State of Maryland

A Veterinarian III, Agriculture Field Inspection is the supervisory or specialty area level of work in the field of veterinary medicine in the Maryland Department of Agriculture.  Employees in this classification are responsible for both scientific and administrative phases of animal health programs within an assigned geographical or specialty area.  Employees in this classification Duties require extensively travel within the assigned area in order to investigate outbreaks of disease and initiate prevention, control and/or eradication measures.  Employees in this classification may have statewide coordination, regulation or advisory responsibilities in one or more specialized aspects of the disease control program.  Employees in this classification are required to possess knowledge of basic laboratory tests and procedures, the ability to interpret laboratory test results accurately and encouraged to pursue continuing education in order to remain abreast of relevant scientific, technical or procedural developments.  Employees in this classification contribute to program effectiveness by making recommendations and proposals to improve existing programs and/or initiate new programs as necessary.  Employees in this classification supervise and guide livestock Inspectors assigned to the area.

Employees in this classification receive general supervision is received from the Chief, Animal Health Section.

Positions in this classification are evaluated by using the classification job evaluation methodology.  The use of this method involves comparing the assigned duties and responsibilities of a position to the job criteria found in the Nature of Work and Examples of Work of the class specification.

The Veterinarian III Agriculture Field Inspection is differentiated from the Veterinarian II, Agriculture Field Inspection in that the Veterinarian III Agriculture Field Inspection supervises and guides livestock Inspectors assigned to an area in the State while the Veterinarian II Agriculture Field Inspection performs the full range of duties and responsibilities in the area of field inspection under general supervision.  The Veterinarian III Agriculture Field Inspection is differentiated from the Veterinarian IV Agriculture in that the Veterinarian IV Agriculture serves as the Veterinarian-in-charge of the Central Diagnostic Laboratory, Animal Health Section.

Determines origin of disease outbreaks in assigned area and may implement quarantines, continue quarantines or release quarantines as the disease situation indicates;

Conducts required tests, examinations or post-mortem examinations as necessary;

Manages livestock inspections for disease problems, sanitation and regulation enforcement at auctions markets, sales, fairs, or shows;

Contacts and consults with practicing Veterinarians, Extension Agents, agricultural instructors and livestock owners in the assigned area;

Supervises livestock Inspectors assigned to the area;

Prepares technical, written reports;

Reviews technical manuals and journals to remain current in veterinary techniques;

Performs other related duties.

Knowledge of the principles and practices of regulatory veterinary medicine;

Knowledge of the causes, transmission prevention techniques and control and eradication procedures regarding infectious diseases of livestock;

Knowledge of the applicable rules and regulations relating to infectious diseases, quarantines and the movement of livestock intra and interstate;

Ability to assign appropriate priorities among a variety of disease control activities and among the activities of assigned subordinates;

Ability to supervise and coordinate the work of other professional and technical employees;

Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with others;

Ability to communicate effectively.

Education: A Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from a college or university accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association or its equivalent.

Experience: Three years of full-time experience in Veterinary Medicine.

Notes:

1. Candidates may substitute the possession of a Doctor of Philosophy degree or Doctor of Science degree in Veterinary Pathology or Public Health for the required experience.

2. Candidates may substitute board certification in American Board of Veterinary Practitioners (Equine, Bovine, Food Animal, Dairy, Swine, Avian), American College of Internal Medicine (large animal), American College of Veterinary Surgeons, and American College of Poultry Veterinarians for the required experience.

3. Candidates may substitute the possession of a Master of Science degree in pathology, microbiology, or animal science, or a Master of Public Health for two years of the required experience.

4. Candidates may substitute U.S. Armed Forces military service experience as a commissioned officer in veterinary preventive medicine classification or veterinary preventive medicine specialty codes in the veterinary medical science field of work on a year-for-year basis for the required education and experience.

Class specifications are broad descriptions covering groups of positions used by various State departments and agencies. Position descriptions maintained by the using department or agency specifically address the essential job functions of each position.

This is a Professional Service classification in the State Personnel Management System.  All positions in this classification are Professional Service positions.  Some positions in Professional Service classifications may be designated as Special Appointment in accordance with the State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 6-405, Annotated Code of Maryland.

This classification is not assigned to a bargaining unit, as indicated by the designation of S (Supervisor), M (Manager), T (Agency Head), U (Board or Commission Member), W (Student), X (Used by Agency or Excluded by Executive Order), or Z (Confidential).  As provided by State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 3-102, special appointment, temporary, contractual, supervisory, managerial and confidential employees are excluded collective bargaining.  Additionally, certain executive branch agencies are exempt from collective bargaining and all positions in those agencies are excluded from collective bargaining.

This classification is one level in a Non-Competitive Promotion (NCP) series.  NCP promotions are promotions by which employees may advance in grade and class level from trainee to full performance level in a classification series.  In order to be non-competitively promoted to the next level in a NCP series, an employee must: 1) perform the main purpose of the class, as defined by the Nature of Work section of the class specification; 2) receive the type of supervision defined in the class specification and 3) meet the minimum qualifications of the classification.