CPW Veterinarian I / State Wildlife Veterinarian - (Fort Collins, CO)

The Terrestrial Branch develops and implements strategies and programs to promote the informed management and conservation of Colorado’s terrestrial wildlife resources and their habitats. To conserve and perpetuate the terrestrial wildlife populations and their habitats for present and future generations. To provide an expert and measured approach to the management of Colorado’s wildlife and their habitats. Lead CPW in science-based terrestrial wildlife and habitat conservation. To conserve terrestrial wildlife populations and habitats for the continued sustainable use benefit and enjoyment of Colorado’s residents and visitors for present and future generations. To perpetuate robust and diverse wildlife populations and habitats creating and using best available science to inform conservation and management. Wildlife Health conducts disease monitoring and surveillance for all terrestrial wildlife species, as well as rigorous scientific-based original research deemed valuable to CPW in order to better understand and enhance the health, management, and conservation of Colorado’s terrestrial wildlife resources; the program also provides field and laboratory services and training to CPW staff, as well as captive wildlife research support and captive wildlife holding for other CPW research and management programs.

Description of Job

The position exists to: provide professional veterinary medical services to CPW administration and field staff, oversee captive wildlife care at the Foothills Wildlife Research Facility, and guide and conduct original laboratory and field research to improve understanding and control options for important wildlife health issues in Colorado.

Specific duties include but are not limited to: 

Provide professional veterinary services

Provide professional veterinary expertise, advice, and services to CPW management and research programs by diagnosing, treating, and/or monitoring health problems in captive research animals and free-ranging wildlife populations, by identifying potentially important health problems and appropriate courses of action, by working with state and federal agencies on health requirements for wildlife movement, by coordinating disease sampling for wildlife research projects, by interpreting and analyzing results in consultation with epidemiologists, pathologists and biometricians, by prescribing capture drugs for use by field personnel, by ensuring regulatory compliance with prescription drug usage and record-keeping, and by ensuring compliance with federal laws on drug usage and animal welfare while serving as attending veterinarian on an animal care and use committee.

Conduct Applied Research
Oversee, plan, and conduct original, applied laboratory and field research to improve understanding about important wildlife health problems and their management.

Provide Professional Training and Education
Oversee, plan, and execute training programs for field personnel in wildlife capture and handling and disease sampling techniques.

Other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications, Substitutions, Conditions of Employment & Appeal Rights

Minimum Qualifications
Hold a valid Colorado Veterinary license in good standing 

OR 

Hold a valid license to practice veterinary medicine in another state.

Either of these has to be at the time of application

Substitutions

• No Substitutions

Class Code: VETERINARIAN

Preferred Qualifications

• Current or former State experience relevant to this position
• Master’s degree or PhD in a related field.
• Experience practicing wildlife medicine in a state, territorial, or provincial wildlife or natural resource management agency
• Experience conducting and overseeing wildlife research projects
• Supervisory experience

 Required Competencies
 

• Excellent organizational and time management skills
• Experience conducting gross necropsies and histopathology on wildlife species
• Excellent organizational and time management skills
• Excellent communication skills with a wide variety of individuals including scientific and lay audiences.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team utilizing shared resources.

Conditions of Employment
 

• Applicants who are licensed to practice veterinary medicine in another state are required to obtain a valid Colorado Veterinary License within three (3) months of hire. Failure to do so may result in termination of employment. 
• Must possess and maintain a valid driver's license if operating a State vehicle.
• Shared on-call responsibility to provide veterinary consultation or services
• Use, Handling or Exposure to hazardous materials-Employee will be exposed to biological materials potentially containing infectious diseases, as well as formalin, a hazardous chemical and will also handle potent chemical immobilization drugs
• Use of Firearms or other weapons - Needed for emergency euthanasia
• Travel – As needed to provide statewide field services
• Employee must wear a fit-tested N95 or powered air purifying respirator and other PPE when handling potentially infectious diseases
• Former State employees who were disciplinarily terminated or resigned in lieu of termination must disclose the information on the application and provide an explanation why the prior termination or resignation should not disqualify their application from the current position.  (Please Note: Absent extraordinary circumstances, prior disciplinary termination or resignation in lieu of termination will disqualify the applicant from future State employment with DNR).
• Pursuant to the DNR-120 Fleet and Driving Standards Administrative Directive, any worker who will be expected to drive a State-owned vehicle is responsible for maintaining a safe driving record and a valid driver license prior to driving any State-owned vehicle. 

To be compliant with the new fleet vehicle policy, Motor Vehicle Records (MVRs) will be pulled for review for workers who: 

Have an assigned State fleet vehicle

Are required to operate a vehicle as part of the position

Utilize a State fleet vehicle as a pool vehicle