Staff Veterinarian - Iowa Falls/West Des Moines, IA

Staff Veterinarian

Reports To: Director of Health Services

Last Revision Date: 07.09.2025

Company Values:

We believe in doing the right thing every day, operating with character and integrity, and being stewards of our resource by committing to:

• Our Animals
• Our People
• Our Environment
• Our Community

The core values of an organization are those values we hold which form the foundation on which we perform work and conduct ourselves. We expect all leaders, managers, and employees to demonstrate, foster and promote:

• Respect: We treat people with respect regardless of personal opinions or differing backgrounds, and no one within the organization is more or less important than anyone else
• Accountability: We hold ourselves accountable for completing our job responsibilities and following through on our commitments. We encompass our ability to recognize our own strengths and areas for improvement as well as accept responsibility for the performance and actions of ourselves and our teams without blaming others
• Good Decision-Making: We are expected to continuously improve processes, attain results, and create efficiencies to achieve our mission while solving problems based on a combination of factual information, analysis, wisdom, and experience
• Flexibility: We must react to changing circumstances, ambiguity and uncertainty with confidence, openness, positive energy, and optimism.

Purpose of Position:

Develop and implement innovative strategies to improve the health of the system and assist production services in achieving system production goals. Ensure compliance for the legal and responsible use of antibiotics in the production system. Ensure health decisions and protocols meet our production well-being standards. As a member of production leadership team, assist in development and implementation of strategies to achieve system goals.

Essential Job Functions and Responsibilities:

• This position will be responsible for providing veterinary service and support to Iowa Select Farms animals.
• Responsibilities would consist primarily of multiplication system veterinary support and regional commercial sow farm support.
• Develop and assist in implementation of Biosecurity Protocols for the system.
• Understand current health issues and develop short- and long-term strategies to address the issues.
• Assist production personnel on assessing health on site including diagnostic collection and data organization.
• Take ownership in the system and provide leadership in the system as part of the production leadership team
• Conduit for innovative health solutions
• Proactively find solutions from industry meetings, contacts, research, collaborations and implement them in the system.
• Develop programs which insure responsible use of antibiotics in the system.
• Development of testing programs that monitor and protect health within the system.
• Develop and implement programs to achieve budgeted costs for animal health and supply costs.
• Ensure compliance for VFDs
• Feed medications
• Water medications
• Other requirements
• Maintain current PQA+ Advisor Certification
• Train swine caretakers to identify herd health issues and how to properly communicate concerns to the production management team.
• Monitor overall vaccine and medication use, assess techniques, and evaluate the results of various products.
• Train swine caretakers and vaccination crews on the appropriate storage, preparation, mixing and dilution techniques for oral and injectable vaccines.
• Educate swine caretakers on the appropriate storage, preparation, mixing and dilution techniques for oral and injectable medications
• Reinforce and implement biosecurity protocols.
• Assess biosecurity procedures during site visits.
• Train swine caretakers on proper biosecurity techniques and acceptable protocols.
• Train swine caretakers on proper euthanasia techniques and acceptable methods.
• Evaluate overall ventilation system management in relationship to overall herd health and well-being.
• Evaluate overall feed and water system management in relationship to overall herd health and well-being.
• Conduct one-on-one training with farm personnel and swine caretakers to develop techniques that will positively impact production.
• Utilize production records to assess the effectiveness of the herd health programs.
• Incorporate all the responsibilities listed above to administer health programs that are effective at the individual animal level, the farm level, and the overall herd level within the Health Services and Production Management Team.

Company Expectations:

• Adhere to Iowa Select Farms bio-security policy at all times which includes reporting any violations or concerns to management team
• Compliance with Iowa Select Farms safety policies and procedures which includes continuous education to maintain a safe work environment
• Follow Iowa Select Farms animal wellbeing policy at all times and partner with the Production Well-being team in a timely manner if an incident occurs

Leadership Competencies:

• Collaboration Skills
• Teamwork
• Decision Making
• Leadership
• Communication Proficiency
• Ethical Conduct
• Problem Solving
• Project Management
• Thoroughness
• Time Management

Work Environment:

• Minimum of 50% of the time on farm in the field with pigs
• The environment of this position will change daily pending weekly schedule
• This position may require some tasks to be performed in outside weather conditions.
• The noise level in the work environment and job sites can be loud.
• While performing the duties of the job, the employee is frequently exposed to fumes or airborne particles, moving mechanical parts and vibrations.
• The environment you will be working will have nuisance levels of gasses and dust, particularly in the winter months

Physicality Requirements:

• The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of the job.
• Required to stand; walk; sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools, or controls; reach with hands and arms; climb stairs; balance; stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl; talk or hear.
• The employee must be able to continuously repeat necessary movements such as bending, lifting and different hand movements as needed to complete tasks
• Physical requirements include the ability to lift at least 40 pounds and remove mortality weighing up to 300 lbs. with farm supplied tools.
• Ability to climb over gates up to 48 inches in height

Position Type/Expected Hours of Work:

• This is a full-time position that will require a minimum of 40 hours per week
• Occasional evening hours and weekend work may be required as job duties demand
• Additional availability may be required during staffing challenges

Travel:

• Regular travel will be required for this position which entails the utilization of a company vehicle

Education, Experience and Other Qualifications:

• A DVM with emphasis in swine production along with experience in the swine field is required for consideration

Other Duties:

• Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Additional duties, responsibilities, and activities may be assigned or changed at any time with or without notice.