r/ChemicalEngineering • u/Ok_Train_4534 • Oct 08 '23

Salary What's your pay

I graduated with B.S. in CHE 2 years ago and make $30/hr as a validation technician at a pharma company in Los Angeles. Anyone else want to share?

73 Upvotes

87% Upvoted

161 comments sorted by

View all comments

Show parent comments

15

u/No-Rock2482 Oct 09 '23

Did you have to go to grad school for patent law to get that position?

11

u/ArghBH Oct 09 '23 edited Oct 09 '23

Nope. Can start right out of undergrad. I had other jobs prior. Only started at the patent office in early 2010s

Majority of new examiners are fresh college grads starting at GS 7 or 9 (I forget the starting salary. Maybe 70k?). Legal education or degree not required or even necessary.

First four months of employment is patent academy, where you learn all laws and statutes necessary for prosecution. Then you are probationary for up to a year as you get used to examining.

After a few years you can apply for full time remote. I've been full remote for nearly a decade now.

Lol AMA.

3

u/No-Rock2482 Oct 09 '23

What does a normal day look like for you?

7

u/ArghBH Oct 09 '23

Get up at 7 am. Play with toddler daughter, go on a neighborhood walk.

9 am start work.

2 pm nap :D.

3 pm work again.

6 or 7 pm sign off.

I speak to maybe 2-3 attorneys a day. Prosecute upwards of 20 cases per biweek. Work some Saturdays if needed.

Best part is... I don't need to wear pants. And I have my own bathroom, kitchen... house. Zero commute. Which means I get more time with my daughter.