- Position Title
- Veterinary Medical Officer (Laboratory Animal Medicine)
- Agency
- Veterans Health Administration
- Announcement Number
- CARX-24-12478411-EDe-DH Opens in new window
- Open Period
- Monday, July 15, 2024 to Tuesday, August 27, 2024
For preview purposes only. To apply, please return to the USAJOBS announcement and click the Apply button.
Eligibilities
1.
Are you a current or former federal employee displaced from the agency hiring for this position? If yes, confirm:
For more information, review the USAJOBS Help Center.
To verify your eligibility, you must submit supporting documentation such as a Reduction in Force (RIF) separation notice or a Proposed Removal/Separation notice to include your latest performance rating (if the notice does not have this information included, you must submit a copy of your most recent performance appraisal) and a copy of your latest Notification of Personnel Action, Standard Form 50.
- you are located in the same local commuting area of the vacancy; AND,
- you are applying to a position that is at or below the grade level of the position from which you were or will be separated; AND,
- your grade is equivalent to or below the grade level of the vacancy; AND,
- your last performance rating of record is at least fully successful or the equivalent.
For more information, review the USAJOBS Help Center.
To verify your eligibility, you must submit supporting documentation such as a Reduction in Force (RIF) separation notice or a Proposed Removal/Separation notice to include your latest performance rating (if the notice does not have this information included, you must submit a copy of your most recent performance appraisal) and a copy of your latest Notification of Personnel Action, Standard Form 50.
2.
Are you a current or former federal employee displaced from a position in a federal agency other than the Department of Veterans Affairs? If yes, confirm:
To verify your eligibility, you must submit supporting documentation such as a Reduction in Force (RIF) separation notice to include your latest performance rating (if the notice does not have this information included, you must submit a copy of your most recent performance appraisal) and a copy of your latest Notification of Personnel Action, Standard Form 50.
- you are located in the same local commuting area of the vacancy; AND,
- you are applying to a position that is at or below the grade level of the position from which you were or will be separated; AND,
- you are applying to a position that does not have greater promotion potential than the position from which you were or will be separated; AND,
- your last performance rating of record is at least fully successful or the equivalent.
To verify your eligibility, you must submit supporting documentation such as a Reduction in Force (RIF) separation notice to include your latest performance rating (if the notice does not have this information included, you must submit a copy of your most recent performance appraisal) and a copy of your latest Notification of Personnel Action, Standard Form 50.
Preferences
1.
Which of the following items describes your current or recent (within the last five years) political appointee service?
If you responded yes to any of the items below, you will need to include a SF-50 specifying your prior service.
If you responded yes to any of the items below, you will need to include a SF-50 specifying your prior service.
Resume Reminder - Your resume must include the following information for each job listed:
- Job title Duties (be as detailed as possible)
- Month & year start/end dates (e.g. June 2007 to April 2008)
- Full-time or part-time status (include hours worked per week)
- Series and Grade, if applicable, for all Federal positions you have held
- Please be aware that your answers will be verified against information provided on your resume. Be sure that your resume clearly supports your responses to all of the questions by addressing your work experience in detail.
Accuracy of Application Reminder:
By submitting your application, you are certifying, to the best of your knowledge and belief, all the information submitted by you with your application for employment is true, complete, and made in good faith, and that you have truthfully and accurately represented your work experience, knowledge, skills, abilities and education (degrees, accomplishments, etc.). The information you provide as part of your application may be investigated. You are also certifying, and acknowledging, that misrepresenting your experience or education, or providing false or fraudulent information in, or with your application, may affect your eligibility for appointment and/or continued employment. False or fraudulent statements may be punishable by fine or imprisonment (18 U.S.C. 1001).
By submitting your application, you are certifying, to the best of your knowledge and belief, all the information submitted by you with your application for employment is true, complete, and made in good faith, and that you have truthfully and accurately represented your work experience, knowledge, skills, abilities and education (degrees, accomplishments, etc.). The information you provide as part of your application may be investigated. You are also certifying, and acknowledging, that misrepresenting your experience or education, or providing false or fraudulent information in, or with your application, may affect your eligibility for appointment and/or continued employment. False or fraudulent statements may be punishable by fine or imprisonment (18 U.S.C. 1001).
2.
In accordance with VA Notice 22-13: Pre-Employment References Policy, pre-employment reference checks have been incorporated into the selection process. Hiring officials must conduct pre-employment reference checks with a current or previous supervisor prior to HR staff extending a tentative offer.
In the textbox below, please provide the name, telephone number and email address of at least 4 professional references. Two of these references must be a current or previous supervisor. If two supervisory references are not available, provide the name, telephone number and email address of individuals who were in a position to directly observe your work.
Please also indicate in the textbox below if you prefer to be contacted before your current or previous supervisor is contacted, or if you prefer to provide your references upon request.
*Note: Hiring Officials may request alternate/additional references.
In the textbox below, please provide the name, telephone number and email address of at least 4 professional references. Two of these references must be a current or previous supervisor. If two supervisory references are not available, provide the name, telephone number and email address of individuals who were in a position to directly observe your work.
