Scdnr Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Salary: $104,000.00 Annually
Location : Lexington County, SC
Job Type: FTE - Full-Time
Job Number: 186346
Agency: Department of Natural Resources
Division: Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division
Opening Date: 05/28/2026
Closing Date: 6/17/2026 5:00 PM Eastern
Agency Specific Application Procedures:: All applicants must apply online.
Class Code:: LA18
Position Number:: 61160161
Normal Work Schedule:: Monday - Friday (8:30 - 5:00)
Pay Grade: GEN12
Hiring Range - Min.: $104,000.00
Opening Date: 05/28/2026
EEO Statement: Equal Opportunity Employer
Veteran Preference Statement: South Carolina is making our Veterans a priority for employment in state agencies and institutions.
Job Responsibilities
This employee will serve as the Wildlife Veterinarian for SCDNR and will support the Department's wildlife health program through surveillance, diagnostics, response, and management of wildlife diseases.
Job Duties Include

• Conducting year-round wildlife morbidity and mortality investigations across taxonomic groups and providing veterinary expertise for emerging wildlife diseases.
• Assisting in the capture, handling, and sample collection protocols to ensure animal welfare and safe sample collection.
• Serving as the Agency lead for Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) surveillance and monitoring.
• Establishing and maintaining veterinary-client-patient relationships (VCPR) with Agency hatcheries and the Southeastern Cooperative Fish Parasite and Disease Project (SCFPDP) in order to issue veterinary feed directives to treat pathogens and spawning hormone prescriptions and address other fish health and husbandry-related issues.
• Coordinating with state agricultural agencies, public health departments, departments of environmental quality, and other state entities on disease events with cross-agency impacts.
• Acting as a primary liaison with federal partners such as USDA APHIS, USFWS, and the USGS National Wildlife Health Center.
• Participating in statewide and regional fish and wildlife health working groups and emergency response teams.
• Performing necropsies on select wildlife species when appropriate, ensuring chain-of-custody and biosafety guidelines are followed.
• Preparing and submitting diagnostic samples, interpreting laboratory results and communicating findings to agency staff.
• Serving as liaison between the agency and state/federal diagnostic laboratories.
• Maintaining, updating, and querying fish and wildlife disease surveillance databases.
• Ensuring accurate data entry, metadata standards, and integration with GIS and reporting tools.
• Producing regular and ad-hoc disease summary reports for agency leadership, field staff, and external partners.
• Training agency staff and partners in wildlife disease surveillance, sample collection, safe handling, and reporting protocols.
• Preparing fact sheets, web content, and technical guidance documents.
• Providing expert testimony, media support, and public presentations as approved by the agency.

Minimum and Additional Requirements
Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM or equivalent) from an accredited institution. At least two (2) years of experience with handling and veterinary care of wildlife species including mammals, birds, and fish.
Eligibility for licensure as a veterinarian in the state of South Carolina.
Preferred Qualifications
Board certification or training in zoological/wildlife health, pathology, or preventive medicine. Experience with CWD, HPAI, and other major wildlife diseases. Experience with wildlife anesthesia and handling. Experience with fish health programs or aquaculture disease monitoring. Familiarity with GIS mapping, epidemiological software, or relational databases.
Benefits for State Employees
The state of South Carolina offers eligible employees generous benefits, including health and dental insurance; retirement and savings plan options; and paid vacation and sick leave. Plus, work-life balance programs such as telecommuting and flexible work schedules are available to employees of some state agencies.
Insurance Benefits
Eligible employees may enroll in health insurance, which includes prescription coverage and wellness benefits. Other available insurance benefits include dental, vision, term life insurance, long term disability and flexible spending accounts for health and child care expenses.
Retirement Benefits
State employees are also offered retirement plan options, including defined benefit and defined contribution plans. Additionally, eligible employees may elect to participate in the South Carolina Deferred Compensation Program, which is a voluntary, supplemental retirement savings plan offering 401(k) and 457 plan options.
Workplace Benefits
State employees may also be eligible for other benefits, including tuition assistance; holiday, annual and sick leave; and discounts on purchases, travel and more.
Note: The benefits above are available to most state employees, with the exception of those in temporary positions. Employees in temporary grant and time-limited positions may be eligible for all, some or none of these benefits as benefits are associated with each position type. For these positions, contact the hiring agency to determine what benefits may be available.
01
Are you currently employed with SCDNR?

• Yes
• No

02
Do you have AT LEAST a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM or equivalent) from an accredited institution AND two (2) years of experience with handling and veterinary care of wildlife species including mammals, birds, and fish?

• Yes
• No

Required Question