A Day in the Life:

The essential functions of this role are as follows:

• Performs various activities associated with planning, preparation, response and recovery for an animal disease event. Focus will be on:
• Activities related to preparedness in the poultry and swine sectors
• May perform a variety of inspections on animals for diseases and pests to ensure that the animals meet State and Federal animal health standards.
• National & International Disease Outbreak Monitoring
  • Interns will be tasked with identifying and monitoring new and ongoing disease outbreaks occurring outside of Indiana’s borders domestically and internationally that have the potential to affect Indiana’s livestock industry, food supply, public health, or companion animal population. The interns will organize and present timely briefings to appropriate BOAH staff members regarding these outbreaks to include clinical manifestations of the disease, transmission dynamics, control measures being instituted, and the public health and economic consequences of the outbreaks. If the risk to Indiana is deemed high, interns may be asked to complete a deeper literature search and review of state and national response plans in place for the disease.
• Foreign Animal Disease Investigation Procedure Development
• Performs other regulatory activities related to animal health, animal care, food safety, and emergency response/biosecurity.
• Training of Indiana Private Veterinarians on Electronic Animal Movement Documentation Platforms
  • BOAH continues to transition Indiana veterinarians from using paper documents to electronic platforms. Interns will be tasked with identifying Indiana veterinarians that are currently still using paper CVI’s, implementing free electronic applications at their practices, and training the clinic’s veterinarian’s and staff members on using these systems.
• May evaluate animals presented for exhibition at fairs, shows and exhibitions for compliance with State and Federal animal health or exhibition standards.  
• Maintains and submits a variety of records and reports on all phases of activities. 
• Maintains the security and up keep of all state and federal equipment used in the accomplishment of daily activities. 

Projects
Database Updates: Each summer, BOAH relies on interns to complete a full update of our veterinarian and veterinary clinic modules housed in our database. There are approximately 2,000 veterinarians in Indiana, the majority of which provide regulatory services on behalf of BOAH and/or the USDA to Indiana citizens including vaccination, testing, and surveillance for reportable and program diseases, application of official livestock identification, and issuance of certificates of veterinary inspection for animal movement and disease traceability. For all Indiana veterinarians, the interns will be responsible for updating license and accreditation status, the veterinarian’s contact information, and the contact information for the practice or organization where they are employed.    

Capstone Project: Students will be expected to work on a project throughout the duration of the internship to be completed by the end of the internship. The animal sciences student capstone project typically involves applying knowledge and skills to a real-world regulatory animal health setting. The project may focus on a specific area of interest and could include tasks like case studies, research on animal health issues, or developing plans under the guidance of experienced veterinarians. The project aims to enhance the student’s problem solving, decision-making, and hands-on veterinary skills, preparing them for professional careers in animal health.

What You'll Need for Success:

• Must be currently enrolled as an undergraduate or graduate with an accredited post-secondary institution and have completed at least one (1) year of undergraduate education.
• Academic work in related field
• Excellent oral and written communication skills
• Ability to analyze data sets related to discipline 
• Ability to build relationships, establish credibility, and influence leaders at all levels 
• Ability to conduct well-informed research
• Ability to solve complex, critical problems
• Ability to review and make recommendations on proposed changes to relevant policies and procedures
• Ability to maintain confidentiality
• General knowledge of animal husbandry and animal industry practices as acquired through a regular course of study as a 3rd or 4th year student in an animal science or similar degree program.
• Ability to learn and perform tissue and serum sample collections.
• Ability to handle different types of animals.
• General knowledge of pertinent Federal and State laws and regulations. 
• Ability to secure compliance with laws and regulations firmly, tactfully, and impartially.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with associates; farmers and livestock operators; local, state and federal government representatives; and the general public. 
• Ability to communicate tactfully and firmly with a variety of different people encountered on the job in an effective manner. 
• Ability to use current technology in the performance of the assigned duties including laptop computers, database programs, digital cameras, etc. 
• Possess a current motor vehicle operator’s license. 
• Must be enrolled in and in good standing in an accredited program that will lead to a Bachelor’s degree with a major or minor in animal science or similar degree.