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Supervisory Veterinary Medical Officer (Epidemiology)

Department of Agriculture
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
This job announcement has closed

Summary

If selected, you will serve as Area Veterinarian in Charge (AVIC) with responsibility for Veterinary Services, Field Operations scientific and administrative programs and related activities for the assigned States. In this capacity you will also assist in directing the activities of cooperative and Federal programs and administrative personnel located throughout the District.

Overview

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Hiring complete
Open & closing dates
05/03/2022 to 05/09/2022
Salary
$94,373 to - $148,070 per year
Pay scale & grade
GS 13 - 14
Locations
Little Rock, AR
1 vacancy
Lincoln, NE
1 vacancy
Albany, NY
1 vacancy
Remote job
No
Telework eligible
Yes—as determined by the agency policy.
Travel Required
Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this position.
Relocation expenses reimbursed
Yes—You may qualify for reimbursement of relocation expenses in accordance with agency policy.
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Competitive
Promotion potential
14
Supervisory status
Yes
Security clearance
Not Required
Drug test
No
Position sensitivity and risk
High Risk (HR)
Trust determination process
Announcement number
DH-11482527-22-VS
Control number
652139600

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

Applications will be accepted from any U.S. citizen. Direct Hire Authority will be used to fill this position. Veterans Preference and traditional rating and ranking of applicants does not apply to this vacancy. Current veterinary students who will complete their degree by June 30th, 2022 may also apply, however DVM conferral is required before start date.

Duties

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  • The duties described are for the full-performance level. At developmental grade levels, assignments will be of more limited scope, performed with less independence and limited complexity.
  • The duties may include, but are not limited to:
  • Plan, organize, and execute complex scientific and administrative programs designed to control infectious and communicable diseases of livestock and poultry.
  • Serve as consultant to the District Director and State officials on regulatory veterinary medical problems.
  • Provide opportunities for unit consultation and collaboration in anticipating, assessing, and addressing organizational, logistical, medical, and regulatory issues.
  • Direct the activities of Veterinary Medical Officers and other subordinates and cooperators who are concerned with the diagnosis of animal diseases, sanitary conditions, and procedures.
  • Administer the enforcement of regulations governing interstate movement of livestock, including investigations of interstate shipment of diseased animals and preparation of affidavits for prosecution.
  • Develop and maintain cooperative relationships with State animal and public health officials, industry representatives, academics, accredited veterinarians, and other stakeholders.
  • Communicate essential information and data to the public and ensures information is provided to veterinary students and faculty to enhance curricula as it relates to federal activities.
  • Plan schedules, set goals and priorities, approve leave, develop performance standards and evaluate performance of subordinates, and resolve employee complaints.

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

  • You must be a US Citizen or US National.
  • Individuals who were born male after 12/31/1959 must be Selective Service registered or exempt.
  • Subject to satisfactory adjudication of background investigation and/or fingerprint check.
  • Successful completion of one-year probationary period, unless previously served.
  • Subject to one-year supervisory/managerial probationary period unless prior service is creditable. New USDA supervisors must successfully complete all components of the required training program before the end of their probationary period.
  • Direct Deposit: Per Public Law 104-134 all Federal employees are required to have federal payments made by direct deposit to their financial institution.
  • Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit E-Verify at https://www.e-verify.gov/
  • Valid state driver's license is required at the time of application.
  • Travel to field locations will be required; this position is subject to unscheduled overnight details of undetermined lengths in the event of animal health emergencies or other conditions requiring immediate response, as required by the Agency
  • You will be required as an essential function to travel and work both in and outside of the United States in the performance of assigned duties, which requires obtaining/maintaining an Official Government Passport.
  • There is a high risk potential for exposure to unsafe working conditions and disease causing agents, some of which are highly contagious, infectious, and communicable to humans.
  • Special safety control coordination, bio-security, and bio-safety precautions must be exercised and followed at appropriate times.
  • Occasional, infrequent assignments may require visits to secured areas, such as import centers, laboratories, etc., where protective gear will be required.
  • This position has been designated as Remote eligible with Geographical Restrictions. The locations advertised are not all-inclusive; selectees are required to establish a home address near the advertised region prior to start of employment.

Qualifications

Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing date of the announcement, including specialized experience and/or education, as defined below. Current veterinary students who will complete their degree by June 30th, 2022 may also apply, however DVM conferral is required before start date.

All applicants must meet the Basic Requirement outlined in the Education section below.

FOR THE GS-13 LEVEL: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience (equivalent to the GS-12 level) that may have been obtained in the private or public (local, county, state, Federal) sectors which demonstrates:

  • Planning, prioritizing, and managing animal health and animal traceability programs related to intra, inter and international animal movements and program or foreign animal disease response.
  • Providing subordinate staff with leadership and direction to accomplish work and communicates sensitive, critical, and technical information related to program disease activities and/or emergency animal response.
  • Communicating technical and educational information regarding animal and public health to stakeholders including industry representatives, federal and state agencies and the general public during a program or foreign animal disease response detail.
OR

SUBSTITUTION OF EDUCATION FOR EXPERIENCE AT THE GS-13 GRADE LEVEL:
Successful completion of a PhD 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 other sciences related to the work of a veterinary medical officer position.

OR

RESIDENCY/POST GRADUATE TRAINING PROGRAM FOR THE GS-13 GRADE LEVEL.
Successful completion of three years of an internship, residency program, or fellowship training program in a discipline related to the position. Applicants should provide a certificate or letter documenting the completion of this program.

