On-Plant Veterinarian

Australian Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry; Mackay Regional; On-site; AUD 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Relocation assistance

Remote locality allowance

Job summary

Australian Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry – Mackay QLD is seeking a Veterinary Officer within the Veterinary and Export Meat Branch (VEMB). The role covers export meat and live animal veterinary duties, ensuring compliance with regulatory standards and international requirements.

You will lead a team, provide expert veterinary guidance, participate in inspections, and contribute to emergency preparedness while collaborating with stakeholders across multiple locations.

Qualifications

• Demonstrated ability to communicate clearly with stakeholders.
• Ability to work autonomously and mentor small teams.
• Strong skills in negotiating and resolving disputes.
• Proficiency in interpreting legislation, rules and policies.
• Capability to analyse information and make evidence-based decisions.

Responsibilities

• Provide veterinary and technical advice on public health, food safety and meat product quality.
• Ensure compliance with Export Control Act 2020 and MEVS requirements.
• Maintain veterinary standards and stay updated on regulatory changes.
• Oversee animal welfare and report outcomes to maintain high standards.
• Conduct or supervise ante-mortem and post-mortem inspections and ensure standards.

Skills

Interpersonal skills

Autonomy & leadership

Dispute resolution

Legislation interpretation

Analytical decision making

Job description

Australian Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry – Mackay QLD

The duties of the role may include some or all of the following:

• Provide Expert Advice: You will offer veterinary and technical advice on public health, food safety and the quality of meat products. Your expertise will support establishment management and other stakeholders, ensuring all processes align with regulatory standards.
• Ensure Compliance: You’ll ensure the establishment meets its legal obligations under the Export Control Act 2020 and related legislation. You’ll monitor compliance through the Meat Establishment Verification System (MEVS), ensuring products meet importing country requirements.
• Maintain Veterinary Standards: You’ll stay informed on the latest developments in veterinary science and legislative changes, sharing this knowledge with the team and the establishment. You’ll apply best practices in quality assurance and Australian/international standards.
• Animal Welfare: You will oversee animal welfare, ensuring compliance with state, national and international standards. You will monitor and report outcomes to maintain high animal welfare standards.
• Inspection and Examinations: You will conduct or supervise ante-mortem and post-mortem inspections, ensuring compliance with the Australian Standard for production of meat and meat products (AS 4696:2023) and relevant overseas requirements.
• Emergency Preparedness: You’ll contribute to veterinary emergency management plan and onsite emergency animal disease preparedness plan, ensuring the establishment is prepared for any potential outbreaks.
• Training and Leadership: You’ll lead, mentor, and develop a team of veterinary and non-veterinary staff, fostering a high-performance environment. You’ll also chair weekly meetings with management, providing feedback on key performance indicators (KPIs) and processes.
• Sampling and Testing: You’ll collect samples to test for diseases and verify compliance with substance regulations, ensuring the safety and integrity of meat products.

As a veterinary officer in the Veterinary and Export Meat Branch (VEMB) you will be required to undertake activities across export meat and live animal veterinary officer roles. VEMB undertakes regulatory functions by providing inspection and certification for the export of meat, meat products and the import and export of live animals and reproductive material in order to meet importing country requirements and Australian legislative requirements.

Who we are looking for

Skills and capabilities

• Demonstrated effective interpersonal skills with a capacity to communicate clearly and concisely with both internal and external stakeholders.
• A proven ability to work autonomously, manage small teams and interact effectively within large organisational structures.
• Strong dispute resolution and negotiation skills.
• Competence in interpreting and applying legislation, rules, policies, guidelines and codes of conduct.
• The ability to analyse information and make informed, evidence-based decisions.

Work locations

Currently, ongoing OPV positions are available at the following locations:

QLD – OPV Pool (based in Warwick), OPV Pool (based in Rockhampton), Biloela*, Charleville*, Gympie, Kilcoy, Kingaroy, Mackay, Moranbah

NSW – Bourke*

TAS – OPV Pool (Cressy/Longford)

Remote Localities

* These localities have been graded as remote localities. Employees working in these locations are paid an annual district allowance in accordance with the relevant provision (Clause 631) of the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Enterprise Agreement 2024-2027. The successful applicant will also be entitled to additional annual leave as well as leave fares assistance.

Please note that future ongoing and non-ongoing vacancies (both regional and metropolitan) may become available throughout Australia and the merit pool established from this process may be used to fill these vacancies where the duties are of a similar nature. Non ongoing (specified term) contracts may be offered to new employees for an initial period of up to twelve months with the possibility of extension up to a maximum period of two years in total. Non-ongoing (casual) contracts will be offered for periods of up to two years. Some of these non-ongoing positions may become ongoing in the next eighteen months. Should a position become ongoing then the merit pool, which is valid for a period of eighteen months from the date the vacancy was advertised in the Public Service Gazette, may be used to fill the vacancy on an ongoing basis.

Relocation assistance

The department is open to negotiating a package of assistance to assist successful applicants with the costs associated with relocating to a new work location.

Information session

We will be holding an online information session (timing will be confirmed upon registration) at 4:30 pm (AEST) on Wednesday 16 September 2026 where there will be a presentation on the role and an opportunity to ask questions. Staff with the relevant experience will be online to answer questions about the role. Please register by emailing Kylie Ollington at ***************@aff.gov.au.

Eligibility and other requirements

• hold and maintain a valid motor vehicle licence and be capable of driving in accordance with Australian road laws
• note that the ability to perform shift work is a requirement when applying for this position(s)
• note that the physical requirements of the role(s) involve a combination of outdoor and office-based work
• note that the position may require them to participate in an on-call roster (for which an appropriate restriction allowance will be paid) and be available to perform duty outside standard hours
• note that you may be required to perform occasional out-of-hours and weekend work
• wear appropriate protective personal equipment and clothing to comply with departmental Work Health & Safety policies and procedures
• note that you will be required to undergo a pre-employment medical examination which will include Q-Fever tests and that Q-Fever immunisation will be required where immunity cannot be established
• note that the role will involve some interstate and intrastate travel to assist other regions to cover staff shortages (e.g. leave) or operational needs.

Flexible employment arrangements are available with the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry.