Veterinary Medical Science Jobs

This position classification standard provides the series definition, titling instructions, and grading criteria for nonsupervisory professional positions in the Veterinary Medical Science Series, 0701, for General Schedule (GS) and other “white collar” pay plans.

There are approximately 3,001 employed in this group. The majority of positions are with the Department of Agriculture, Health and Human Services, the VA, the Treasury Department, and the Department of the Army. The largest employer is the Department of Agriculture, with 2,381 followed by HHS with 426 employed.

The following information is compiled from numerous federal documents including qualification standards, job announcements, career articles, occupation flysheets, FEDSCOPE, OPM, Agency websites, interviews with federal employees, The United States Government Manual, and from the Department of Labor’s Occupational Outlook Handbook.

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Job Series Definitions

These position descriptions are excerpted from the qualification standards for each job title in this group. In the General Schedule position classification system is established under chapter 51 of title 5, United States Code. The term “General Schedule” or “GS” denotes the major position classification system and pay structure for white collar work in the Federal government. Agencies that are no longer subject to chapter 51 have replaced the GS pay plan indicator with agency-unique pay plan indicators. For example, the Bureau of Prisons uses GL instead of the GS designation. For this reason, reference to General Schedule or GS is often omitted from the individual qualification standard sheets.

A brief introduction for major occupations within this group is provided below.

Veterinary Medical Science GS-0701

This 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

The federal government employs 2,276 veterinarians The Department of Agriculture employs 1,813, HHS employs 341, the Department of the Army employs 36, the Interior Department 25, and the VA employs 23.

Veterinary medical officers employed by the Federal Government apply their veterinary expertise to a wide range of work from routine clinical care and maintenance to epidemiology and pathology research. Veterinary medical officers across all specialties provide programmatic training and education to government employed personnel, private industry, and citizens. Federal veterinary medical officers are also actively engaged in basic and applied research activities.

Veterinary medical officers may perform emergency response work as a temporary duty assignment and/or in support of emergency programs. Examples of emergency response work after a disaster may include, but are not limited to: assessing the infrastructure for providing local animal care; arranging for proper sheltering and treatment of livestock; providing preventive medicine support, sanitation, and water quality inspection; monitoring and treating infectious (epizootic and zoonotic) diseases; and negotiating with local and state veterinary centers for services. Agencies are encouraged to develop appropriate internal guidance and supplements to this standard in assessing emergency response work in support of their mission.

Job Series Titles: (The USAJOBS selection lists all federal job vacancies for this job series.)

•  USAJOBS GS-0701 (Veterinary Medical Officer Federal Vacancy List)

Animal Health Technician GS-0704

This series includes all positions that primarily involve performing technical work concerned with animal health in support of veterinarians or veterinary medical programs. The duties performed include inspection, quarantine, identification, collection of specimens, vaccination, appraisal and disposal of diseased animals, and disinfection for the control and eradication of infectious and communicable animal diseases. Performance of the work requires a practical knowledge of normal and certain abnormal animal health conditions, agency policy and guidelines applicable to the work, and related animal health laws and regulations

The federal government employs2,276 veterinarians The Department of Agriculture employs 1,813, HHS employs 341, the Department of the Army employs 36, the Interior Department 25, and the VA employs 23.

Animal health technicians supplement and support the work of veterinary medical officers or veterinary medical programs (for additional information on the general nature of veterinary medical work. Depending on the organization where they work, animal health technicians may be concerned with any of a variety of animals, including common pets, livestock, and poultry, and any of a variety of animal illnesses or diseases including brucellosis, tuberculosis, scabies, hog cholera, scrapie, and broken bones.

Job Series Titles: (The USAJOBS selection lists all federal job vacancies for this job series.)

• USAJOBS GS-0704 (Animal Health Technician Federal Vacancy List)