We're Hiring!

Title: 531- Veterinarian

Organization: Health: Animal Control

Department: Animal Control

Location: Health

Rate of Pay: $93,302.35 – $148,941.68 (DOQ)

Job Summary

The purpose of this position is to ensure the overall health, treatment, and diagnosis of shelter animals and those at our local zoo. The zoo is a medium-sized, AZA accredited facility with a diverse ensemble of animals, including Western lowland gorillas, Galapagos tortoises, lions, tigers, multiple ungulates, small-to-large sized primates, an aquarium, and a notable herpetology collection that includes many species of crocodilians. The successful candidate will be responsible for creating and communicating medical policies to the appropriate staff, including proper quarantine and isolation protocols and those that are assisting at our local zoo. He or she will supervise and operate a low-cost spay neuter program offered to members of the public seeking to adopt shelter animals and to perform high volume spay and neuter animal surgery for pet adoptions. In addition, the position will help the senior Veterinarian at the Gladys Porter Zoo.

Competencies

• Safety Acumen
• Self-Leadership
• Customer Service
• Communication
• Self-Awareness
• Flexible
• Critical Thinking
• Trust
• Responsible
• Ethical
• Animal Care and Nutrition
• Animal Behavior, Handling, and Restraint Skills

Key Functions/Knowledge/Skills

Gladys Porter Zoo:
• Provides medical, surgical and nutritional care of the zoo’s animals
• Maintains and advances preventive medicine programs
• Provides triage, medical/surgery, care, rehabilitation and disposition of public donation animals and injured or orphaned wildlife
• Assists with investigational studies including: SSP/TAG research requests, surveys or requests for information, self or zoo-generated research, and contribute to zoological and veterinary knowledge via publications and presentations
• Participates in education of high school CVA, pre-veterinary and veterinary students
• Complies with regulations mandated by the AZA, DEA, USDA, USFWS, TPWD, Animal Welfare Act and other regulatory bodies
• Provides professional support to area organizations: Sea Turtle Inc.; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; Texas Parks and Wildlife; U.S. Department of Homeland Security; UTRGV Coastal Studies Laboratory; Texas Marine Mammal Stranding Network; and, municipal animal control departments

Animal Shelter:
• Implements workplan goals and objectives in coordination with city Health Dept. staff.
• Prepares and monitors related reports including productivity reports to the Public Health Director.
• Provides advice to the Public Health Director or his designee.
• Assists with the development of administrative procedures for the animal shelter and clinic operations.
• Prevent and control disease in the shelter animal population.
• Manage medical / surgical inventory for veterinary services.
• Provides medical and surgical care of shelter animals primarily performing castrations and ovariohysterectomies on dogs and cats.
• Organizes and coordinates emergency plans for animal evacuation and temporary shelters
• Works with state zoonotic officials
• Perform additional duties as assigned.

Minimum Education & Experience

D.V.M. (Doctor of Veterinary Medicine) or V.M.D. (Veterinarian Medicine Doctors) with two (2) years of veterinary experience.

Special Certifications & Licenses

Valid Texas Driver’s License.
Must be licensed as a Veterinarian by the State of Texas and hold a DEA Controlled Substance Registration Certificate.

Independence & Judgement

Skillful judgment with out-of-the ordinary situations or issues; may make decisions for subordinates.

Initiative & Ingenuity

General guidelines: occasionally requires interpretation of available options to apply to non-standard situations; day-to-day work drives priorities.

Supervisory & Responsibility

Regularly assigns and monitors the work for three or more employees; has knowledge of long-term plans and goals for the department.

Financial Responsibility

Calculates amounts due, using some judgment; receives and processes larger amounts; balances receipts and cash from one or more other employees; monitors budget; brings problems to attention of supervisor; has substantive input into overall organizational budget.

Level & Frequency of Outside Contact

Infrequent or non-difficult contacts with other people inside and/or outside department; straightforward information exchange, etc.

Physical Demands

Office job with little or occasional light physical effort. Ability to exert up to 35-50 lbs. of force occasionally to move objects.

Responsibility for Equipment & Property

Responsible for use of equipment/property such as office equipment, supplies, etc., which are used in office.

Working Conditions

Office job, no adverse conditions.

Other Requirements

The City of Brownsville requires all employees to successfully pass a Drug & Alcohol and a physical examination and a Background Check.

ADA Requirements

The City of Brownsville is an Equal Opportunity Employer. ADA requires the City to provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities. Prospective and current employees are invited to discuss accommodations.

Benefits

The City of Brownsville offers a comprehensive benefits package designed to support its employees' well-being and future. Employees participate in a robust retirement plan through the Texas Municipal Retirement System (TMRS) City to Employee Matching Ratio 2:1, with eligibility for retirement after 5 years of service at age 60 or 20 years of service at any age.

The City provides exceptional health benefits, including medical, dental, and life insurance plans for employees and their families, along with vision coverage for employees enrolled in health insurance through MetLife. Employees and their dependents can also access care at Frontier Clinic at no cost when covered by the City's health plan. Additionally, pet insurance is available as a voluntary benefit.

Employees have access to deferred compensation plans through Equitable and supplemental insurance options from AFLAC and Colonial Life. Full-time employees accrue 10 sick days and 15 vacation days annually.
The City offers parental leave concurrent with FMLA for eligible employees, longevity pay, and 100% tuition assistance up to $5,000 annually. Furthermore, Brownsville observes 14 holidays per year, plus two floating holidays, giving employees a balanced and rewarding work-life experience.

Starting in fiscal year 2025, employees will have access to flexible scheduling options as part of our commitment to work-life balance.

EEOC Statements

The City of Brownsville does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service, or other non-merit factors.