Veterinary Medical Officer

DutiesSummaryThis position is located with the Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Midwest Area, National Animal Disease Center in Ames, IA. You will provide service in veterinary care and research support consistent with animal welfare and overall animal use programs.RequirementsQualificationsApplicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement including specialized experience and/or education, as defined below. **This Position is being filled through OPM's government-wide Direct-Hire Authority for this occupation and is open to all U.S. Citizens. Your application will be evaluated for basic eligibility and to determine if your experience and/or education meet the minimum qualification requirements described in this announcement. All applicants who meet the minimum qualifications and other basic requirements will be referred and are eligible for selection. ** Must meet at least one (1) of the Basic Education Requirements listed in the "Education" section of this announcement along with one (1) of the Grade Level Requirements listed below: GS-12 Grade Level:Specialized Experience: Qualifying experience for GS-12 includes one-year of specialized experience comparable to GS-11 which is directly related to the work of this position, and which equips the applicant with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position. For this position, specialized experience is experience providing primary veterinary care; upholding and securing animal holding facilities to regulation and procedural standards; performing major and minor surgery on animals; and maintaining a pharmacy of controlled substances. OR Education Substitution: Master's degree in an area of specialization, including but not limited to, animal science, avian medicine, food safety, infectious diseases, veterinary clinical sciences, pathobiology, biomedical sciences, veterinary anatomy, veterinary preventive medicine, comparative biological sciences, epidemiology, veterinary parasitology, molecular veterinary biosciences, public health, microbiology, pathology, immunology, laboratory animal medicine, toxicology, wildlife, zoological animal medicine, or sciences related to the work of a veterinary medical officer position. OR Residency/Post-Graduate Training Programs: Successful completion of two years of an internship, residency program, or fellowship training program in a discipline related to the position. OR Board Certification: Successful completion of all requirements for a Diplomate status in an American Board of Veterinary Specialties (ABVS) recognized specialty organization. Such specialties may include, but are not limited to, veterinary toxicology, laboratory animal medicine, poultry veterinary medicine, theriogenology, veterinary anesthesiology, veterinary behaviorists, veterinary clinical pharmacology, veterinary dermatology, veterinary emergency and critical care, veterinary internal medicine, veterinary microbiology, veterinary nutrition, veterinary ophthalmology, veterinary pathology, veterinary preventive medicine, veterinary radiology, veterinary medicine, and veterinary dentistry. GS-13 Grade Level: Specialized Experience: Qualifying experience for GS-13 includes one-year of specialized experience comparable to GS-12 which is directly related to the work of this position, and which equips the applicant with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position. For this position, specialized experience is experience providing primary veterinary care; upholding and securing animal holding and biocontainment facilities to regulation and procedural standards; performing major and minor surgery on animals; maintaining a pharmacy of controlled substances; and authoring and reviewing research and operating procedures for animal care and operations in a research facility. OR Education Substitution: Ph.D. degree in an area of specialization, including but not limited to, animal science, avian medicine, food safety, infectious diseases, veterinary clinical sciences, pathobiology, biomedical sciences, veterinary anatomy, veterinary preventive medicine, comparative biological sciences, epidemiology, veterinary parasitology, molecular veterinary biosciences, public health, microbiology, pathology, immunology, laboratory animal medicine, toxicology, wildlife, zoological animal medicine, or sciences related to the work of a veterinary medical officer position. OR Residency/Post-Graduate Training Programs: Successful completion of three years of an internship, residency program, or fellowship training program in a discipline related to the position. OR Board Certification: Successful completion of all requirements for a Diplomate status in an American Board of Veterinary Specialties (ABVS) recognized specialty organization. Such specialties may include, but are not limited to, veterinary toxicology, laboratory animal medicine, poultry veterinary medicine, theriogenology, veterinary anesthesiology, veterinary behaviorists, veterinary clinical pharmacology, veterinary dermatology, veterinary emergency and critical care, veterinary internal medicine, veterinary microbiology, veterinary nutrition, veterinary ophthalmology, veterinary pathology, veterinary preventive medicine, veterinary radiology, veterinary medicine, and veterinary dentistry. Physical Demands: This work involves physical effort such as prolonged standing walking in various kinds of farm conditions, stooping, bending, lifting, pushing, pulling, climbing, and handling restrained, large animals or large heavy carcasses. The ability to move quickly around unrestrained, often frightened, unpredictable, and ill-natured animals is also needed. Work Environment: Work is performed in an office, indoor and outdoor animal holding facilities, necropsy rooms, and laboratories. Temperature extremes are common. Exposure to disagreeable odors, working around frightened, unpredictable, and ill-natured animals, and exposure to the risks and hazards of harmful biological, chemical, and physical agents are possible. This includes working in high biosecurity animal housing facilities which require special precautions and close coordination of personnel, animals, equipment, and facility safety controls. The use of personal protective equipment (PPE) such as masks or respirators, boots, gloves, laboratory coats, aprons, and coveralls when providing care to animals that represent a potential source of zoonotic disease or other biohazards is required. Certain environments may also necessitate the use of hearing protection. Strict agent safety regulations are applied to prevent the escape of animal pathogens from the work environment. Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.ARS Agricultural Research Service is the U.S. Department of Agriculture's chief scientific in-house research agency. Our job is finding solutions to agricultural problems that affect Americans every day from field to table. What we do matters in science and the world. For more information about Agricultural Research Service, go to https://www.ars.usda.gov/.