What are the responsibilities and job description for the Animal Health Technician (Mounted Patrol Inspector) position at USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS)?
Find Your Future With Us at USDA – Animal Plant Health Inspection Service
Job Summary
If selected as a Mounted Patrol Inspector (also known as a Tick Rider), you will make unassisted horseback patrols through rough and remote terrain in an assigned sector along the United States-Mexico border for the purpose of locating and inspecting livestock which might be carrying ticks, scabies mites, screwworm, or foreign animal diseases. This Open Continuous Announcement allows acceptance of applications for 90 days with eligible applicants being referred as vacancies occur.
Qualifications
Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the cut-off date following your application submission (see Additional Information for dates), including specialized experience and/or education, as defined below. SELECTIVE PLACEMENT FACTOR: To be referred for consideration for the Animal Health Technician (Mounted Patrol Inspector), candidates must meet the selective placement factor as described below. This is a minimum qualification requirement. By confirming you meet the selective placement factor you are also acknowledging that you will provide enough detail in your resume to describe your experience performing the full range of activities described in the selective factor. Applicants must have knowledge, skill and ability to ride horseback sufficient to track, rope, and subdue wild, and/or fractious, unpredictable livestock in rough and remote terrain for the purpose of inspecting, apprehending, and treating, stray, diseased, and/or distressed animals. This work is completed independently. FOR THE GS-07 LEVEL: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience (equivalent to the GS-06 level) that may have been obtained in the private or public (local, county, state, Federal) sectors which demonstrates: Independently working with livestock in a feedlot, farm, or ranch setting, which included experience inspecting the premises for irregularities. Interviewing livestock owners and other involved parties to obtain information for investigations and documents findings. Reading and interpreting records and reports to determine applicable information and courses of action. Monitor the activity of livestock to identify risk, inspects and detects problem areas. OR Successful completion of eighteen (18) semester hours of related graduate education obtained from an accredited college or university. Qualifying graduate courses include: agribusiness, agricultural chemistry, agricultural development, agricultural economics, agricultural education, animal breeding, animal genetics, animal health, animal nutrition, animal physiology, animal products, animal reproduction, animal science, animal toxicology, animal welfare, biological and agricultural engineering, beef cattle production, dairy herd management, dairy marketing, equine production, farm management, feeding management, meat science, physiology of lactation, poultry science, ruminant nutrition, swine production, and wildlife and fisheries sciences Equivalent combinations of education and experience are qualifying for this grade level. TRANSCRIPTS are required if: You are qualifying for the position based on education. You are qualifying for this position based on a combination of experience and education. This education must have been successfully completed and obtained from an accredited school, college, or university COMBINATION OF EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE AT THE GS-07 GRADE LEVEL: Applicants may have combinations of successfully completed education and specialized experience to meet total qualification requirements. The total percentages must equal at least 100 percent to qualify for that grade level. 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.
Major Duties
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:Inspects premises in and bordering the quarantine zone, and investigates additions to or losses of livestock from such herds.Makes periodic inspections of vacated premises to detect bad fences, cattle tracks, or other evidence of illegal use of the premises.Rides horseback and checks all fences in and bordering the quarantine zone to ascertain that they are adequate to prevent intermingling of livestock and consequent exposure to disease carriers.Collects physical information which may involve sign-cutting and tracking techniques, and uses this information to detect and apprehend strayed or smuggled Mexican livestock.Assists with inspection and testing of livestock, poultry, and other avian species on ranches, farms, auctions, markets, etc., to detect animal diseases and parasites.Makes arrangements with owners and independently draws blood samples from animals and poultry, conducts necessary serologic tests, tags, brands, appraises reactor animals, and reports findings.Oversees the cleaning and disinfection of vehicles and premises that are contaminated by disease organisms or as a precautionary measure.
Position Start Date:
06/01/2026
Position Close Date:
09/01/2026
Salary Offered: 50460 - 76476 USD Per Year
You can make a difference! The U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Marketing and Regulatory Programs (MRP) needs bright, energetic and committed professionals to facilitate the domestic and international marketing of U.S. agricultural products and to protect the health and care of animals and plants in the United States. We operate in domestic and global markets. Be part of an organization that protects the health and agriculture of the American people. Join our team! To learn more about what it's like to work at the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, what the agency does, and the types of careers, please visit the APHIS careers site. APHIS is an emergency response agency. This means that all Agency employees may be asked or assigned to participate in rotating temporary duty assignments to support emergency programs at some time during their careers with APHIS. For details click: APHIS Emergency Response
Please see the full announcement on USAJobs by clicking on the APPLY button!
