine patentability, then issue examination reports and correspond with applicants and their attorneys to resolve objections. The role requires deep technical knowledge across multiple fields and expertise in Australian patent law under the Patents Act 1990 and associated regulations.

Conduct prior art searches using IP Australia's internal databases, international patent systems (including USPTO, EPO, and WIPO), and scientific literature to identify existing technologies relevant to patent applications. Assess patent applications against patentability criteria including novelty, inventive step, and industrial applicability as defined by the Patents Act 1990. Examine claims for clarity, conciseness, and compliance with the Patents Regulations 1991, identifying defects in claim drafting or specification language. Prepare detailed examination reports (first reports and subsequent reports) setting out objections to patentability with specific references to cited prior art and legal grounds. Correspond with patent attorneys and applicants regarding examination objections, requesting amendments to specifications or claims to remedy defects. Assess amendments and revised claims submitted by applicants to determine whether they satisfy previous objections and comply with patent legislation. Apply Australian Patent Office examination guidelines and practice directions consistently across applications. Interview applicants and their representatives to resolve complex examination issues, clarify technical aspects of inventions, and negotiate claim amendments.

The standard entry pathway requires a bachelor degree or higher (ABS Skill Level 1). Specific qualification requirements vary by employer and state. Some employers may accept equivalent experience. Check yourcareer.gov.au for available courses and dewr.gov.au/skills-reform/free-tafe for subsidised training options.

The role is also repetitive document assessment with tight deadlines, and you're often the bearer of bad news to applicants, which can feel thankless.

Published for ANZSCO unit group 2249, the wider group this job sits in, not for this job on its own.

This is the median for full-time employees who are not managers and are paid at the adult rate, before tax and salary sacrifice. It is a guide to what the work pays, not a wage rate.

Source: ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025, customised report.

• Attention to Detailcore
• Correspondence Draftingcore
• Eligibility Assessmentcore
• Legal Researchcore
• Legal Terminologycore
• Policy Interpretationcore
• Problem Solvingcore
• Quality Assurance and Checkingcore
• Record Managementcore
• Regulatory and Legislative Awarenesscore
• Report Writingcore
• Research and Analysiscore
• Verification and Authenticationcore
• Written Communicationcore
• Confidentiality and Privacy Compliance
• Continuous Learning and Upskilling
• Electronic Document Management
• Negotiation
• Process Documentation
• Stakeholder Communication
• Time Management and Prioritisation

• ABS OSCA 2024, occupation definition and task statements
• ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2025, customised report.
• ABS, 2021 Census of Population and Housing based on usual place of residence (Custom Report). OSCA Experimental Estimates.

Role data is drawn from official Australian Government sources, and each figure names where it comes from. Where a role is not in the ABS classification, the page shows no government figures for it. Data may not reflect every local variation.

Where our numbers come from.

Last updated: 30 October 2026