The GS-0701 series covers professional positions that supervise, lead, or perform work in the veterinary medical sciences. The work involves promoting the health and welfare of both animals and the public through diagnosis, treatment, prevention, and understanding of animal diseases; conservation of animal resources; and advancement of veterinary medical knowledge. Learn more about holding a federal veterinarian jobs below.

The federal government employs 2,226 Veterinary Medical Officers. The Department of Agriculture is the largest employer of this group with 1,774 employees. The Department of Health and Human Services employs 34 while the DOI, VA, Army, EPA and the Smithsonian Institute employ small number of this occupational series. There are 23 veterinarians working for the Department of the Interior.

Samantha Gibbs is a  is a veterinarian with the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) at the Patuxent Research Refuge, Laurel, Maryland.

 

The wildlife veterinarian has many different services that they must perform. These services may include, but are not limited to:

• Wildlife capture efforts.
• Animal capture and handling, applicable chemical immobilization, and tagging-collaring-surgical procedures necessary for assessing individual animal movement, environmental conditions.
• Training of professional wildlife biologists in wildlife capture, handling, and/or animal processing;
• Development of standard operating procedures (SOPs) for safe wildlife capture, handling, tagging, and sampling in collaboration with other federal agencies and/or other international, state, local, or private organizations.
• Successful application for DEA Controlled Substances registration.

Q and A with Samantha Gibbs

Why did you become a Wildlife Veterinarian?

Growing up, I had a strong interest in wildlife ecology and conservation. After high school I went to work for a wildlife veterinarian and began to understand the strong role veterinarians play in forwarding wildlife conservation goals.

What are the most challenging parts of your job?

Probably the most challenging part of the job is turning research science into management actions that will improve wildlife health at a population scale. More often than not, there isn’t much we can do once a disease has begun to spread in wildlife.

What is the most unique experience you have had as a Wildlife Veterinarian?

I was once capturing wild ducks for avian influenza testing in northern Australia and had to ensure that when I released the birds after being swabbed they didn’t head towards the river because there was a line of crocodiles waiting at the water’s edge for a tasty treat!

What are the rarest and most common species of animals that you have come in contact with?

I have worked with hundreds of bird species, some quite rare and many very common. I currently serve as back-up veterinarian for the whooping cranes that are being bred and raised at Patuxent. I have also had the opportunity to work with bison, rhinos, Florida panthers, lions, manatees, feral pigs, and frogs!

What are some of the duties you have to perform as a Wildlife Veterinarian?

My work varies from field activities to research to policy. I provide field support such as surgical implantation of satellite transmitters in ducks, taking fat biopsies from bison, and performing post-mortems on animals that are a part of die-off events. I am involved in the development and implementation of research projects that investigate wildlife diseases. And I provide technical assistance for policy decisions that involve wildlife health issues.

Would you recommend Wildlife Veterinarian as a good career path?

The career of wildlife veterinarian has been an amazing journey for me. It involves many years of studying, sometimes extreme field conditions, sometimes long hours at a computer, and lots of travelling, but for me it is certainly been well worth it for the crazy events, kind people, and fascinating wildlife I have experienced along the way.

Basic Requirements

• Must be a U.S. citizen to apply.
• Salary for a GS 12/13 ranges from $71,012.00 to $109,781.00 / Per Year.
• 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).
• 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).

Additional Requirements

GS-12: To qualify for a GS-12 is listed below:

• 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.
• Successful completion of two years of an internship, residency program, or fellowship training program in a discipline related to the position.
• Applicants must demonstrate at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-11 grade level in the Federal service.

Examples of specialized experience for the GS-12 grade level include:

• Implementing health monitoring and treatment programs for large herds of production livestock (cattle, sheep, and swine).
• Recording and analyzing health records in order to implement appropriate prevention and treatment programs.
• Working with animal care personnel and herd managers to appropriately train and educate on new practices relating to animal care.

GS-13: To qualify for the GS-13 are listed below:

• 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.
• Successful completion of three years of an internship, residency program, or fellowship training program in a discipline related to the position.

Applicants must demonstrate at least one full year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the GS-12 grade level in the Federal service. Specialized experience is experience directly related to the position to be filled.

Examples of specialized experience for the GS-13 grade level include:

• Interpreting and implementing the Federation of Animal Science Societies Guide for the Care and Use of Agricultural Animals in Research and Teaching in a research environment; or
• Experience following or implementing Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) policies and procedures as they relate to care of animals in research; or
• Experience as or working with an IACUC Attending Veterinarian to implement appropriate animal care in a research environment.

