Supervisory Veterinary Medical Officer / Public Health Veterinarian Job in Location Negotiable After Selection

Vacancy No. FSIS-MCE-2025-12803067-KE Department Food Safety and Inspection Service
Salary $73,939.00 to $144,031.00 Grade 11 to 12
Perm/Temp Permanent FT/PT Full-time
Open Date 10/2/2025 Close Date 12/31/2025
Job Link Apply Online Who may apply Public
Locations:
Location Negotiable After Selection


Summary

$20,000 Sign on Bonus, Assisted Relocation, Creditable Service for Annual Leave Accrual, Student Loan Repayment, Public Service Loan Forgiveness, Accelerated Promotion and Referral Bonus Awards may be available.

Location negotiable based on current vacancies. For current vacancy location(s) click: Here

This Public Notice is to collect applications and fill vacancies as they occur. Applications will be retained for 90 days and reviewed weekly.

This job is open to

Clarification from the agency

This direct hire public notice is to gather applications that may or may not result in a referral or selection.

Duties

  • Plan, organize, coordinate and adapt the full range of meat and poultry inspection operations in slaughter and/or processing establishments;
  • Ensure establishments meet requirements of the Pathogen Reduction and Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) regulations;
  • Oversee consumer protection, non-food safety concerns such as proper labeling and packaging;
  • Serve as team leader who works with and supervises other public health professionals to ensure establishments under our jurisdiction comply with sanitation standards and properly implement systems that control hazards from entering the food supply;
  • Enforce Federal meat and poultry inspection procedures prior to slaughter and throughout the entire process, including humane handling;
  • Conduct ante-mortem inspection, post-mortem inspection, processing, dispositions, transportation and distribution of meat, poultry, and egg products to markets and retail stores;
  • Consult with union officials and plant management, and discuss with subordinates new or revised regulations, policies and procedures;
  • Maintain meaningful labor-management relationships with subordinates by representing and expressing management's viewpoints in daily communications;
  • Follow EEO and Safety principles/programs, train subordinates, assign and review work, evaluate and rate performance, counsel employees on performance, resolve complaints and grievances, and recommend disciplinary action as necessary.

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • Satisfactory adjudication of background investigation and/or fingerprint check.
  • Successful completion of a pre-employment medical physical / exam. Please see the qualifications and additional information section for additional details.
  • Doctor of Veterinary Medicine professional degree.
  • DVM transcript must show your name, college name, and date degree awarded.
  • Travel is based on the position; please refer to the position specific information link (Vacancy List) above in this announcement for location specific travel requirements.
  • Satisfactory completion of one-year probationary period (unless prior service is creditable). And for supervisory positions, subject to satisfactory completion of one-year supervisory/managerial probation period (unless prior service is creditable).
  • Training as a Condition of Employment (TCOE) is required. You must successfully complete required training within 12 months.
  • Male applicants born after December 31, 1959, must complete a Pre-Employment Certification Statement for Selective Service Registration.
  • If you are selected, you may need to complete a Declaration for Federal Employment (OF-306) prior to being appointed to determine suitability for Federal employment and to authorize a background investigation.
  • False statements or responses on a resume or application can jeopardize employment and may be grounds for disciplinary action, including removal from Federal service.
  • Direct Deposit - Per Public Law 104-134 every Federal employee is required to have federal payments made by direct deposit to a financial institution of that employee's choosing.
  • Must obtain and use a Government-issued charge card for business-related travel.
  • Must pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more, including your rights and responsibilities, visit E-Verify at https://www.e-verify.gov/
  • Should be able to read, speak, write, and effectively communicate in the English language.
  • This position has the potential for mandatory overtime, weekend and holiday work, variable tours of duty, travel and other work life challenges.

Qualifications

Please reference the specific Office of Personnel Management (OPM) qualifications standards for the 0701 Job Series.

