Veterinarian

State of North Carolina•Agriculture Johnston, NC

9d•$82,857 - $115,000•Remote

About The Position

The North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ Meat and Poultry Inspection Division (MPID) is hiring a veterinarian to help protect the state’s food supply and public health. MPID enforces state and federal laws to ensure meat and poultry products are wholesome, unadulterated, and properly labeled. The program operates at a standard at least equal to the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service and conducts inspections at more than 200 red meat slaughter and meat and poultry processing plants across North Carolina. The veterinarian performs food-safety and animal-health work at inspected establishments, including veterinary dispositions, humane-handling compliance assessments, sampling, food-safety system reviews, audits, and export-document verification. The primary territory is eastern North Carolina, with occasional duties elsewhere in the state. The position is home-based, includes a state-owned vehicle for official travel, and requires travel within North Carolina, including occasional overnight stays. Hours vary Monday through Friday, with occasional Saturdays, holidays, and overtime as needed.

Requirements

Be licensed or eligible for licensure to practice veterinary medicine in North Carolina.
Successfully complete required training within specified timeframes.
Have a valid driver’s license by the date of employment.
Apply knowledge of pathological conditions in live animals and post-mortem to assess public-health risk.
Read, comprehend, and apply federal and state laws and regulations regarding humane handling, food safety, and veterinary public health.
Communicate effectively verbally and in writing with farmers, establishment owners and operators, government personnel, and other agency representatives.
Be able to work near live animals and in direct contact with meat and poultry products derived from cattle, swine, sheep, goats, ratites, chickens, and turkeys.
Have normal color vision or correct color-vision deficiencies before employment; color vision will be tested at interview.

Responsibilities

Perform veterinary dispositions at red meat slaughter facilities to assess animal health and food safety.
Assess compliance with humane-handling regulations at inspected establishments.
Collect samples for laboratory analysis, including residues, pathology, and antimicrobial resistance monitoring (NARMS).
Review food-safety systems for regulatory compliance.
Conduct audits of registered meat handlers and verify proper practices.
Sign and verify export documentation to support safe global food trade.