What are the responsibilities and job description for the Veterinary Medical Officer position at USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS)?
Find Your Future With Us at USDA – Animal Plant Health Inspection Service
Job Summary
The incumbent will work with the National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL) and the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility (NBAF) to provide scientific and technical support to APHIS, VS, and D&B program units engaged in regulations enforcement and animal disease diagnosis, prevention, control, and eradication.
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. All applicants must meet the Basic Requirement outlined in the Education section below. FOR THE GS-12 LEVEL: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience (equivalent to the GS-11 level) that may have been obtained in the private or public (local, county, state, Federal) sectors which demonstrates: Performing and refining specialized laboratory and animal techniques to support reagent production, diagnostic assay interpretation or development, or evaluation of vaccines and other veterinary countermeasures. Working within ISO compliance and creating standard operating procedures, independently managing developmental projects, and troubleshooting technical problems with minimal oversight. Applying knowledge in infectious diseases to provide technical guidance and diagnostic interpretation to State and Federal officials, researchers, customers, and other stakeholders through written and verbal communications. OR Successful completion of a 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 other sciences related to the work of a veterinary medical officer position. OR RESIDENCY/POST GRADUATE TRAINING PROGRAM FOR THE GS-12 GRADE LEVEL: Successful completion of two 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. 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.
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:Develops immunological and molecular biological assays for diagnosis of foreign animal diseases.Conducts microbiological techniques (including immunological and molecular) in the preparation of reagents for disease diagnosis.Provides assistance to other sections of the laboratory to detect, prevent, control, and eradicate domestic or foreign animal diseases by conducting specialized diagnostic assays and providing diagnostic interpretation to stakeholders.Prepares or participates in experimental designs for developmental projects to study field isolate pathogenicity and immune response or to create reagents for diagnostic assays.Manages the inventory control of select agents to ensure the accuracy and security of these agents.Implements and maintains optimum quality control and assurances in various assignments.Provides information, training, and reference assistance to approved foreign country, state and university, and diagnostic laboratories.
Position Start Date:
09/25/2026
Position Close Date:
10/01/2026
Salary Offered: 89508 - 117307 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
The incumbent will work with the National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL) and the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility (NBAF) to provide scientific and technical support to APHIS, VS, and D&B program units engaged in regulations enforcement and animal disease diagnosis, prevention, control, and eradication.
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. All applicants must meet the Basic Requirement outlined in the Education section below. FOR THE GS-12 LEVEL: Applicants must have one year of specialized experience (equivalent to the GS-11 level) that may have been obtained in the private or public (local, county, state, Federal) sectors which demonstrates: Performing and refining specialized laboratory and animal techniques to support reagent production, diagnostic assay interpretation or development, or evaluation of vaccines and other veterinary countermeasures. Working within ISO compliance and creating standard operating procedures, independently managing developmental projects, and troubleshooting technical problems with minimal oversight. Applying knowledge in infectious diseases to provide technical guidance and diagnostic interpretation to State and Federal officials, researchers, customers, and other stakeholders through written and verbal communications. OR Successful completion of a 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 other sciences related to the work of a veterinary medical officer position. OR RESIDENCY/POST GRADUATE TRAINING PROGRAM FOR THE GS-12 GRADE LEVEL: Successful completion of two 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. 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.
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:Develops immunological and molecular biological assays for diagnosis of foreign animal diseases.Conducts microbiological techniques (including immunological and molecular) in the preparation of reagents for disease diagnosis.Provides assistance to other sections of the laboratory to detect, prevent, control, and eradicate domestic or foreign animal diseases by conducting specialized diagnostic assays and providing diagnostic interpretation to stakeholders.Prepares or participates in experimental designs for developmental projects to study field isolate pathogenicity and immune response or to create reagents for diagnostic assays.Manages the inventory control of select agents to ensure the accuracy and security of these agents.Implements and maintains optimum quality control and assurances in various assignments.Provides information, training, and reference assistance to approved foreign country, state and university, and diagnostic laboratories.
Position Start Date:
09/25/2026
Position Close Date:
10/01/2026
Salary Offered: 89508 - 117307 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!