BASIC QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENT FOR THE GS-11 GRADE LEVEL:

Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) or equivalent degree, i.e., Veterinary Medical Doctor (VMD), obtained at a school or college of veterinary medicine accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) Council on Education. The AVMA web site has a listing of all AVMA-accredited veterinary medical schools.

OR

Graduates of foreign veterinary medical schools that are not accredited by the AVMA Council on Education must meet one of the following requirements and submit supporting documentation:

Proof of certification of their final transcript by the Educational Commission for Foreign Veterinary Graduates (ECFVG) (Completion of ECFVG program)
Possession of a permanent, full, and unrestricted license to practice veterinary medicine in a State, District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or a territory of the United States that includes successful completion of the North American Veterinary Licensing Examination (NAVLE) or its predecessors, the National Board Examination (NBE) and the Clinical Competency Test (CCT).

Proof that the education obtained in a foreign veterinary medical program is equivalent to that gained in a veterinary medical program that is accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association Council on Education. Under this provision, equivalency is established only if an AVMA-accredited veterinary medical school or college accepts the graduate's final transcript from the foreign veterinary medical school at full value for placement into an advanced degree, postgraduate educational program, or training program (e.g. Residency or graduate program).

Graduates of foreign veterinary medical programs must also submit proof of proficiency in the English language by successfully completing one of the nationally and internationally recognized examinations that incorporate assessments of reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills. Examples of examinations that assess mastery of the English language are shown below:

Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) - Minimum scores for the TOEFL are 560 for the paper-based version; 220 for the computer-based version; or overall score of 83 for the internet-based version (including 26 or higher in speaking, 26 or higher in listening, and 17 or higher in writing). For the computer-based and paper-based test versions, applicants must also complete the Test of Spoken English (TSE) and the Test of Written English (TWE). Minimum required scores are 55 for the TSE and 5.5 for the TWE;
Academic tests (listening, writing, and speaking) offered by the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). Applicants must achieve a minimum overall band score of 7.0, with at least 7.0 in speaking, 6.5 in listening, and 6.0 in writing; OR
Canadian Academic English Language Assessment (CAEL). Applicants must achieve a minimum overall band score of 70, with at least 60 in speaking, 60 in listening, and 50 in writing.

English language proficiency assessments may also be waived for qualified job applicants whose native language is English (i.e. the official or common language of an individual's country of birth is English) AND they submit a diploma or other official documentation from the school as proof of graduation from a high (secondary) school where the entire curriculum and educational programs of the school are taught in the English language for the entire three or four years of full-time attendance.

BASIC QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENT FOR THE GS-12 GRADE LEVEL - You must meet the basic requirements for the GS-11 grade level to qualify for positions at the GS-12 grade level. Qualification requirements for the GS-12 grade level and above are:

1. EXPERIENCE: Mastery of clinical medicine (veterinary practice experience); scientific presentations before professional groups; publication of medical reports in professional journals or publications; participation in seminars, advisory/working groups, and research groups; or other related activities that contribute to the advancement of veterinary medical science are positive indicators of the quality of an applicant's experience. However, articles on the care of pets would not be considered professional publications or qualifying specialized experience.

OR

2. EDUCATION: Master's degree conferred from an accredited college, in an area of specialization; or successfully completed two years of an internship, Residency program or fellowship training program in a discipline related to this position. Area of specialization, including but not limited to, animal science, avian medicine, food safety, infectious diseases, veterinary clinical sciences, pathobiology, biomedical sciences, veterinary anatomy, veterinary preventive medicine, comparative biological sciences, epidemiology, veterinary parasitology, molecular veterinary biosciences, public health, microbiology, pathology, immunology, laboratory animal medicine, toxicology, wildlife, zoological animal medicine, or sciences related to the work of a veterinary medical officer position.

