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OFFICE SECRETARY II

Salisbury Animal Health Laboratory

Recruitment #25-001328-0017

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Introduction

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The Maryland Department of Agriculture is a department under Maryland's Executive Branch. Formed in 1972 by the Maryland General Assembly to address the agriculture needs for the State of Maryland, the Department oversees and serves as a regulatory body for animal health, consumer services to include marketing and lab services, plant and pest management and resource conservation. As the number one industry in Maryland, the diversity of agriculture programs in the State continue to expand and grow. 

The MDA Animal Health Program prevents and controls infectious and contagious diseases in Maryland livestock and poultry with particular emphasis on those diseases that threaten public health, endanger food supplies, or threaten the economic security of the animal industries. 

Come join our team and make a difference in preventing infectious and contagious diseases to Maryland's poultry and livestock!

GRADE

ASTD9

LOCATION OF POSITION

Salisbury Animal Health Laboratory
27722 Nanticoke Road, Salisbury MD 21801

Main Purpose of Job

This position serves primarily to support the agency's mission to prevent and control infectious diseases of livestock and poultry, and to assure consumer confidence by performing secretarial and clerical functions for the Salisbury Animal Health Laboratory. Duties include receiving, accessioning, and distributing sample specimens that are submitted to the laboratory for diagnostic work; preparing reports and specialized documents; maintaining the Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory Information Management System (VADDS/LIMS), Quality Management System (QMS/Ideagen), preparing and processing laboratory procurements and assisting with billing systems.

All Animal Health employees are essential; Not all are essential for every contingency. Determined of essential are case by case during the incident. After hours on call phone status are scheduled.

POSITION DUTIES

CUSTOMER SERVICE
  • Welcome and assist with a positive attitude towards the public, clients, veterinarians, animal health officials, and coworkers by answering their questions or directing them to the appropriate personnel. 
  • Responsible for answering incoming calls, faxes and emails in providing basic information about laboratory operations, agency procedures or routing them to the appropriate personnel as needed. 
  • Immediately notify the lab supervisor or laboratory necropsy director of any significant issues or errors related to laboratory testing, specimen submissions, or any complaints and compliments. 
RECEIVING, ACCESSIONING, SAMPLE PROCESSING 
  • Receive accession specimens for laboratory testing, match sample information to submission forms and check for completeness or discrepancies. 
  • Contact and interview clients who submit samples and obtain all necessary information or resolve discrepancies, confirm billing information and receive payments for laboratory services at the time of submission. Enter all necessary data into VADDS (Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory Information Management System) to obtain barcode accession number, process receipt of sample and ensure that each submission form has a barcode accession number for automatic upload to VADDS. 
  • Using PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) and (BSC) level 2 Biological Safety Cabinet clean and disinfect the exterior of sample before labeling with a barcode accession number. Distribute the labeled sample using a sample transportation box to the appropriate laboratory section. 
  • Prepare, package and ship all samples not tested at the Salisbury Animal Health Laboratory to a reference laboratory following all federal and agency guidelines ensuring that the packaging complies with all MDA, USDA, DOT (Department of Transportation) and IATA (International Air Transport Association) regulations. 
  • Clean and disinfect all work areas, equipment and properly stores or disposes of materials, supplies and biological specimens before leaving for the day. 
REVIEW, RELEASE, FILING OF LABORATORY RESULTS, REPORTS AND CORRESPONDENCES 
  • Lab results, including preliminary, interim, final, and amended findings, must be sent out daily using the automatic or manual send-out function in VADDS.  
  • Regularly generate reports using VADDS Broadcast Menu to identify pending lab results, testing turnaround time exceeds normal limits, ensure cases are up to date and closed promptly. Request updates from the reference lab and internal lab sections. 
  • Reviews and proofreads correspondence prepared by laboratory staff, making necessary edits and corrections. Familiarize yourself and the office staff with the requirements for ISO/OIE 17025 accreditation and maintain an up-to-date training document in Qualtrax. 
  • Attend departmental laboratory meetings, record minutes in real time, distribute and upload to lab shared drive. 
PROCUREMENT AND BILLING OF LABORATORY CASES 
  • Monitors inventory, front office supplies, janitorial supplies, reagents, shipping supplies to ensures stock remains current, available for use and to dispose any expired items properly. 
  • Initiates and tracks purchase orders (POs), obtains price quotes, and secures approvals according to established procedures based on the laboratory inventory system and additional lab requests. 
  • Maintain the SAHL expenditure excel spreadsheet to summarize POs and ensure they are coded with the correct PCA, Grant and OBJ codes. 
  • Assist the case billing coordinator in verifying all finalized cases, ensure all billable items are charged correctly and report any discrepancies. 
  • Receive invoices, ensure clients are charged accurately before forwarding to Headquarters for payment processing, contact delinquent clients on outstanding invoices and communicate with fiscal services on any overdue invoices. 
  • Completes the State of Maryland Certificate of Deposit and Allocation of Receipts report, makes deposits into the laboratory bank account following MDA Fiscal Services procedures, and reports non-billable account payments to MDA Animal Health personnel.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Education: Graduation from an accredited high school or possession of a high school equivalency certificate.

