State of Maryland

A Veterinarian I, Agriculture is the entry level of professional veterinary activity in the Maryland Department of Agriculture.  Employees in this classification learn and perform various tests, procedures and techniques associated with one or more of the specialty areas of regulatory veterinary medicine.  Employees in this classification conduct, under close supervision, the more routine tests, examinations, evaluations or investigations in laboratory and/or field inspection specialty areas.  Employees in this classification, as knowledge and experience are gained, receive expanded in scope, variety and complex duty assignments.  Employees in this classification may supervise Inspectors, Technicians or Laboratory Assistants on occasion.

Employees in this classification receive close supervision from a Section Chief or higher-level Veterinarian.  Performance is evaluated through observation of overall job performance and rate of progression in learning and applying the principles and procedures of the job.

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 I, Agriculture and Veterinarian II, Agriculture are differentiated on the basis of the degree of supervisory control exercised by the supervisor over these employees.  The Veterinarian I, Agriculture performs the duties under close supervision.  The Veterinarian II, Agriculture performs the full range of duties and responsibilities in the area of field inspection or laboratory under general supervision.

Conducts routine laboratory and/or on-site tests on animals or specimens submitted;

Selects and obtains samples of materials to be forwarded for diagnostic evaluation;

Conducts preliminary inspection and evaluation of sanitary conditions;

Conducts preliminary diagnoses of animal diseases;

Assists in the enforcement of State and federal rules and regulations concerning program operations;

Maintains appropriate records and submits required reports;

May supervise Inspectors, Technicians or Laboratory Assistants;  

Performs other related duties.

Knowledge of the elementary concepts of gross pathology, microbiology, parasitology, toxicology, zoonosis, epidemiology of animal diseases and food plant physical and equipment sanitary requirements;

Ability to work with management or owner/herdsmen in a cooperative manner and to encourage compliance with the requirements of Maryland animal health programs;

Ability to supervise and coordinate the work of others;

Ability to establish and maintain harmonious working relationships with others;

Ability to communicate effectively.

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

Experience: None.

Note: 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.

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 assigned to Bargaining Unit E- Health Care Professionals classes.  As provided by State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 3-102, special appointment, temporary, contractual, supervisory, managerial and confidential employees are excluded from 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.