Entry Level Animal Jobs in Wisconsin (NOW HIRING)

Introduction
The Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection ( DATCP ) works hard to protect and promote Wisconsin's agricultural industries and consumers. As an agency, we strive to serve the people of Wisconsin assuring: safe, wholesome food; consumer protection and fair business practices; animal and plant health; a clean environment; and strong agriculture and commerce. To successfully attain these goals, we recognize our success hinges on the diverse, high quality, dedicated staff we employ.
DATCP currently has an opening for an Animal Health Compliance Specialist position within the Division of Animal Health in the Bureau of Field Services.
This is a field-based position and routine statewide travel is required. The selected applicant can select a headquarters in one of the following counties :
Dane, Grant, Green, Iowa, Jefferson, Kenosha, Lafayette, Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Racine, Rock, Walworth, or Waukesha County.
When applying please select all counties in which you are willing to be headquartered.
Employee Benefits: These positions offer the State of Wisconsin's excellent benefits package , which includes 3.5 weeks of paid time off to start, 9 paid holidays, accrued sick leave, multiple insurance options and an exceptional retirement plan!
By working for Wisconsin State Government, you may also be eligible for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program Please click the link for details.
Click here to see what working for the State of Wisconsin is all about!
This posting may be used to fill future similar vacancies.
Position Summary
Under general supervision, this position serves as an animal health compliance specialist for an assigned region of the state with responsibility for investigations and enforcement of state animal health laws and codes. The position leads and coordinates investigations, including the most in-depth case reviews of animal markets/dealers/truckers, farm-raised deer keepers, dog sellers, violations of permit laws, illegal entry of animal, contagious disease exposure and more. As a lead investigator, the position will coordinate the activities of other staff, research the most complex technical violations of WI animal health laws and administrative code. Investigations may involve civil or criminal activity which frequently cross state-lines or jurisdictions. The position prepares reports of investigations, develops materials for prosecution, issues animal hold orders or quarantines, drafts complaints/summons/stipulations, and makes recommendations in settlement negotiations with defendants. The position provides Animal Health subject matter expertise for local district attorneys and law enforcement officials. As a result of investigations, the position seeks to gain voluntary compliance through administrative procedures or institutes court action where necessary (e.g., issue warning letters, suspensions, revocations, civil forfeitures, civil or criminal prosecution, etc.). The position may also investigate state-wide or multi-state cases as well as those in its primary geographic area. In the event of an animal disease response in WI, this position is responsible for assisting in response related activities. Finally, this position may provide occasional investigative and monitoring services to the Veterinary Examining Board (VEB) which includes conducting and/or coordinating complex investigations on veterinarians, certified veterinarian technicians, and unlicensed practice. This may involve securing testimony and physical evidence in order to support effective enforcement actions by the Board. The services this position provides to the VEB also include monitoring licensees disciplined by the Board.
Full position description
Salary Information
The entry level Animal Health Compliance Specialist is in schedule-range 05-63 and starting pay is $32.00 up to $34.05 per hour commensurate with experience.
This position is not represented by a collective bargaining unit. A 12-month probationary period is required. Pay for current state employees will be set in accordance with the State Compensation Plan at the time of hire.
Job Details
At DATCP, we strive to deliver efficient and effective programs and services to Wisconsin agriculture, consumers, and businesses. The Department has numerous on-the-job training (OJT) opportunities, unique to each Bureau.
These OJT opportunities include direct experience and practice through collaboration with co-workers/supervisor, peer mentoring, and job-specific training modules.
OJT for our Animal Health Inspector's include: Humane Officer Training, job shadowing and on the job shadowing, program guide, policy and administrative code review.
Conditions of Employment:
DATCP does not sponsor work visas. Any appointment made will be contingent on the selected applicants being able to provide documentation of eligibility to work in the United States.
A criminal background check will be performed on the selected applicants prior to an offer of employment.
Possession of a valid driver's license and the eligibility to drive a State of Wisconsin Fleet Vehicle* is required
*In order to be authorized to drive a State vehicle the candidate must meet the requirements of the State of Wisconsin Fleet Vehicle Policy, which are:

• Must have a valid driver's license;
• Must have a minimum of two years of licensed driving experience;
• Must be 18 years of age.

Additionally, your driving record MUST NOT reflect any of the following conditions:

• Three or more moving violations and/or at-fault accidents in the past two years;
• Operating While Intoxicated (OWI)/Driving Under the Influence (DUI) citation within the past 12 months;
• Suspension or revocation of driver's license.

Routine travel of 50%-70% of the time is required for conducting investigations, inspections, etc. (varying based on case trends, disease response, etc.). Additionally, some overnight travel may be required for training, work conferences, etc., and may increase during disease response (overnight stays lasting several days to several weeks are required in the event of an emergency response deployment, sometimes with little advance notice).
Basic maintenance and transportation of DAH equipment is required as needed, including but not limited to: generators, trailers, UTV, etc.
Ability to lift up to 50lbs is required to restrain animals, etc.
Ability to stand up to 12 hours per day during emergency response deployments.
Please note: if selected, you will be required to obtain an appointment as a Wisconsin Notary Public; Wisconsin Notary Public eligibility requirements can be found here . The Division of Animal Health will cover required registration fees associated with notary commission.
Qualifications
Minimally qualified candidates will have each of the following:

• Experience conducting and documenting investigations to verify compliance with policies, rules, laws, etc.
• Experience in professional writing such as drafting legal documents or documents administering enforcement actions or other comparable professional writing
• Experience with administering formal discipline, formal penalties, enforcement actions, or other corrective action

In addition to the minimum qualifications above, highly qualified candidates will have one or more of the following:

• Experience in animal handling, agriculture or animal production practices
• Experience providing training & education on state statutes/laws and/or regulations
• Experience addressing complaints from stakeholders, the general public, regulated entities, or similar

How To Apply
If viewing this posting on an external site (such as indeed.com, etc.), please visit Wisc.Jobs and search for this Job ID: 21556 to complete your application for this posting.
DATCP is an Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action employer seeking a diverse and talented workforce. We provide reasonable accommodations to qualified applicants and employees with disabilities.
The State of Wisconsin offers a special program for qualified veterans with a 30% or greater service-connected disability. If you are a qualified veteran, please visit the Veterans Employment page for application instructions to be considered for the Veterans Non-Competitive Appointment program. For complete information on veterans hiring programs that may benefit you, please visit the Employment page on WDVA's website.
To be considered for this position, you will need to create an account (if you don't already have one) and apply online via the "Apply for Job" button listed on the top right of the job posting page. You will be required to upload a current resume and a letter of qualifications that clearly describes your qualifications and experience as they relate to the qualifications listed in this job posting. Review the applicant resources , including tips on how to write a resume and letter of qualifications.
Submitted application materials will be evaluated by job experts. Candidates who are deemed eligible will be invited to participate in the next step of the selection process, starting with those candidates who are deemed most qualified.
For general Wisc.Jobs user information and technical assistance, please check the Frequently Asked Questions . Please address questions regarding the application process to Jensen Peterson Jensen.peterson@wisconsin.gov
Deadline to Apply
The deadline to apply for this position is 11:59 p.m. on Monday, August 3, 2026.