Registered Veterinary Technologist, ER & ICU, Western Veterinary Specialist & Emergency Centre

VCA Animal Hospitals, Inc; Calgary; On-site; CAD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

RRSP Employer Match (5%)

CE allowance

Paid time off for CE, vacation, sick,

Uniform allowance

Mental health resources

Pet care discounts

Job summary

Western Veterinary Specialist & Emergency Centre in Calgary, AB is seeking an ICU/ER Registered Veterinary Technologist (RVT) to join a team of board certified specialists and learn cutting‑edge veterinary medicine. The ideal candidate demonstrates compassion, strong communication, and the ability to thrive in a high‑pressure ICU/ER environment.

The role involves inpatient care, anesthesia for minor procedures, and collaboration with referring hospitals.

Qualifications

• Excellent interpersonal skills and compassion in a high‑pressure ICU/ER setting.
• Strong verbal and written communication abilities are essential.
• Solid technical skills with the ability to care for critically ill patients.
• Experience with anesthesia administration and monitoring in dogs and cats.

Responsibilities

• Inpatient care: managing treatments, diagnostics, and monitoring for ill hospitalized patients.
• Triage on the ER service and assist DVM with diagnostics, treatments, admissions and discharges.
• Administer anesthesia for minor emergency procedures; assist in setup and recovery.
• Communicate with clients and referring hospitals regularly.
• Contribute to delivering high‑quality care and a positive VCA Canada experience.

Skills

Interpersonal skills

Compassion

Communication skills

Technical skills

Critical care

Anesthesia administration

Education

Registered Veterinary Technician in Alberta

Job description

Registered Veterinary Technologist, RVT

Department: ER & ICU

Location: Calgary, AB

Western Veterinary Specialist & Emergency Centre is welcoming an ICU/ER Registered Veterinary Technologist to join our team. This position provides an opportunity to work with top board certified specialists and the ability to learn about cutting-edge veterinary medicine.

About Our Ideal Candidate:

The successful candidate will possess excellent interpersonal skills, compassion, and the ability to work efficiently in a high-pressure atmosphere. Excellent verbal and written communication skills are essential, as is the ability to work well within a highly functioning team. This person will have strong technical skills, be capable of caring for critical ill patients, be comfortable administering anesthesia, and be eager to constantly learn. The schedule for this position will be 12-hour shifts with a rotating 4/5 on, 4/5 off schedule, ensuring 2/4 weekends off per month. The schedule rotates monthly between 06:00-18:00, 08:00-20:00 and 19:00-07:00. (night premium added)

Responsibilities:

• Inpatient care: Facilitating treatments, diagnostic work-up and monitoring of ill hospitalized patients.
• Triage: Assessing and determining priority of patients on the ER service, and assisting the DVM with diagnostics, treatments, admissions and discharges.
• Procedures: Administering anesthesia for minor emergency procedures, assisting in set-up, and patient recovery.
• Communicating with clients and referring hospitals on a regular basis.
• Drive the VCA Canada experience and ensure our patients receive the highest quality care.

Qualifications:

• Registered Veterinary Technician in Alberta
• Preference given for a minimum three years of experience as an RVT, ideally in an emergency or referral setting
• Experience in providing general anesthesia and monitoring in dogs and cats
• Ability to think critically and multi-task while working in a fast-paced, stimulating environment with challenging cases
• Exceptional time-management skills and excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Proficiency in performing calculations (drugs, constant rate infusions, unit conversions, etc.)
• Ability to work well with others in a hospital that requires a multi-disciplinary team approach among the specialty services
• Compassionate care and superior client communication skills

What We Can Offer You

• Competitive compensation that reflects your skills, experience, and the role.
• RRSP Employer Group Match Program (5%) to help you save for the future.
• Paid time off for continuing education, vacation, sick days, and personal wellness days.
• Annual CE Allowance.
• Benefits: Minimum 24 hours per week for eligibility, with flexible options.
• Paid annual certification memberships and uniform allowance.
• Mental health support tools and resources: Virtual health care (telemedicine), Employee Assistance Program (EAP), and digital wellness tools supporting mindfulness, sleep, and physical fitness.
• Various career development pathways.
• Generous personal pet care discounts and lifestyle perks, including exclusive shopping discounts and access to a wellness app

About us:

Founded in 2001, WVSEC is dedicated to serving the needs of veterinarians and pet owners, offering state-of-the-art specialty and emergency veterinary services at one of the largest, most comprehensive facilities of its kind in Canada. Our team includes specialists in Critical Care, Medical and Radiation Oncology, Radiology, Surgery, Internal Medicine, along with 24-hour emergency care and rehabilitation services. Our hospital culture fosters teamwork and camaraderie that naturally leads to delivering exceptional care to our patients, and service to our clients, referring veterinarians and our community. The hospital is well equipped with digital radiography, ultrasound, endoscopy, fluoroscopy, CT, linear accelerator, mechanical ventilator, and a complete on-site diagnostic laboratory. Our referral base is large, with over 75 referring hospitals in our 1.2 million person trade area. Twenty of these hospitals in Calgary are partner clinics from whom we draw referrals to all services.

Western strives to provide our technicians with a respectful, educational, productive, fun and collaborative work environment where the primary goal is to provide world-class veterinary services and patient care. We offer a dynamic team environment, encompassing specialty and emergency services. Candidates should have advanced technical skills, exceptional client service and communication skills and have a special interest in referral medicine. Come be a part of Calgary’s team of veterinary specialty professionals.

Our Story

VCA Canada is a network of veterinary hospitals, with our head office in Calgary, Alberta, committed to positively impacting pets, people, and local communities for nearly 45 years. We have compassion for the neighbourhoods we serve and every pet within them, not just those we see in our hospitals. Every VCA Canada hospital location takes pride in its legacy of excellence, earning the trust of pet owners by delivering the highest quality of medicine to keep pets happy and healthy.

In 2017, VCA Canada became part of the Mars Veterinary Health family of brands, solidifying an even stronger commitment to ensuring the strength and stability of the veterinary profession and our commitment to pet parents nationwide. VCA Canada is also passionate about providing an industry-leading Associate experience to over 4,000 Canadians employed across the country. In 2026, for the third year in a row, we were named one of Alberta's Top Employers, which recognizes organizations whose head offices are located within the province and lead their industries in offering exceptional places to work. Additionally, we were selected as one of Canada's Top Employers for Young People 2026, which recognizes employers across Canada that lead their industries in offering exceptional places to work and programs for young people starting their careers. Most recently, we received 2026 Great Place to Work Certification Canada.