Please also indicate in the textbox below if you prefer to be contacted before your current or previous supervisor is contacted, or if you prefer to provide your references upon request.
*Note: Hiring Officials may request alternate/additional references.
3.
I authorize my application information being shared with hiring managers for similar positions. I understand this option may not result in further consideration for additional positions nor will it impact my application for this announcement.
Assessment 1
Select the appropriate answer to each of the following questions based on your current level of experience and education that demonstrates your ability to perform the duties of this position. When answering the questionnaire, remember that your experience and education are subject to verification by investigation. You may be asked to provide specific examples or documentation of experience or education as proof to support your answers, or you may be required to verify a response by a practical demonstration of your claimed ability to perform a task.
Specialized Experience: This section includes questions about the Specialized Experience for this vacancy. Carefully read the following descriptions below, select ONE statement below that best describes how your experience meets the Specialized Experience for a Veterinary Medical Officer (Laboratory Animal Medicine) GS-0701-14. Specialized Experience is experience that has equipped the applicant with the particular competencies/knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position and is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled. To be creditable, Specialized Experience must have been equivalent to at least the next lower grade level in the normal line of progression for the occupation in the organization. Read all responses before making your selection. Failure to provide the required information will render your application ineligible for consideration. If using education to qualify, you MUST submit an official or unofficial transcript. From the responses below, select ONE response that best describes how you met the basic requirements for this position. Note: Experience/Education MUST be substantiated in your application materials. Failure to provide the required information will render your application ineligible for consideration.
Select “Yes” or “No” to the following question(s).
1.
The Individual Occupational Requirement required for the 0701 Occupational Series is as follows:
BASIC REQUIREMENTS. To qualify for appointment, all applicants must meet the basic education and licensure requirements.
(1) Possess a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) or equivalent degree, i.e., Veterinary Medical Doctor (VMD), obtained at a college or school of veterinary medicine accredited by the AVMA Council on Education; or
(2) Graduate from a foreign veterinary medical school not accredited by the AVMA Council on Education possessing one of the following:(a) Proof of certification of final transcript by the Educational Commission for Foreign Veterinary Graduates (ECFVG); or
(b) Current, 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); or
(c) 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 AVMA 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); and
(d) Graduates of foreign veterinary medical programs must also provide 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 include:
1. 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; or
2. 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
3. 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.
b. Licensure
(1) Possess a current, 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 NAVLE or its predecessors, the NBE and the CCT.
(2) An employee who enters this occupation with the basic requirement for licensure, but fails to maintain licensure must be immediately removed from the occupation, which may also result in termination of employment. At the discretion of the appointing official, an employee who fails to maintain licensure may be reassigned to another occupation for which he/she qualifies if a placement opportunity exists.
Do you possess the Individual Occupational Requirement for this position?
BASIC REQUIREMENTS. To qualify for appointment, all applicants must meet the basic education and licensure requirements.
(1) Possess a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) or equivalent degree, i.e., Veterinary Medical Doctor (VMD), obtained at a college or school of veterinary medicine accredited by the AVMA Council on Education; or
(2) Graduate from a foreign veterinary medical school not accredited by the AVMA Council on Education possessing one of the following:(a) Proof of certification of final transcript by the Educational Commission for Foreign Veterinary Graduates (ECFVG); or
(b) Current, 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); or
(c) 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 AVMA 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); and
(d) Graduates of foreign veterinary medical programs must also provide 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 include:
1. 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; or
2. 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
3. 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.
b. Licensure
(1) Possess a current, 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 NAVLE or its predecessors, the NBE and the CCT.
(2) An employee who enters this occupation with the basic requirement for licensure, but fails to maintain licensure must be immediately removed from the occupation, which may also result in termination of employment. At the discretion of the appointing official, an employee who fails to maintain licensure may be reassigned to another occupation for which he/she qualifies if a placement opportunity exists.
Do you possess the Individual Occupational Requirement for this position?
2.
Do you possess one-year Specialized Experience equivalent to at least the GS-13 level?
Specialized experience must demonstrate the ability of the applicant to independently perform the veterinary medical duties required for the position. Only experience gained after completing the basic education requirements described above and in a biomedical research setting in which Public Health Service Policy and United States Department of Agriculture Animal Welfare Act Regulations were applied under the jurisdiction of the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee is creditable. Experience gained at a pet veterinary clinic with species commonly used in research does not count towards meeting the specialized experience requirements. When calculating the length of specialized experience, applicants are considered to have gained 1 year of experience through the completion of either 12 months or 52 weeks of specialized experience, whichever comes first. Qualifying part-time specialized experience is credited according to its relation to the full-time workweek.
Residency and Post-Graduate Training. Residency or post-graduate training in an ACLAM-approved program is creditable towards meeting the grade level requirements. The discipline or specialty of the residency or post-graduate training program must be laboratory animal medicine, laboratory animal science or in an area directly related to the practice of laboratory animal medicine. Applicants must demonstrate successful completion of a residency or post-graduate training program or a level of satisfactory progression in the residency or post-graduate training program. The number of years of residency or post-graduate training required is as follows:
For the GS-14 grade level: 4 years of progressively responsible training in an ACLAM-approved internship, residency program or fellowship training program.
