Veterinary Medical Officer

The Veterinary Medical Officer (Zoological Animal Medicine) manages aspects of the veterinary health program at NZCBI. This position is located in Washington, DC and coordinates efforts with the Department of Conservation Medicine at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute (SCBI) in Front Royal, Virginia.

In this position, you will:

• Promote preventative medical care and participate in the general care and maintenance of the collections, including oversight of animal facility maintenance and cleaning, the review and modification of animal care protocols, development and oversight of quarantine procedures, and work closely with curatorial staff on incoming and outgoing animal shipments.
• Ensure that the department and its premises are in a state of readiness to meet NZCBI clinical and surgical demands.
• Oversee activities of NZCBI veterinary students and participate in the training of veterinary students, veterinary interns, preceptors, graduate students, and visiting colleagues regarding exotic animal medicine and biomedical research.
• Observe collection animals for indications of illness and injury, complete diagnostic testing, including the collection of biological samples and interprets the results, and prescribe and administer medication.
• Initiate, plan, and conduct original, independent research studies and clinical trials in zoological and wildlife medicine and surgery, as well as, research topics that include evaluation of new drugs and drug delivery systems, documentation of rare illnesses and injuries and their treatments, and test manufacturer specifications and efficacy and epidemiological analyses of exotic animal health issues.
• Maintain and use a complete record system that documents illnesses, injuries, diagnoses, treatments, laboratory results, and necropsy findings of collection animals to modify and improve NZCBI preventative medicine, health, and husbandry programs.

You must meet these Basic Education Requirements: 

• 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 Council on Education (AVMA). 
• The AVMA web site, http://www.avma.org (external link), 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 (Refer to AVMA web site, http://www.avma.org (external link)for information about schools in this category) must meet one of the following requirements.
• Proof of certification of their final transcript by the Educational Commission for Foreign Veterinary Graduates (ECFVG)
• 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).

Experience Required

• Conditions of Employment Requires a Valid Veterinary License.
• You MUST attach a copy of your valid veterinary license for consideration. Failure to attach valid documentation will result in loss of consideration.
• The position requires some physical exertion, physical strength, and agility in handling and treating many of the collection animals, many of which are very dangerous and large.
• The selectee will be exposed to the risk of handling dangerous animals, and there is a potential for zoonotic spread of infectious diseases.
• The work can be inside or outside in all kinds of weather day or night. Some of the drugs used are very potent and potentially lethal if not handled properly.
• Incumbent is responsible for staff coordination and safety controls.

Perks

• Comprehensive Benefits Package

Salary

• $117,962 - $153,354