Health & Veterinary Medicine

APHIS veterinarians help prevent
disease, monitor animal care
Practices, or conduct studies in
epidemiology. They collect and
analyze data to support comput-
erized disease surveillance or
develop regulations conceming
genetically engineere dorganisms
Our veterinarians work directly
with livestock producers to
combat diseases such as brucello-
sis and pseudorabies, or train
others in aspects of public

veterinary medicine.

They are involved in testing and
licensing animal vaccines or doing
laboratory studies on animal
diseases. They serve at ports to

keep foreign animal diseases out

of the United States or inspect the

care and treatment of animals at
research facilities, breeding
stations, zoos, circuses, and horse

shows.

Because APHIS pimgrams are
carried out both in this country
and abroad, some agency
employees have opportunities to
work in unusual locales. We hire
individuals with credentiak in:

¢ Veterinary medicine,
« Animal science,

« Animal welfare, and

¢ Epidemiology.



Toward Your Future With APHIS

Personal Development and Career Advancement

APHIS’ career employees enjoy opportunities for individual develop-
ment. The agency provides some tuition assistance so employees can
pursue advanced education or participate in a variety of programs that
promote self-improvement, training, and career advancement. The
ever-present need for strong, proficient leaders and managers drives
the need to develop and promote APHIS professional and technical
employees.

Equal Employment Opportunity

APHIS is determined to recruit and advance qualified employees from
all cultural and ethnic backgrounds. Human relations and sensitivity
training helps our people work smoothly with peers from different
backgrounds. Employees are considered for appointment, promotion,
and other worklife opportunities based on their own merits without
regard to race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability,

political beliefs, sexual orientation, or marital or family status.

Paid Vacation and Holidays

New APHIS employees carn over 2 weeks of paid vacation time cach
year They can take time off as they cam it or cary it over from one
year to another. Vacation leave increases after 3 years of employment
and again after 15 years’ total employment. In addition, APHIS employ-
ees get time off on all 10 Federal holidays. They also accrue sick leave,
which can be used for illnesses and for time away from work duc to
medical examinations or treatment. There is no limit on the amount of

unused sick leave employees can cary over from year to year.

Health Care Coverage and Life Insurance

APHIS employees can select from among several health insurance
plans. New employees can obtain coverage without a physical
examination and cannot be denied coverage because of preexisting
conditions. In addition, APHIS employees can obtain group life
insurance that offers various levels of coverage at modest cost. A
substantial portion of the cost of health insurance and life insurance

is paid by the Govemment.

Retirement Plan

Federal retirement benefits feature a portable, Social Security-
based annuity program supported by Government and worker
contributions. Employees may supplement their future retirement
income by participating in the Thrift Savings Plan, which offers the
advantages of an individual retirement account. The Govemment
contributes proportionately to Thrift Savings accounts based on how
much money the worker has contributed. Under the Plan's supervi-
sion, these accounts can be invested in one of several types of

mutual funds.

Flexible Work Schedules
When the work of the agency is conducted outside an office setting,

employees’ schedules respond to unique job requirements and are

designed to meet job demands and their personal needs. Workers

ffices or laboratories can usually vary their daily work

0-hour days per week, take variable days off, or

schedules with supervisory approval.

13


Around the World

Ricture yourselfas an APHIS
employee working virtually
anywhere in the United States or
in | of more than 30 foreign
countries. You might cross public
lands on horseback looking for
tick-infested cattle or go to farms
and ranches to investigate a
disease outbreak. Or you could
find yourself visiting the campus
of a major university to negotiate
acooperative agreement or
analyzing human resources
needed for an office in the
Nation's capital. Imagine being
the first to apply new biotechnol
ogy and biological control tech-
niques to fight plant pests and

animal diseases

Or perhaps the idea of working
with ranchers in the Rocky Moun-
tains to help them reduce the
threat to their livestock from
coyotes, mountain lions, and

bears appeals to you.

Can you see yourself peering at
tissue samples through a micro-
scope or teaching Haitians how to
control African swine fever?
Maybe you would prefer to
inspect inte mational cargo at a
major airport or seaport and be
resporsible for determining what
fruits and vegetabks or animal
products may be brought into this
country in passenger luggage or
containerized cargo. If you are
interested in animal welfare, you
might choose to be one ofour
inspectors, checking on animal
care conditions at horse shows,
pet breeding facilities, or research
laboratories


al & Physical Sciences

Most APHIS employees work in
the biological and physical
sciences. They can be assigned to
aborder post to ensure that plant
pests and animal diseases do not
accidentally enter thé country.
They may join the "Beagle Bri-
gade” and work with dogs trained
to sniff baggage to detect prohib-
ited agricultural pro ducts. And
they work as biologists, using
integrated pest management
techniques to fight insects that

attack crops and livestock.

APHIS hires wildlife biologists to
minimize damage from wildlife,

such as coyotes preyingona

ranchers livestock or birds
colliding with acommetcial
airplane. Some of ourscientists
are virologists; they identify
pathogenic organisms in serum
taken from sick animals. Others
are miciobiblogists; they check
the quality of serums and vac-
cines used to fight animal

discases.