Job Summary
If selected as a Mounted Patrol Inspector (also known as a Tick Rider), you will make unassisted horseback patrols through rough and remote terrain in an assigned sector along the United States-Mexico border for the purpose of locating and inspecting livestock which might be carrying ticks, scabies mites, screwworm, or foreign animal diseases. This Open Continuous Announcement allows acceptance of applications for 90 days with eligible applicants being referred as vacancies occur.
Qualifications
Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the cut-off date following your application submission (see Additional Information for dates), including specialized experience and/or education, as defined below. SELECTIVE PLACEMENT FACTOR: To be referred for consideration for the Animal Health Technician (Mounted Patrol Inspector), candidates must meet the selective placement factor as described below. This is a minimum qualification requirement. By confirming you meet the selective placement factor you are also acknowledging that you will provide enough detail in your resume to describe your experience performing the full range of activities described in the selective factor. Applicants must have knowledge, skill and ability to ride horseback sufficient to track, rope, and subdue wild, and/or fractious, unpredictable livestock in rough and remote terrain for the purpose of inspecting, apprehending, and treating, stray, diseased, and/or distressed animals. This work is completed independently. FOR THE GS-07 LEVEL: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience (equivalent to the GS-06 level) that may have been obtained in the private or public (local, county, state, Federal) sectors which demonstrates: Independently working with livestock in a feedlot, farm, or ranch setting, which included experience inspecting the premises for irregularities. Interviewing livestock owners and other involved parties to obtain information for investigations and documents findings. Reading and interpreting records and reports to determine applicable information and courses of action. Monitor the activity of livestock to identify risk, inspects and detects problem areas. OR Successful completion of eighteen (18) semester hours of related graduate education obtained from an accredited college or university. Qualifying graduate courses include: agribusiness, agricultural chemistry, agricultural development, agricultural economics, agricultural education, animal breeding, animal genetics, animal health, animal nutrition, animal physiology, animal products, animal reproduction, animal science, animal toxicology, animal welfare, biological and agricultural engineering, beef cattle production, dairy herd management, dairy marketing, equine production, farm management, feeding management, meat science, physiology of lactation, poultry science, ruminant nutrition, swine production, and wildlife and fisheries sciences Equivalent combinations of education and experience are qualifying for this grade level. TRANSCRIPTS are required if: You are qualifying for the position based on education. You are qualifying for this position based on a combination of experience and education. This education must have been successfully completed and obtained from an accredited school, college, or university COMBINATION OF EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE AT THE GS-07 GRADE LEVEL: Applicants may have combinations of successfully completed education and specialized experience to meet total qualification requirements. The total percentages must equal at least 100 percent to qualify for that grade level. 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.
Major Duties
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:Inspects premises in and bordering the quarantine zone, and investigates additions to or losses of livestock from such herds.Makes periodic inspections of vacated premises to detect bad fences, cattle tracks, or other evidence of illegal use of the premises.Rides horseback and checks all fences in and bordering the quarantine zone to ascertain that they are adequate to prevent intermingling of livestock and consequent exposure to disease carriers.Collects physical information which may involve sign-cutting and tracking techniques, and uses this information to detect and apprehend strayed or smuggled Mexican livestock.Assists with inspection and testing of livestock, poultry, and other avian species on ranches, farms, auctions, markets, etc., to detect animal diseases and parasites.Makes arrangements with owners and independently draws blood samples from animals and poultry, conducts necessary serologic tests, tags, brands, appraises reactor animals, and reports findings.Oversees the cleaning and disinfection of vehicles and premises that are contaminated by disease organisms or as a precautionary measure.
Position Start Date:
06/01/2026
Position Close Date:
09/01/2026
Salary Offered: 50460 - 76476 USD Per Year
You can make a difference! The U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Marketing and Regulatory Programs (MRP) needs bright, energetic and committed professionals to facilitate the domestic and international marketing of U.S. agricultural products and to protect the health and care of animals and plants in the United States. We operate in domestic and global markets. Be part of an organization that protects the health and agriculture of the American people. Join our team! To learn more about what it's like to work at the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, what the agency does, and the types of careers, please visit the APHIS careers site. APHIS is an emergency response agency. This means that all Agency employees may be asked or assigned to participate in rotating temporary duty assignments to support emergency programs at some time during their careers with APHIS. For details click: APHIS Emergency Response
Please see the full announcement on USAJobs by clicking on the APPLY button!