Veterinary Investigation Officer

Job summary

Are you considering a change in your veterinary career?

Are you looking for a career with variety and flexibility in the work you do?

Do you want a role safeguarding standards of animal health and welfare, protecting Great Britain from exotic notifiable diseases?

Many of the skills and competences already acquired in veterinary positions elsewhere will be applicable and valued in veterinary roles within APHA. Why not explore a change, a new veterinary path, one that can have far reaching impacts?

Why not join us and make a difference?

Job description

This Vet role involves a wide range of work including, but not limited to, the following:

Conduct disease investigations in farm animals and wildlife by conducting post-mortems and diagnostic sampling.

Obtaining relevant history from vets and farmers for investigating disease and to provide data for disease surveillance.Using laboratory testing for diagnosis or to rule out diseases.Collating, reporting and discussing findings with veterinary clients, farmers and APHA colleagues.Providing advice on diseases and making recommendations on disease control and prevention.Conducting farm visits to investigate for possible new diseases, zoonoses or potential threats to the food chain.Opportunity to work with other veterinary and industry stakeholders, participate in knowledge exchange and influence standards of animal health and welfare.Conducting surveillance for notifiable disease, through sampling and gross diagnostic pathology.

Person specification

We are looking for candidates who:

Are aware of the UK farming industry and diseases of farmed animals.Have an interest or further experience in diagnostic pathology.Can engage with customers and stakeholders confidentially and professionally.Can produce reports to communicate veterinary knowledge.Can demonstrate an ability to maintain and assure appropriate levels of quality assurance for scientific evidence and advice.Are capable of strategic thinking, with diagnostic, analytical and creative problem-solving abilities.

You can also visit APHA's Veterinary Careers website for further information:

VIO role video:�

Licences

Valid UK driving licence

Qualifications

Candidates must have a degree in Veterinary Medicine that is recognised in the UK.

Memberships

Registration with the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons is required.

Languages

Must have demonstrable skills in written and spoken English to enable effective communication about veterinary topics with customers and colleagues and meet one of the following:

� have undertaken undergraduate veterinary training in English
or
� having a sufficient command of spoken and written English to effectively perform the role being undertaken by a public sector worker in a customer-facing role
or
� have achieved the following scores in the academic international English Language Testing System (IELTS) or equivalent in a single sitting within 24 months at time of application � Overall 7, Speaking 7, Listening 7, Reading 7, Writing 7.

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

Making Effective DecisionsCommunicating and Influencing

Technical skills

We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:

Applicable UK farm animal knowledge and farm animal veterinary experienceVeterinary knowledge�In-tray� exercise (prioritisation task)Presentation

Benefits

Alongside your salary of �39,439, Animal and Plant Health Agency contributes �10,687 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme.

In return for your dedication and hard work, we will support your ongoing personal development through appropriate training. Inclusion, and support as the development of our people matter to us. We aim to support the career and personal wellbeing of everyone in APHA. �Our benefits include generous annual leave, flexible working, a generous contributory pension, staff bonuses and recognition, salary sacrifice benefit options, and an employee discount scheme, reward vouchers and in-year bonuses. We also offer additional days off if accrued extra hours (flexi-time �if accumulated), three paid volunteering day per year. We also have a social committee who run team building and fun events at the Weybridge site. Further details can be found in the Candidate Information Pack.

Everyone in APHA is supported to develop their skills and capabilities. When you join the Directorate, you will be welcomed into your new team through an induction programme that will provide you with helpful information on the civil service, our work and our policies. Your line manager will also work with you to establish your priorities for the year, developing a performance, learning and development plan tailored to you and your role.�

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