Veterinary Program Specialist I (POULTRY)

Dept of Agriculture , Consumer Services

Division

Agriculture Consumer Service

Job Classification Title

Veterinary Program Specialist I (S)

Position Number

60012230

Grade

NC09

Please note: Job postings close at 11:59:59 p.m. the night before the listed Posting End Date above.

All veterinary services fall under the jurisdiction of the Veterinary Division. It has a very specific mission that focuses on providing animal disease programs designed to control, diagnose, and eradicate diseases in livestock and poultry. Most of these animal disease control programs are cooperative efforts with the United States Department of Agriculture, Animal Plant Health Inspection Service, Veterinary Services, and animal industry groups. The Veterinary Division also administers the North Carolina Animal Welfare Act.

The Veterinary Division is currently comprised of three sections:

• Animal Health Programs (AHP)

- Poultry

- Livestock

• Diagnostic Laboratories

• Animal Welfare Programs

As a Veterinary Programs Specialist (VPS) assigned to poultry health, this position has three primary responsibilities:

1) Facilitation of state and federal poultry disease programs, primarily the National Poultry Improvement Plan (NPIP) and the Biosecurity Compliance Audit Program (BCAP), via independent flock scheduling/testing and corporate audits/inspections.

2) Oversight of compliance with laws and regulations under the jurisdiction of NCDA&CS Vet Division, including investigation and documentation of complaints, with the authority to draft official warnings and civil penalties for instances of improper disposal.

3) Animal emergency preparedness, response, and management duties. VPS I’s should expect to be called upon for expertise surrounding depopulation, disposal, and/or disease biosecurity in the event of natural disaster impacting animal agriculture or disease outbreak response*.

In the process of carrying out these responsibilities, this position is expected to build relationships within the poultry industry that can allow them to function as a point of contact during emergency response situations. Normal working hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. However, the position may be required to have evening and weekend responsibilities to accommodate the industry’s and other NCDA&CS stakeholder needs. Significant travel can be expected with this position, which may entail some overnight trips.

* Seasonal vaccination against influenza is considered a Bona Fide Occupational Qualification (BFOQ) for this position.

Some state job postings say you can qualify by an “equivalent combination of education and experience.” If that language appears below, then you may qualify through EITHER years of education OR years of directly related experience, OR a combination of both. See the Education and Experience Equivalency Guide for details.

Bachelor's degree from an appropriately accredited institution; or High school or General Educational Development (GED) diploma and four years of experience related to the area of assignment; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

• Ability to speak to the structure of the poultry industry within the United States including different species operation types (e.g. turkeys v. broilers v. layers) and product flow within each.
• Experience applying on-farm biosecurity principles utilized for the prevention of disease spread in animal agriculture, and nuanced understanding of frequent biosecurity pitfalls within the poultry industry given its structure.
• Working knowledge of common animal disposal methodologies/technologies and of the practical implementation of these within the poultry industry.
• Demonstrated skill in conflict resolution
• Demonstrated ability to work independently and self-schedule, as programmatic audits and test visits are routinely coordinated and scheduled at the VPS I level.

Click Here to Learn more about State Employee Benefits.

Any employment offer may be less than the maximum of the range due to salary equity with similarly situated employees or the selected candidate's related education and experience.

Please follow the instructions to apply online. It is important that your application includes all your relevant education and experience. Text or attached resumes ARE NOT accepted as a substitution for a completed application. Applicants seeking veteran's/National Guard preference should submit a copy of their Form DD-214, NGB 23A (RPAS), DD256 or NGB 22.

All Law Enforcement positions, aviation safety-sensitive positions, and positions requiring a Pilot's License or a Commercial Driver's License (CDL) shall be subject to pre-employment drug testing. All positions requiring a Commercial Driver's License shall also be subject to pre-employment DMV physicals. Selected applicants must obtain a U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) medical certificate prior to employment. If a CDL is listed as a preference and the selected applicant has a CDL at the time of hire, then the CDL will become a requirement for the position.

* Note: When required, you must answer the question(s) for this position, or your application will be considered incomplete. *

Questions regarding this posting? Contact 919-707-3201.

The N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services provides services that promote and improve agriculture, agribusiness, and forests; protect consumers and businesses; and conserve farmland and natural resources for the prosperity of all North Carolinians. The Department employs approximately 2,000 employees.