Board Certification. Board certification for the laboratory animal medicine specialty is demonstrated by ACLAM Diplomate status. ACLAM Diplomate status is creditable with specialized experience or residency and post-graduate training towards meeting the grade level requirements. ACLAM Diplomate status is awarded to individuals who have completed a rigorous post-graduate training or residency program or who have gained specialized laboratory animal experience. ACLAM Diplomates must also meet publication requirements and pass certifying exams. The certifying exams cover laboratory animal biology, laboratory animal resources management, clinical laboratory animal medicine and surgery, laboratory animal pathology and animal experimentation. NOTE: Specialized experience and residency and post-graduate training requirements listed below must meet the criteria described in the applicable qualifying category above. An applicant with ACLAM Diplomate status may immediately qualify for a position up to the GS-13 grade level. ACLAM Diplomate status is creditable for each grade level as follows:
For the GS-14 grade level: ACLAM Diplomate status and 1 year of specialized veterinary experience equivalent to the GS-13 grade level or ACLAM Diplomate status and 4 years of progressively responsible training in an ACLAM-approved internship, residency program or fellowship training program.
Specialized Experience is defined as: overseeing research staff and investigators to ensure activities follow the approved animal research protocol and that all animals are treated in a humane and caring fashion facilitates the development of biomedical research protocols and successful submission of requests for research project support, experience in providing medical and surgical care for large number of animal subjects in medical research and education; experience as member or consultant to policy making committees; experience in planning work to be accomplished by subordinates, setting, and adjusting short-term priorities; experience in developing, implementing, and monitoring a program for personnel having significant animal contact; experience in maintaining accurate records of animal housing costs and charge backs to investigators; conduct analyses of the annual accumulated animal care costs; and experience in developing, directing and conducting a training program for research investigator and technician and laboratory animal medicine.
Specialized experience must demonstrate the ability of the applicant to independently perform the veterinary medical duties required for the position. Only experience gained after completing the basic education requirements described above and in a biomedical research setting in which Public Health Service Policy and United States Department of Agriculture Animal Welfare Act Regulations were applied under the jurisdiction of the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee is creditable. Experience gained at a pet veterinary clinic with species commonly used in research does not count towards meeting the specialized experience requirements. When calculating the length of specialized experience, applicants are considered to have gained 1 year of experience through the completion of either 12 months or 52 weeks of specialized experience, whichever comes first. Qualifying part-time specialized experience is credited according to its relation to the full-time workweek.
Residency and Post-Graduate Training. Residency or post-graduate training in an ACLAM-approved program is creditable towards meeting the grade level requirements. The discipline or specialty of the residency or post-graduate training program must be laboratory animal medicine, laboratory animal science or in an area directly related to the practice of laboratory animal medicine. Applicants must demonstrate successful completion of a residency or post-graduate training program or a level of satisfactory progression in the residency or post-graduate training program. The number of years of residency or post-graduate training required is as follows:
For the GS-14 grade level: 4 years of progressively responsible training in an ACLAM-approved internship, residency program or fellowship training program.
Board Certification. Board certification for the laboratory animal medicine specialty is demonstrated by ACLAM Diplomate status. ACLAM Diplomate status is creditable with specialized experience or residency and post-graduate training towards meeting the grade level requirements. ACLAM Diplomate status is awarded to individuals who have completed a rigorous post-graduate training or residency program or who have gained specialized laboratory animal experience. ACLAM Diplomates must also meet publication requirements and pass certifying exams. The certifying exams cover laboratory animal biology, laboratory animal resources management, clinical laboratory animal medicine and surgery, laboratory animal pathology and animal experimentation. NOTE: Specialized experience and residency and post-graduate training requirements listed below must meet the criteria described in the applicable qualifying category above. An applicant with ACLAM Diplomate status may immediately qualify for a position up to the GS-13 grade level. ACLAM Diplomate status is creditable for each grade level as follows:
For the GS-14 grade level: ACLAM Diplomate status and 1 year of specialized veterinary experience equivalent to the GS-13 grade level or ACLAM Diplomate status and 4 years of progressively responsible training in an ACLAM-approved internship, residency program or fellowship training program.
Specialized Experience is defined as: overseeing research staff and investigators to ensure activities follow the approved animal research protocol and that all animals are treated in a humane and caring fashion facilitates the development of biomedical research protocols and successful submission of requests for research project support, experience in providing medical and surgical care for large number of animal subjects in medical research and education; experience as member or consultant to policy making committees; experience in planning work to be accomplished by subordinates, setting, and adjusting short-term priorities; experience in developing, implementing, and monitoring a program for personnel having significant animal contact; experience in maintaining accurate records of animal housing costs and charge backs to investigators; conduct analyses of the annual accumulated animal care costs; and experience in developing, directing and conducting a training program for research investigator and technician and laboratory animal medicine.