Medical Requirements: Individuals must be physically and mentally able to safely and efficiently perform the full range of duties of the position without creating hazards to themselves or others.

Veterinary Medical Officers who inspect or supervise inspection activities in privately owned slaughter houses and processing plants must meet specific medical standards

Job Requirements

• Maintains up-to-date knowledge of field anesthesia techniques, ensures compliance with Animal Welfare Act requirements and Institutional Animal Care and Use Committees (IACUC) approved protocols.
• Strictly adheres to Department of Justice’s Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) rules and regulations for the use and storage of controlled substances.
• Assists in the development of the annual budget and work plans.
• Establishes and maintains liaison with research and management biologists from natural resource agencies, conservation organizations, and universities who have expertise specific to wildlife capture and anesthesia as well as wildlife diseases, their epidemiology, and management, to exchange information and develop techniques and methods related to population and habitat management, monitoring, and evaluation.
• Reviews scientific proposals and reports to evaluate hypotheses, research design, appropriateness of methods, probability of success, and overall importance to wildlife disease management or science.
• Analyzes disease report summaries and determines the impact on resources, develops action plans as required, coordinates actions with the Refuges and other Service regions as warranted.
• Fields questions concerning the report and response from various sources, representatives from other Federal and State agencies, and the media.
• Analyzes the impact of wildlife morbidity and mortality events on populations, and assists wildlife biologists and/or managers as needed to evaluate impacts to harvest regulations or other population goals.
• Prepares reports and articles for publication in scientific literature and for presentation at professional meetings.
• Provides oral and written presentations on significant wildlife health and disease issues ranging from highly technical professional audiences, to congressional and agency staffs, to news media, and the general public.
• Mastery of, and skill in applying, advanced concepts, principles, practices, and methodology of veterinary medicine.
• Professional knowledge of, and ability to apply, wildlife management concepts, principles, practices, including field techniques and methodologies, to manage an active complex, regional, wildlife management program.
• Knowledge of, and ability to apply, the principles, practices, techniques, and concepts of population ecology and wildlife biology as related to the management of free ranging wildlife populations.
• Familiarity with population-limiting factors based on habitat nutritional quality, climate change, predation and competition, or other demographic factors sufficient to incorporate into wildlife management plans.
• Ability to synthesize existing information, apply new scientific findings, developments, and advances to meet innovative, complex, controversial, long-term wildlife health and management needs that are national and international in scope.
• Ability to provide creativity and critical-thinking skills necessary to apply veterinary advances in approaches and new scientific developments to local resource issues, and determine cause-and-effect relationships between species, their habitats, and disease.

In our next article we will continue with the FWS and our Question and Answerwill be with Keith Toomey, Special Agent in Charge (GS-1811).

Credits

• Anita Noguera, Manager, BPHC Marketing Communications, Falls Church, VA
• Photos were provided by the Fish and Wildlife Service

Other Career Information

• Human Resources site at http://www.fws.gov/humancapital/.
• Employment: http://www.doi.gov/public/findajob.cfm
• Job Listings by Occupation
• USA Jobs (OPM)

Helpful Career Planning Tools 

One of the important functions of the Federal Government is to communicate with the public concerning the programs administered and activities engaged in by various Federal agencies. This communication is provided by the public affairs specialist (GS-1035) and serves the dual purpose of: 1) informing the broad spectrum of individuals and groups affected by agency programs of the benefits, services, or requirements of such programs; and 2) assessing the degree of understanding or interest the public has in these programs and activities. The public affairs specialist salary ranges from $90,823.00 to $118,069.00 / Per Year.

The federal government employs 5,519 public affairs specialists. The Departments of the Army, Navy and Air Force are the largest employers of this group with 2,052 civilian employees. The Department of the Interior employs 312 followed by the VA with 297. Positions are available in all cabinet level and large federal agencies.

Valerie Fellows is a public affairs specialist working at the US Fish and Wildlife Service Headquarters Ecological Services Program in Falls Church, VA.

 

Q&A with Valerie Fellows

Why did you decide to become a Public Affairs Specialist?

My background was in wildlife management, biology and toxicology, so I always dreamed I would one day work for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. But I never really “loved” the notion of daily field work: schlepping through remote areas day after day, fighting off mosquitoes the size of hummingbirds, taking Dramamine just to be able to get through the day on the boat, etc. I loved it every now and then, but not every day. Our field biologists are really amazing for loving that type of hard labor!

Plus, I’m an extrovert and I’m pretty good at communicating!

Combine those factors and it came very naturally for me to support the mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service by communicating to the media and the public about the work we do and why it’s important for the public. I am able to combine my strengths for communication with my passion for wildlife, and I absolutely love my job.

