JOB TITLE: WILDLIFE VETERINARIAN

JOB CODE: 53321

DEFINITION: This is professional veterinary and scientific work administering the statewide wildlife health program in the Pennsylvania Game Commission.

The employee in this job provides program direction, subject matter expertise, and consultation on wildlife veterinary medicine and epidemiology to promote the health of wild birds and mammals. Work involves directing, implementing, and coordinating the surveillance, identification, investigation, response, and reporting of wildlife disease outbreaks; directing, designing, and implementing wildlife health management strategies; developing, implementing, and coordinating related activities, plans, policies, procedures, and research with agency personnel and other state and federal agencies, academic institutions, and external partners; directing, implementing, and coordinating agency wildlife capture, wildlife handling, and biological specimen collection; and directing and implementing agency pharmaceutical matters concerning the chemical immobilization or medical treatment of wildlife. Work is performed independently and is reviewed by an administrative supervisor through conferences, reports, and evaluation of results.

EXAMPLES OF WORK: (NOTE: The examples of work are representative of the work, but every position classified to this job may not perform all examples of work listed. Conversely, this is not an all-inclusive list of work examples.)

• Provides consultative services to agency executives and personnel; other state and federal agencies; municipal, county, and local officials; and the public on statewide wildlife veterinary health and epidemiology.

• Designs and conducts diverse and complex wildlife health population surveys and wildlife disease outbreak investigations and communicates findings to agency personnel, external partners, and the public.

• Develops, revises, and implements statewide plans, policies, and procedures to promote wildlife health and incorporate it into agency wildlife and habitat management strategies.

• Leads and directs agency personnel and external partners in statewide wildlife heath program activities.

• Collects, compiles, and analyzes wildlife health data.

• Coordinates and conducts wildlife captures and chemical immobilizations.

• Conducts wildlife necropsies.

• Collects wildlife biological specimens for analyses and disease diagnostics.

• Interprets antemortem and postmortem clinical findings and diagnostic laboratory reports.

• Develops, coordinates, and conducts applied wildlife health research.

• Prepares annual state and federal wildlife health reports.

• Prepares reports, articles, manuscripts, and web content, and conducts presentations and interviews to provide wildlife health information to the public and agency personnel.

• Prescribes, purchases, coordinates, administers, and records agency pharmaceutical usage for the chemical immobilization and treatment of wildlife.

• Provides veterinary forensic services and subject matter expertise.

• Provides expert testimony in hearings and legal proceedings concerning wildlife health.

• Trains agency personnel on wildlife capture and immobilization techniques and wildlife pharmaceutical administration.

• Serves as the agency liaison for task forces addressing wildlife impacts on human or domestic animal health issues, including the Animal Health and Diagnostic Commission and Chronic Wasting Disease Task Force.

• Operates motor vehicles.

• Performs the full range of supervisory duties.

• The employee in this job may participate in the performance of subordinates’ work consistent with operational or organizational requirements.

• Performs related work as required.

ENTRY LEVEL KNOWLEDGES, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:

• Knowledge of the principles and techniques of wildlife veterinary medicine, wildlife epidemiology, wildlife research, and wildlife management.

• Knowledge of the equipment and technical methods to prevent, diagnose, test for, treat, and control wildlife diseases.

• Knowledge of diagnostic characteristics, modes of disease transmission, pathology, toxicology, distribution, and frequency of occurrence of wildlife health issues.

• Knowledge of literature and current events in veterinary medicine.

• Knowledge of veterinary, wildlife, and pharmaceutical laws and regulations.

• Knowledge of cross-disciplinary health concepts and principles, including existing and emerging infectious wildlife diseases and zoonoses.

• Knowledge of the use and functionality of Microsoft Office Suite software.

• Ability to read and interpret written information.

• Ability to read and interpret numerical information.

• Ability to use equipment to administer pharmaceuticals to wildlife.

• Ability to identify wildlife diseases.

• Ability to use field and laboratory equipment to conduct investigations of wildlife health events, perform wildlife necropsies, and test for wildlife diseases to determine etiology.

• Ability to perform wildlife capture, chemical immobilization, and euthanasia.

• Ability to operate motor vehicles.

• Ability to communicate effectively orally.

• Ability to communicate effectively in writing.

• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships.

MINIMUM EXPERIENCE AND TRAINING: (NOTE: Based on the Entry Level Knowledges, Skills, and Abilities)

• Two years of professional experience practicing veterinary medicine with free-ranging North American wildlife which includes wildlife capture, chemical immobilization, epidemiology, pathology, and research and a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) or a Veterinariae Medicinae Doctoris (VMD) from an American Veterinary Medical Association accredited college or university;

or

• One year of professional experience practicing veterinary medicine with free-ranging North American wildlife which includes wildlife capture, chemical immobilization, epidemiology, pathology, and research, and a master’s degree in preventive veterinary medicine, epidemiology, wildlife ecology, or wildlife management and a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) or a Veterinariae Medicinae Doctoris (VMD) from an American Veterinary Medical Association accredited college or university.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:

• The employee must obtain an active license to practice veterinary medicine issued by the Pennsylvania State Board of Veterinary Medicine prior to beginning employment and must maintain it for the duration of employment in this job.

• The employee must obtain a practitioner registration with the Diversion Control Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration per the Controlled Substances Act of 1970 prior to beginning employment and must maintain it for the duration of employment in this job.

• This position requires possession of an active motor vehicle license.