Veterinary Officer

Agriculture Victoria; Colac; Hybrid; AUD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work arrangements

Job summary

The Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action in Victoria invites applications for a Veterinary Officer (VO) to lead the Animal Health and Welfare Unit in Colac. You will oversee major animal health projects, supervise district staff, and ensure the delivery and QA of the Animal Health and Welfare program through disease surveillance, certification, audits and incident response.

You will conduct investigations into animal health and welfare issues, collaborate with Victoria Police,

Qualifications

• Mandatory Veterinary degree registrable with the Veterinary Practitioners Registration Board of Victoria.
• Verification required prior to appointment.

Responsibilities

• Management of animal welfare risks.
• Disease surveillance.
• Domestic and Export certification.
• National Livestock Identification System auditing.
• Preparedness and response to animal disease outbreaks.
• Response to animal welfare issues.
• Conduct investigations and appear in court under relevant acts.

Skills

Investigation skills

Court appearance

Regulatory compliance

Stakeholder collaboration

Education

Veterinary degree

Job description

Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action

As a Veterinary Officer (VO) you will work as a member of the Animal Health and Welfare Unit, to ensure the delivery of major animal health projects that include disease surveillance; livestock legislation and enforcement management; emergency preparedness and response; and traceability and auditing. As the supervisor of the staff in their district, the DVO is accountable for the delivery and quality assurance of the Animal Health and Welfare program in their district.

Veterinary Officers are required to lead disease and animal welfare investigations in their district. By utilising their clinical experience in the prevention, investigation, diagnosis, control, eradication and treatment of diseases of farmed livestock in Victoria, they will contribute to better veterinary outcomes in these investigations.

The successful applicant will work with other staff delivering services that contribute to protecting and improving market access, work effectively as a member of a team, enjoy flexible working arrangements and undertake a wide variety of work across the division, involving;

• Management of animal welfare risks
• Disease surveillance
• Domestic and Export certification
• National Livestock Identification System auditing
• Preparedness and response to animal disease outbreaks
• Response to animal welfare issues

As part of an integrated and flexible business model within the Biosecurity and Agriculture Services Branch (BAS), you may also provide support to other programs or other regions.

You must work effectively and cooperatively in a team environment and with other agencies such as Victoria Police, CFA, and private veterinarians within the district. You will establish strong working relationships with internal staff and various external stakeholders including private landowners, community and industry groups as well as local and state government agencies.

As this is a regulatory position, you will be required to conduct investigations and appear in court. This position has responsibilities under the Livestock Disease Control Act 1994 (all livestock), the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1986, the Stock (Seller Liability and Declaration) Act 1993, the Agricultural and Veterinary Chemical (Control of Use) Act 1992, the Food Act 1984 and the Livestock Management Act 2010.

Specialist/Technical Expertise/Qualifications

Mandatory:

• An appropriate tertiary degree in Veterinary Science registrable with the Veterinary Practitioners Registration Board of Victoria.
• Candidates must have these qualifications to be considered eligible and verification is required prior to appointment.

This is a fixed term position available for a period of 18 months. The work location for this position is Colac with hybrid work arrangements available.

Please refer to the Key Selection Criteria provided in the Position Description, including the mandatory requirements.

Applications close 11.59pm on Monday, 9 November 2026.

Preferred candidates will be required to undertake pre-employment screening, including a Declaration and Consent form and a Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check.

To be eligible for appointment to this role, applicants will possess corresponding work rights for the advertised employment period. Appointment to an ongoing position is only available to an Australian/New Zealand citizen or an Australian Permanent Resident.

An inclusive, culturally safe and flexible workplace

DEECA fosters an inclusive workplace culture and is committed to a fair, accessible, and equitable recruitment process.

We strongly encourage Aboriginal and or Torres Strait Islander people to apply. We recognise the strengths, knowledge and perspectives First Nations people bring and DEECA is committed to a culturally safe and respectful workplace. If you need support to participate, please contact ***************@deeca.vic.gov.au.

We support flexible working arrangements, including hybrid work, varied hours, part-time work and job sharing. For more information about our recruitment processes, visit applying for a role with us.