Applicants must:
  • Be physically and mentally able to efficiently perform the job functions, without hazard to themselves and others.
  • Have full range of motion to perform rapid repetitive twisting and working with arms above shoulder level.
  • Be able to stand and walk on slippery and uneven floors and catwalks, and climb stairs and ladders.
  • Be able to lift, carry, push and pull up to 30 pounds, with occasional lifting of up to 50 pounds.
  • Have manual dexterity of the upper body, including arms, hands, and fingers with a normal sense of touch in both hands.
  • Must have good near and distance vision, be free of chronic eye disease and have correctable vision of at least 20/40 in one eye.
  • Have the ability to distinguish shades of color. Any significant degree of color blindness (more than 25 percent error rate on approved color plate test) may be disqualifying.
  • Individuals with some hearing loss and/or requiring hearing amplification will be assessed on a case-by-case basis.

Education

Doctor of Veterinary Medicine professional degree is required. Doctor of Veterinary Medicine transcript must show your name, college name, and date degree was awarded.

Applicants expected to graduated may be considered based on transcripts showing likely completion of qualifying education within 9 months from the date of the application.

Additional information

Salary is based on the lowest and Highest pay available not specific locations. For more information on locality pay and the GS classification and pay, select the below links: Pay tables: 2025 General Schedule (GS) Locality GS Pay: Classification and Pay

THIS POSITION REQUIRES A PRE-EMPLOYMENT PHYSICAL: Position Requirements.

Assignment Restrictions: FSIS Directive 4735.9, Office of Field Operations Assignment Restrictions and Rules on Gifts from Regulated Industry FSIS Directive 4735.9 Revision 2 (usda.gov), sets out the Agency's specific procedures regarding ethical employee conduct, specifically related to employee assignment restrictions and gifts from regulated establishments. Please click on this link and read directive prior to applying.

If selected, you will be required to submit Form OGE-450 within 30 days of your initial appointment date, and annually thereafter. Selectee is subject to financial Disclosure Requirements in accordance with 5 CFR, Part 2635, Sub part E regarding business or personal transactions with applicants, borrowers, or business contacts who have or who are seeking business with this Agency. Selectee must be able to obtain and maintain a security clearance. If selected, you will be subject to a National Agency Check and Inquiry (NACI) and a credit report.

Recruitment incentives are offered based on agency staffing needs and budgetary availability; service agreements apply. For detailed incentive information see: Career Profiles | FSIS.

FSIS is pleased to offer a $20,000 sign on bonus paid out in four $5,000 lump sum payments. The bonus requires a four-year service agreement and is paid out at the annually at the completion of each year of service.

Selectees may be eligible for Creditable Service for Annual Leave Accrual (CSALA)

Student Loan Repayment Program.

Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program. For more information please visit: PSLF Program

The positions advertised offer a referral bonus award of $1,000. More than one award may be given subject to criteria being met. Current FSIS employees may be eligible for this award if they refer an applicant who later enters on duty and works at least 90 days with successful performance and conduct. The referred employee will have an opportunity to list the referring employee during the application process. There are some required restrictions on this award. Ineligible employees include: 1. Employees whose regular, recurring jobs include the recruitment of new employees. 2. Employees who are otherwise excluded from receiving Achievement Awards; 3. Selecting officials or other persons associated with the selection process of the referred employee; and 4. Any of the following relatives of the referred employee: Spouse, or parents thereof; Children, including stepchildren and adopted children, and spouses thereof; Parents, including stepparents; Siblings, including stepsiblings, and spouses thereof; Any individual related by blood or affinity whose close association with the employee is the equivalent of a family relationship.

This position may be eligible for the SPHV Accelerated Promotion Program. This program makes exceptions to the time-in-grade and qualification requirements to allow a single accelerated career ladder promotion to a GS-12 in less than one year. A mandatory training plan must be successfully completed before an individual is eligible to be promoted under this program.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

How You Will Be Evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

The Office of Personnel Management has granted Direct Hire Authority government-wide for Veterinary Medical Officer Positions. There is a critical veterinarian hiring need in severe shortage locations and these positions play an important role in protecting the nation's food supply. This authority permits hiring without regard to certain competitive requirements. For more information: Incentives

Prior to issuing a list of best qualified applicants, we will review your resume and transcript(s) to ensure that you meet the qualification requirements for the grade(s) selected.

