European Patent Examiner in Applied Maths, AI, and Quantum Computing

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Duration of contract: Five years, renewable (full-time)
Location: Germany (Munich/Berlin) or the Netherlands (The Hague)
Final date to receive applications: 2 November 2026

At the European Patent Office (EPO), we explore breakthrough technologies before they reach the public. As a patent examiner, you'll assess whether inventions meet the criteria for patent protection , and in doing so support innovation that improves lives, drives industries and shapes the future.

We are an inclusive, purpose-driven organisation committed to sustainability, fairness and excellence – diversity is part of our DNA. Whether you come from research, academia or industry, if you're curious, open to learning and looking for a meaningful intellectual challenge you'll find your place at the EPO.

As a Patent Examiner, you will:

• examine patent applications – including technical documentation and drawings – in one of our official languages (English, French or German)
• analyse new inventions to evaluate their novelty and inventive step
• conduct in-depth research using digital search tools, scientific databases and patent information sources to identify the most relevant prior art
• apply legal and procedural frameworks to make clear, high-quality decisions on whether a patent should be granted
• communicate your findings clearly and constructively with applicants and other parties
• collaborate with international colleagues in a diverse and inclusive environment
• maintain high-quality standards with strong attention to detail and scientific rigour
• contribute to Europe's innovation ecosystem by ensuring fair and consistent application of the European Patent Convention (EPC) and related legal texts

• artificial intelligence/machine learning (reinforcement, adversarial, transfer, distributed/federated, or ensemble learning, AI agents, KRR), especially neural networks (CNN, LSTM/GRU, transformers/LLM, encoder-decoder, or teacher-student models; regularisation, dropout, Batch Norm, quantisation, or optimisation techniques, etc.)
• quantum computing (qubits, quantum gates, quantum algorithms, quantum error correction, or main hardware implementations)
• applied math & NLP: complex mathematical operations (linear and non-linear equations, differential equations), mathematical transformations (DFT, wavelet, square transforms) and operations (correlation, convolution), matrix and vector computations, functional evaluation by approximation methods (including probabilities)

• have a solid background and relevant expertise in the specified fields, built up during your studies, in projects, and/or as a result of professional experience
• enjoy deep technical analysis, reading technical drawings and solving intellectual puzzles
• are genuinely curious about technology and enjoy continuously learning about new scientific developments, emerging technologies and patent law
• are analytical, detail-oriented and open-minded
• are confident using digital technologies and AI-supported tools to analyse information while applying own critical thinking
• value both independent work and team collaboration
• are comfortable making structured, evidence-based decisions

No prior IP(intellectual property) experience? No problem.

We provide full legal and procedural training to get you started.

• diploma of completed studies at master's level covering one or more technical fields…