Experience: Two years performing secretarial or clerical work involving typing duties.

Notes:

1. Additional secretarial or clerical experience may be substituted on a year-for-year basis for the required education.

2. Thirty credit hours with a major in secretarial science or office technology from an accredited college may be substituted at the rate of thirty credits for one year of experience for up to two years of the required experience.

3. Candidates may substitute U.S. Armed Forces military service experience as a non-commissioned officer in Administration classifications or Administrative, Clerical, or Office Services specialty codes in the Administrative Support field of work on a year-for-year basis for the required experience.  

DESIRED OR PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

Preference will be given to applicants who possess the following preferred qualification(s). Include clear and specific information on your application regarding your qualifications.

Preferred Qualifications:
  • Experience performing administrative support duties in a veterinary practice, laboratory setting or working with animals on a farm.
  • Experience handling intake of biological specimens or laboratory samples, such as blood, milk feces, or packaging/shipping biological specimens or other products that require strict adherence to federal guidelines.
  • Experience with procurement, including maintaining inventory, developing purchase orders and interacting with vendors to place orders and resolve delivery or payment issues.

LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS AND CERTIFICATIONS

NOT APPLICABLE

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

Demonstrated ability to accurately type on a keyboard of a personal computer at a minimum of forty words per minute may be required, depending on the specific requirements of the position.

SELECTION PROCESS

Please make sure that you provide sufficient information on your application to show that you meet the qualifications for this recruitment. All information concerning your qualifications must be submitted by the closing date. We will not consider information submitted after this date. Successful candidates will be ranked as Best Qualified, Better Qualified, or Qualified and placed on the eligible (employment) list for at least one year.

EXAMINATION PROCESS

The assessment may consist of a rating of your education, training, and experience related to the requirements of the position. It is important that you provide complete and accurate information on your application. Please report all experience and education that is related to this position.

BENEFITS

FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS

Online applications are STRONGLY preferred.  If you unable to apply online, you may mail a paper application to: Maryland Department of Agriculture Human Resource Office, Room 304 50 Harry S Truman Parkway Annapolis, MD 21401.  If you are submitting additional information, such as diplomas and transcripts, the preferred method is to upload them online with your application. 

If you are unable to upload, you may mail, hand-deliver or fax (HR Fax # 443-602-9831).  All paper applications must be received by 4:30 PM on the closing date, no exceptions.  (Postmarks not accepted.)   Resumes will NOT be accepted in lieu of completing the online or paper application. 

As an equal opportunity employer, Maryland is committed to recruiting, retaining and promoting employees who are reflective of the State’s diversity. People with disabilities and bilingual candidates are encouraged to apply. We thank our Veterans for their service to our country.  TTY Users: call via Maryland Relay For questions concerning this recruitment, please contact: Kathleen Newhouse at 410-841-5837 or kathleen.newhouse2@maryland.gov.



Click on a link below to apply for this position:

Fill out the Supplemental Questionnaire and Application NOW using the Internet. Apply Online
View and print the Supplemental Questionnaire. This recruitment requires completion of a supplemental questionnaire. You may view and print the supplemental questionnaire here.
Apply via Paper Application. You may also download and complete the Paper Application here.

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