Head, Patent Database Section

Head, Patent Database Section-25422-FTGlobal Databases Division, Infrastructure and Platforms SectorGrade-P5Contract Duration-2 years

Duty Station

: CH-Geneva

Publication Date

: 06-Jan-2026

Application Deadline

: 05-Feb-2026, 10 : 59 : 00 PM

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

Education (Essential)

Advanced university degree in information technology. A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Experience (Essential)

At least ten years of professional experience in increasingly responsible posts including in an IP office or similar organization.

Experience in the development and operations of large volumes multilingual search systems, patent search systems being a plus.

Experience in managing teams, complex IT projects, involving staff and external providers.

Experience (Desirable)

Experience in patent prior art search and examination.

Experience in AI technologies applied to search.

Language (Essential)

Excellent knowledge of written and spoken English.

Language (Desirable)

Good knowledge of other UN languages.

Job Related Competencies (Essential)

Deep knowledge of internet search technologies, including SOLR, JAVA, and natural language processing (NLP) for data processing and search.

Deep knowledge of data analysis and modeling and experience with large database systems including MySQL, ETL tools and XML.

Deep knowledge of UI design and front-end technologies, including JAVA server pages, Angular, CSS and related technologies.

Good understanding of patent data.

Innovation oriented mind-set and experience in leveraging open-source libraries and tools.

Excellent analytical, and organizational, communication and interpersonal skills.

Ability to work in a team with technical, legal and operational staff at different levels.

Excellent managerial skills and ability to provide leadership and motivate staff.

Excellent communication, negotiation skills and ability to maintain effective partnerships and working relations in a multicultural environment with sensitivity and respect for diversity.

Job Related Competencies (Desirable)

Understanding of WIPO's Global IP services.

4. Organizational Competencies

1.Communicating effectively.

2.Showing team spirit.

3.Demonstrating integrity.

4.Valuing diversity.

5.Producing results.

6.Showing service orientation.

7.Seeing the big picture.

8.Seeking change and innovation.

9.Developing yourself and others.

5. Inform ation

Mobility : WIPO staff members are international civil servants subject to the authority of the Director General and may be assigned to any activities, office or duty station of the Organization.Accordingly, the selected candidate may be required to move from time to time to new functions and / or to another duty station.

Annual salary :

Total annual salary consists of a net annual salary (net of taxes and before medical insurance and pension fund deductions) in US dollars and a post adjustment. Please note that this estimate is for information only. The post adjustment multiplier (cost of living allowance) is variable and subject to change (increase or decrease) without notice. The figures quoted below are based on the December 2025 rate of 91.1 %

P5

Annual salary

$92,731

Post adjustment

$84,478

Total Salary

$177,209

Currency USD

Salaries and allowances are paid in Swiss francs at the official rate of exchange of the United Nations.

Please refer to WIPO’s Staff Regulation and Rules for detailed information concerning salaries, benefits and allowances.

Additional Information

• Initial period of two years, renewable, subject to satisfactory performance. No fixed-term appointment or any extension hereof shall carry with it any expectancy of, nor imply any right to, (further) extensions or conversion to a permanent appointment.

This vacancy announcement may be used to fill other posts at the same grade with similar functions in accordance with Staff Rule 4.9.5.

Applications from qualified women as well as from qualified nationals of unrepresented Member States of WIPO and underrepresented geographical regions are encouraged. Please click on the following links for thelist of unrepresented Member States and thelist of underrepresented regions and the WIPO Member States in these regions.

The Organization reserves the right to make an appointment at a grade lower than that advertised.

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By completing an application, candidates understand that any willful misrepresentation made on this web site, or on any other documents submitted to WIPO during the application, may result in disqualification from the recruitment process, or termination of employment with WIPOat a later date, if that employment resulted from such willful misrepresentations.

In the event that your candidature is shortlisted, you will be required to provide, in advance, a scanned copy of your identification and the degree(s) / diploma(s) / certificate(s) required for this position. WIPO recognizes higher educational qualifications obtained from institutions accredited / recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list maintained by the International Association of Universities (IAU) / United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed here : http : / / www.whed.net / . Some higher educational qualifications may not be listed in WHED, and will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

Additional testing / interviewing may be used as a form of screening.Initial appointment is subject to satisfactory professional references.

Additional background checks may be required.