Our people test tissue, soil, and
product samples forthe presence
of toxins, and they establish
regulations to minimize damage
caused by the introduction and
spread of foreign pests and
diseases. APH entomologists
work with the biological control of
plant pests, thereby helping to
protect the environment through
reducing America’s dependence

on chemical pesticides.

Some of the agency’ wildlife
biolbgéts study the behavior and
population dynamics of endan-
gered species to develop ecologi-
cally sound methock of balancing
their needs against those of
people.

APHIS’ weed scientists research
ways to control noxious plants
With advanced training in mokecu-
lar biology, APHIS biotechnobgists
critically review and assess the
environmental impacts of
field-testing the most current

genetically modified organisms
APHIS’ biologists and physical

scientists contribute their talents

in disciplines such as:

* Analytical and organic chemistry,

Bacteriology,

* Biology,
* Botany,

.

Entomology,

« Environmental sciences,

Microbiology,

Molecular genetics,

Plant pathology,
* Toxicology,

Virology, and
Wildlife biology.

.


Variable Workplaces

APHIS employees work in many locations—from Govemment buildings
to busy international airports, foreign countries, sophisticated laborato-
ries, or livestock markets. They may even use their homes as their base
of operations if they work in a remote field assignment. Some employ-
ees whose jobs are portable link up with the agency's computer net-
work via phone lines and work some days of the week from their

homes.

Quality of Worklife

The combination of generous benefits and progressive personnel
policies gives APHIS employees an unusually high quality of worklife.
The agency strives to develop strategies that anticipate employee
needs and contribute to their well-being. For example, APHIS

provides:

¢ Free, confidential counseling services to employees with personal,
family, or financial problems;

* A leave donation program so employees can help coworkers who are
stricken with major illnesses or personal emergencies; and

* Opportunities for employees to participate actively in policymaking
through task groups and team-building experiences.

Bank on It

APHIS pays Hig dividenck on

yar investment d timeand
talent. We encourage you to
study the leafletsind de the
back cover of this brochure fcr
more spedific information about
applying for positions with
APHIS. We look forward to

hearing from you!

Equal Opportunity

All APHIS employmentis based
on qualifications without regard
to race, color, national origin,
gender, religion, age, disability,
Political beliefs, sexual orienta-
tion, or marital or family status.

APHIS is actively working to
meet the Federal Government's
goal that the Federal workforce
will mirror the gender, ethnicity,
and profile of the overall us.
civilian workforce. Minorities,

women, and people with
disabilities are strongly encour
aged to seek APHIS positions
for which they are qualified.

15


| waumem@eareers in APHIS:
z a , m Investment in
Your Future


Several hundred nontechnical
specialists keep APHIS running
smoothly and make practical use
of burgeoning technology in data
storage and retrieval and ekec-
tronic communication. They help
set or refine policy or supervise
field operations. They interpret
and enforce regulatory re quire-
ments or participate in activities
to promote workforce diversity
and development. They evaluate
spending practices to ensure
efficient use of public funds or
streamline operations through
automation. They communicate to
Congress and the public about
APHIS’ activities.

ement, Administration, & Public Affairs

Most of these professional man-
agement opportunities are fund
at agency head quarters in the
greater Washington, DC, area.
Professional and administrative

career fields include:

¢ Budget and financial
management,

¢ Computersystems analysis and
programming,

« Communications and public
affairs,

« Information management,

« Human resources
management,

* Purchasingand property
management,

* Political science and public
administration,

« Training and employee
development, and

« Policyand economic analysis.


eersin APHIS:
vestment in
ture

‘The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and
activities on the basts of race, color, national origin, gender, religion, ago, disability, political
boliefs, sexual orientation, or marital or family status. (Not all prohibited bass apply to all
programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative moans for communication of
program information (Braille, large print, audictape, otc.) should contact USDA's TARGET

Center at (202) 720-2600 oie and TDD). USDA

tile acomplaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, Room 326-W,

‘Whitten Building, 14th and independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call

(302) 720-5964 woke and TDD). USDAIs an equal opportunity prwiderand employer.
United States
Department of
Agriculture

Animal and
Plant Health
Inspection
Service

Miscellancous
Publication No. 1487

Issued August 1991
Slightly revised October 1999


Your Future—With APHIS

Invest in your future with acareer
in the Animal and Plant Health
Inspection Service [APHIS}—a
dynamic, innovative agency of the
U.S. Department of Agriculture.
You can help prevent or eliminate
plant and animal pests and
diseases that threaten the pro-
duction of food and fiberor
endanger human health through-
out the world. Or you can focus on
such crucial concems as protect-
ing the environment, ensuring
humane treatment of animals, or
reviewing and assessing the

potential impacts of field-testing

genetically engineered organisms.

APHIS employees work coopera-
tively with farmers and ranchers,

industry representatives, officials

from State and local governments,
professional organizations and
interest groups, and people in
foreign countries who are also
concerned about protecting
agriculture. Our people enjoy the
challenge and stimulation of
working with a peer group of
nearly 6,000 scientists, laboratory
and field technicians, and admin-
istrators in the United States and

abroad.

This brochure explains how you
can devote your talents and
interests to an APHIS career—one
where your contribution will be
vital to achieving APHIS’ mission:

protecting American agriculture.