State of Maryland

A Veterinary Epidemiologist I professional veterinary work as a full performance level Veterinary Epidemiologist.  Employees in this classification provide consultative services to local governmental officials, Veterinarians and health organizations in the general field of animal-related problems.   Employees in this classification cooperate with the United States Department of Agriculture, Maryland Department of Agriculture and other agencies on various veterinary medical programs and conducts professional investigations of animal diseases which are transmissible and pathogenic to humans.  Employees in this classification provide assistance in the formulation of regulations for the administration and enforcement of laws pertaining to the control of animal diseases and animal-related complaints.  Employees in this classification do not supervise other positions.

Employees in this classification receive administrative direction from a Regional Veterinary Epidemiologist.  Work effectiveness is evaluated through observation, staff meetings and/or reports in terms of achievement of program goals.

Positions in this classification are evaluated by using the classification job evaluation methodology.  The use of this method involves comparing the assigned duties and responsibilities of a position to the job criteria found in the Nature of Work and Examples of Work sections of the class specification.

Assists the Regional Public Health Veterinarian and the local Health Officer to plan, develop and implement programs of preventive medicine in the area of veterinary public health for a city or county;

Conducts epidemiological investigations into human diseases of animal origin;

Assists in the development of methods for the control and prevention of animal diseases transmissible to humans in the formulation and interpretation of regulations for the administration and enforcement of laws pertaining to such diseases;

Cooperates with local veterinary programs and serves as a consultant to staff working on these programs;

Cooperates with the Maryland Department of Agriculture and the United States Department of Agriculture, State veterinarians, professional organizations, livestock and agriculture organizations and public groups in the administration of laws and regulations pertaining to the prevention of disease of public health importance;

Represents the Chief of Veterinary Medicine, the Regional Public Health Veterinarian and the local Health Officer in local public health matters pertaining to veterinary medicine;

Prepares information and makes presentation to professional and civic groups via various media;

Makes post-mortem examinations for disease identification;

Participates in immunization and other Maryland Department of Health sanctioned professional activities;

Performs other related duties.

Knowledge of the elementary concepts of basic principles and practices of veterinary medicine with particular reference to communicable diseases of animals that are transmissible and pathogenic to humans;

Knowledge, at the introductory level of proficiency, of State and federal laws and regulations relating to livestock disease control and communicable disease control in humans;

Ability to implement the policies of the Maryland Department of Health to ensure a comprehensive and uniform veterinary public health program at the local level;

Ability to conduct epidemiological investigation of human outbreaks of disease and to provide recommendations regarding suitable control measures;

Ability to participate in research programs in diseases common to animals and humans;

Ability to work with and secure the cooperation of professional and lay personnel;

Ability to interpret federal, State and local laws relating to animal disease control;

Ability to review and prepare specialized reports of veterinary activities;

Ability to skillfully use related laboratory equipment, methods and techniques;

Ability to perform basic medical and surgical procedures.

Education:    A Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree or a Veterinary Medical Doctor’s degree from a college or university accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association and a Master's degree in Public Health from an accredited college or university.

Experience: One year of experience in the practice of clinical veterinary medicine.

1. Applicants for this classification must be accredited by the United States Department of Agriculture and registered with the Maryland Department of Agriculture.

2. Applicants for this classification must be licensed and currently registered with the Maryland State Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners.  A photocopy of current registration must be attached to the application.

3. Applicants for this classification who are eligible for a Maryland Veterinarian License on the basis reciprocity or endorsement will be admitted to the Maryland State Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners examination if a copy of a current letter of eligibility from the Maryland Licensing Board is attached to the application.  Permanent appointment is conditional on passing Maryland Veterinarian licensing board requirements.

Class specifications are broad descriptions covering groups of positions used by various State departments and agencies. Position descriptions maintained by the using department or agency specifically address the essential job functions of each position.

This is a Professional Service classification in the State Personnel Management System.  All positions in this classification are Professional Service positions.  Some positions in Professional Service classifications may be designated as Special Appointment in accordance with the State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 6-405, Annotated Code of Maryland.

This classification is assigned to Bargaining Unit E- Health Care Professionals classes.  As provided by State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 3-102, special appointment, temporary, contractual, supervisory, managerial and confidential employees are excluded from collective bargaining.  Additionally, certain executive branch agencies are exempt from collective bargaining and all positions in those agencies are excluded from collective bargaining.

This classification is one level in a Non-Competitive Promotion (NCP) series. NCP promotions are promotions by which employees may advance in grade and class level from trainee to full performance level in a classification series.  In order to be non-competitively promoted to the next level in a NCP series, an employee must: 1) perform the main purpose of the class, as defined by the Nature of Work section of the class specification; 2) receive the type of supervision defined in the class specification and 3) meet the minimum qualifications of the classification.