Your application, including the online Assessment Questionnaire, will be reviewed to determine if you meet (a) minimum qualification requirements and (b) the resume supports the answers provided to the job-specific questions. Your resume must clearly support your responses to all the questions addressing experience and education relevant to this position. Applicants who meet the minimum qualification requirements and are determined to be among the best qualified candidates will be referred to the hiring manager for consideration.

If you are selected for a position with further promotion potential, you will be placed under a career development plan, and may be non-competitively promoted if you successfully complete the requirements and if recommended by management. However, promotion is neither implied nor guaranteed.

Veterans' Preference does not apply due to the existence of the Direct Hire authority for this position. Applicants are still encouraged to provide documentation related to Veterans' Preference.

Applicants must demonstrate possession of the following skills and competencies within the body of their resume:

  • Communication Skills
  • Leadership
  • Facilitation Skills/Negotiation
  • Problem Solving/Judgment
  • Planning/Time Management
The application form link below will only provide a preview and does not initiate the application process. To initiate the online application process, click the "Apply Online" button to the right. To view the application form, visit:https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12803067

Career Transition Assistance Plan (CTAP) or Reemployed Priority List (RPL): To exercise selection priority for this vacancy, RPL/CTAP candidates must meet the basic eligibility requirements and all selective factors. CTAP candidates must be rated and determined to be well qualified (or above) based on an evaluation of the competencies listed in the How You Will Be Evaluated section. When assessed through a score-based category rating method, CTAP applications must receive a rating of at least 85 out of a possible 100.

Required Documents

The following documents are required for your applicant package to be complete. Encrypted documents will not be accepted. Failure to submit required, legible documents may result in loss of consideration.Resume that includes: Personal Information: name, address, contact information; Education; Work Experience related to this position as described in the major duties including work schedule, hours worked per week, dates of employment; title, series, grade (if applicable); other qualifications. Resume cannot exceed 2 pages.

College transcripts: If education is required or you are using education to meet a qualification requirement, you must submit a legible copy of all relevantcollege transcripts. An unofficial copy is sufficient with the application; however, it must include student name, school name, and enough information to validate qualifications such as course names, prefixes, grades, semester or quarter credit hours, date degree was awarded, etc. Further, if you are selected, you will be required to submit official transcripts prior to entering on duty. Education must have been successfully obtained from an accredited school, college, or university, visit Dept. of Education Accredited Schools. If any education was completed at a foreign institute, you must submit with your application evidence that the institute was appropriately accredited by an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as equivalent to U.S. education standards.

Surplus or displaced employees eligible for CTAP, RPL, or ICTAP priority must provide: proof of eligibility (RIF separation notice, notice of proposed removal for declining a transfer of function or directed reassignment to another commuting area, notice of disability annuity termination), SF-50 documenting separation (as applicable), and your most recent SF-50 noting position, grade level, and duty location with your application per 5 CFR 330.

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.

How to Apply

Please read the entire announcement and all the instructions before you begin an application. To apply and be considered for this position, you must complete all required questionnaires, assessments, and required documentation as specified in the How to Apply and Required Documents section. You must complete this application process and submit all required documents including your Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree final transcript electronically by 11:59p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on the closing date of this announcement in order to receive consideration. Resumes must not exceed two pages. The application process is as follows:

