The USPTO has a new ad on their main page (www.uspto.gov):
We’re Hiring Now! PATENT EXAMINERS
For those who don’t know, patent examiners work at the patent office in Washington DC and determine whether a patent should be issued for each invention. It can be an exciting job because you get to work with cutting edge technologies every day. Albert Einstein was one of the most famous patent examiners — although he worked in Europe.
Qualifications include U.S. Citizenship and the equivalent of a bachelor’s degree in some area of technology or science. A form is available online for applying for the Job.
I know a number of people who worked at the patent office during the day and attended law school at George Washington University in the evenings. Once they graduated, they had great experience and did not have much problem finding excellent jobs as patent attorneys. (Although past success does not necessarily foretell future success).