OR

BOARD CERTIFICATION FOR THE GS-13 GRADE LEVEL-
Specialty boards that are recognized by the American Board of Veterinary Specialties (ABVS) of the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) certify eligible candidates as specialists in specific veterinary medical fields. Veterinarians who successfully complete all requirements for Diplomate status in an ABVS-recognized veterinary specialty organization may qualify for the GS-13 grade level. Applicants should provide a certificate or letter documenting their diplomate status.

FOR THE GS-14 LEVEL: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience (equivalent to the GS-13 level) that may have been obtained in the private or public (local, county, state, Federal) sectors which demonstrates:
  • Participating in making significant decisions or recommendations impacting public policies or programs taking specific local or regional needs into account.
  • Assessing the emergency response capabilities of state and industry stakeholders through review and approval of disease response plans.
  • Participating in the indemnification process for the final disposition of diseased livestock.
  • Consulting and advising top level managers on a variety of complex VS program issues
  • Interacting regularly with state/ federal personnel regarding animal health policy and program disease control and animal movement.
Note: There is no education substitution for the GS-14 grade level.

TRANSCRIPTS are required. This position requires specific coursework or a degree in a specific field to be basically qualified. this education must have been successfully completed and obtained from an accredited school, college or university.

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.

Education

BASIC REQUIREMENT: Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) or equivalent degree, i.e., Veterinary Medical Doctor (VMD), obtained at a school or college of veterinary medicine accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association Council on Education (AVMA). The AVMA website has a listing of all AVMA-accredited veterinary medical schools. AVMA website: https://www.avma.org

OR
Graduates of foreign veterinary medical schools that are not accredited by the AVMA Council on Education must meet one of the following requirements:
a) Proof of certification of their final transcript by the Educational Commission for Foreign Veterinary Graduates (ECFVG);
b) Possession of a permanent, full, and unrestricted license to practice veterinary medicine in a State, District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or a territory of the United States that includes successful completion of the North American Veterinary Licensing Examination (NAVLE) or its predecessors, the National Board Examination (NBE) and the Clinical Competency Test (CCT); OR
c) Proof that the education obtained in a foreign veterinary medical program is equivalent to that gained in a veterinary medical program that is accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association Council on Education. An AVMA-accredited veterinary medical school or college must have accepted the final transcript from the foreign veterinary medical school at full value for placement into an advanced degree, postgraduate educational program, or training program (e.g., residency or graduate program).

In addition, graduates of foreign veterinary medical programs must also provide proof of proficiency in the English language by successfully completing one of the nationally and internationally recognized examinations that incorporate assessments of reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills. Examples of examinations that assess mastery of the English language are shown below:

a) Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) - Minimum scores for the TOEFL are 560 for the paper-based version; 220 for the computer-based version; or overall score of 83 for the internet-based version (including 26 or higher in speaking, 26 or higher in listening, and 17 or higher in writing). For the computer-based and paper-based test versions, applicants must also complete the Test of Spoken English (TSE) and the Test of Written English (TWE). Minimum required scores are 55 for the TSE and 5.5 for the TWE;OR
b) Academic tests (listening, writing, and speaking) offered by the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). Applicants must achieve a minimum overall band score of 7.0, with at least 7.0 in speaking, 6.5 in listening, and 6.0 in writing;
OR
c) Canadian Academic English Language Assessment (CAEL). Applicants must achieve a minimum overall band score of 70, with at least 60 in speaking, 60 in listening, and 50 in writing.

Graduates of foreign veterinary medical programs must submit test results with their application. Results of more than one test or testing session cannot be combined to meet the standard.

Waiver Provision: English language proficiency assessments may be waived for qualified job applicants whose native language is English (i.e., the official or common language of an individuals country of birth is English) who submit a diploma or other official documentation as proof of graduation from a high (secondary) school where the entire curriculum and educational programs were taught in the English language for the entire 3 or 4 years of full-time attendance.

Additional information

  • Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP), Reemployment Priority List (RPL), or Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP): Visit the OPM website for information on how to apply as a CTAP, RPL, or ICTAP eligible. To exercise selection priority for this vacancy, CTAP/RPL/ICTAP candidates must meet the basic eligibility requirements and all selective factors. CTAP/ICTAP candidates must be rated and determined to be well qualified (or above) based on an evaluation of the competencies listed in the How You Will Be Evaluated section. When assessed through a score-based category rating method, CTAP/ICTAP applicants must receive a rating of at least 85 out of a possible 100.
  • First time hires to the federal government normally start at the lowest rate of the salary range for the grade selected.
  • This position may also be eligible for flexible work arrangements as determined by agency policy and any applicable collective bargaining agreements.
  • Locality pay will vary based upon the selectee's duty location. A final salary determination will be made upon selection.
  • Promotion Potential: If you are selected for a position with further promotion potential, you will be placed under a career development plan, and may be non-competitively promoted if you successfully complete the requirements and if recommended by management. However, promotion is neither implied nor guaranteed.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

This is a Direct-Hire Authority position, all applicants who meet the minimum qualifications, to include any specialized experience and/or selective placement factor(s), if applicable, will be referred to the selecting official. Before a certificate is issued to the selecting official, your application is reviewed to ensure that you meet all the qualification requirements. A rating will not be used; veteran's preference does not apply due to the existence of the Direct Hire authority for this position.

Note: If, after reviewing your resume and/or supporting documentation, a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications and/or experience, you may be found ineligible. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect your rating. Providing inaccurate information on Federal documents could be grounds for non-selection or disciplinary action up to including removal from the Federal service.

To preview the application questionnaire, please visit: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/11482527

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