  1. Click the Apply Online button.
  2. Answer the questions presented in the application and attach all necessary supporting documentation.
  3. Click the Submit Application button prior to 11:59 PM (ET) on the announcement closing date.
  4. If you are required to complete any USA Hire Assessments, you will be notified after submitting your application. The notification will be provided in your application submission screen and via email. The notification will include your unique assessment access link to the USA Hire system and the completion deadline. Additionally, in USAJOBS you can click "Track this application" to return to your assessment completion notice.
  5. Access USA Hire using your unique assessment link. Access is granted through your USAJOBS login credentials.
  6. Review all instructions prior to beginning your assessments. You will have the opportunity to request a testing accommodation before beginning the assessments should you have a disability covered under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended.
  7. Set aside at least 3 hours to take the USA Hire assessments; however, most applicants complete the assessments in less time. If you need to stop the assessments and continue later, you can re-use your unique assessment link.
  8. Your responses to the USA Hire Assessments will be reused for one year (in most cases) from the date you complete an assessment. If future applications you submit require completion of the same assessments, your responses will be automatically reused.

Visit the USA Hire Applicant Resource Center for practice assessments and assessment preparation.

To update your application, including supporting documentation: During the announcement open period, return to your USAJOBS account, find your application record, and click Edit my application. This option will no longer be available once the announcement has closed.

To view the announcement status or your application status: Click on this: https://www.usajobs.gov/Help/how-to/application/status/. Your application status page is where you can view your application status, USA Hire assessment completion status, and review your notifications sent by the hiring agency regarding your application.

NOTE: Please verify that documents you are uploading from USAJOBs transfer into the Agency's staffing system as there is a limitation to the number of documents that can be transferred. However, once in the Agency's staffing system, you will have the opportunity to upload additional documents. Uploaded documents must be less than 5MB and in one of the following document formats: GIF, JPG, JPEG, PNG, RTF, PDF, TXT or Word (DOC or DOCX). Do not upload Adobe Portfolio documents because they are not viewable.

If you do not have access to the Internet, you are strongly encouraged to visit your library, state employment office, or another establishment that provides internet service to complete the online application and the assessment questionnaire. If this is not an option, refer to the Alternative Methods for Applying section below for specific instructions.

Alternative Methods for Applying: If you are unable to apply using the internet, please fax your request for an application package along with your name and mailing address to HR: 1-833-840-9219.

Our office cannot be responsible for incompatible software, your system failure, etc.

Officers on active duty in the Public Health Service (PHS) Commissioned Corps and applicants to the PHS Commissioned Corps do not apply on-line. All Commissioned Corps active duty officers and applicants, please send all materials requested in this vacancy announcement (or their equivalent), cover letter, curriculum vitae, and last 3 COERS (active duty officers) or a copy of your Commissioned Corps application (Corps applicants) to CDR Catherine Rockwell USDA-FSIS Commissioned Corps Liaison:Email:catherine.rockwell@usda.gov; Phone (301) 504-0850.You may also contact CDR Rockwell for general information on employment as a PHS Commissioned Corps Officer at FSIS.

Agency contact information

Kimberly Evans
Address
Food Safety and Inspection Service
1400 Independence Ave SW
Washington, DC 20250
US

Next steps

Your application will be reviewed to verify that you meet the eligibility and qualification requirements for the position prior to issuing referral lists to the selecting official. If further evaluation or interviews are required, you will be contacted. Log into your USAJOBS account to check your application status.

We expect to make a final job offer approximately 40 days after the deadline for applications.

This announcement may be used to fill additional like vacancies should any occur in the announced duty location(s).

Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments.

Under the Fair Chance Act, agencies are not allowed to request information about an applicant's criminal history until a conditional offer of employment has been made, except as allowed for access to classified information; assignment to national security duties or positions; acceptance or retention in the armed forces; or recruitment of a Federal law enforcement officer. An applicant may submit a complaint or any other information related to an organization's alleged noncompliance with the Fair Chance Act. The complaint must be submitted within 30 calendar days of the date of the alleged noncompliance. To make a Fair Chance Act inquiry or complaint, send an email with the appropriate information to fsis.fca@usda.gov, subject line: Fair Chance Act.


Note: We cannot accept applications on behalf of Federal Agencies. Application instructions are listed within the Job Description.


© 2006-2025, exclusive of U. S. government job opportunity announcements