What is your greatest challenge as a Public Affairs Specialist?

Staying relevant with the public. Our field offices are involved in managing really complex environmental issues that can’t be fixed overnight, and trying to tell the story of what they are doing and making it relevant to the issues the American public cares about is challenging. Science and technology is advancing at an extremely fast pace, but if we don’t deliver our messages about why people should care and keep it pertinent to the issues important to them, then eventually science could lose support.

What is most interesting about being a Public Affairs Specialist?

No two days are the same. Every day is a different topic or issue and it’s always something new to learn about.

What is the most unique aspect about being a Public Affairs Specialist?

I’ve been lucky enough to be involved with some monumental announcements for my agency – including the recovery of the bald eagle and its removal from the Endangered Species Act – which was 5 decades in the making and the celebration of the 100^th anniversary of Rachel Carson’s birth. To have just a sliver of the public engagement on those pieces of conservation history is extremely fulfilling, and I was so grateful for it.

Would you recommend the Public Affairs Specialist job occupation?

Yes! I’ve loved my jobs in this series at all levels. I’ve made mistakes and learned from them, but I love the excitement and results that our agency gets from connecting to the public on conservation issues!

Public Affairs Specialist Duties

In addition to the general public, Federal agencies communicate with many specialized segments of the population, e.g., farmers, taxpayers, military personnel, educators, State and local government officials, manufacturers, and so on. Federal agencies communicate with the general public and these other pertinent publics in a variety of ways, for many different purposes, and in countless organizational settings across the country, and around the world.

Public Affairs includes positions responsible for administering, supervising, or performing work involved in establishing and maintaining mutual communication between Federal agencies and the general public. They also communicate with various other pertinent entities including internal or external, foreign or domestic audiences.

Positions in this series advise agency management on policy formulation and the potential public reaction to proposed policy, and identify and carry out the public communication requirements inherent in disseminating policy decisions. The work involves identifying communication needs and developing informational materials that inform appropriate publics of the agency’s policies, programs, services and activities, and plan, execute, and evaluate the effectiveness of information and communication programs in furthering agency goals. Work in the series requires skills in written and oral communication, analysis, and interpersonal relations.

Positions in the Public Affairs Series are primarily concerned with advising management on the formulation and articulation of agency policy and designing, executing, and evaluating the information programs that communicate agency policies, programs, and actions to various pertinent publics.

Public affairs positions work in and contribute to a variety of functional programs. The term functional program refers to the basic objectives of a Federal agency and its operations and activities in achieving them. A functional program may include the entire mission of an agency or any one of many programs administered by the department or agency. Positions in this series require a practical understanding and knowledge of functional programs to facilitate communication between an agency and its publics on program-related problems, activities, or issues. Much of this program knowledge is obtained from specialists in the functional program areas or through review of agency developed material, interviewing program specialists, or reading professional and trade publications.

Job Requirements

• Must be a U.S. citizen to apply.
• Identifying internal and external target audiences for various issues, programs and activities and independently developing the full suite of communication tools and products to reach those audiences.
• Preparing and/or overseeing the development of news releases, feature articles, publications, speeches for program and management officials, fact sheets, briefing papers, radio and television scripts and other public informational.
• Advising on personal appearances and interviews, sets up news conferences in support of a public affairs plan or directed to specific audiences.
• Establishing and maintaining effective working relationships with representative of appropriate media and national organizations or public interest groups, as well as counterparts in other Federal, State or local government agencies.
• Determining the form, extent and timing of media information programs which will maximize the education of information to the public.Conducting complex and exhaustive research and assist in providing comprehensive data to media representatives.Skill in making oral presentations; analyzing the effectiveness of crisis communication plans. Maintaining a network of subject matter experts for use as quality information sources.
• Skill in setting up and conducting impromptu news conferences and briefings
• Experience managing established social media campaigns and utilizing a diverse array of social media platforms to communicate information about agency, programs, policies, initiatives and other relevant information to the public.

In our next article we will continue with the FWS and our Question and Answer with Samantha Gibbs, a Wildlife Veterinarian (GS-0486).

Credits

• Anita Noguera, Manager, BPHC Marketing Communications, Falls Church, VA
• Photos were provided by the Fish and Wildlife Service
• Public Affairs Specialist

Other Career Information

• Human Resources site at http://www.fws.gov/humancapital/.
• Employment: http://www.doi.gov/public/findajob.cfm
• Job Listings by Occupation
• USA Jobs (OPM)

Helpful Career Planning Tools