Veterinary Technician, Chester Basin Animal Hospital

VCA Canada Animal Hospitals (NS) Ltd.; Chester Basin; On-site; CAD 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Relocation assistance

Sign-on bonus

RRSP employer match (5%)

Paid CE & memberships

Wellness tools & EAP

Job summary

Chester Basin Animal Hospital in Nova Scotia is seeking an experienced or new-graduate Veterinary Technician (RVT) to join our small animal team. You will assist veterinarians in exams, diagnostics, surgeries, anesthesia and client education, while maintaining records and inventory.

The successful candidate will have completed a Veterinary Technician program with provincial registration eligibility, and may participate in mentoring newer staff within a collaborative practice.

Qualifications

• Completion of a Veterinary Technician program with eligibility for registration.
• Experience in veterinary hospital or clinical setting preferred for non-new grads.
• Strong knowledge of patient care, anesthesia and pharmacology.

Responsibilities

• Assist veterinarians with examinations, diagnostics, surgeries and procedures.
• Monitor anesthesia, prepare patients and manage recovery.
• Collect and process lab samples and maintain medical records.
• Educate clients on medications, nutrition and at-home care.
• Support training of new graduates and assistants.
• Manage 8+ appointments per day and maintain inventory.

Skills

Veterinary technician

Team collaboration

Communication

Patient care

Continuing education

Education

Veterinary Technician program

Registration eligibility in province

Tools

Venipuncture

IV catheter placement

Anesthesia monitoring

Laboratory procedures

Patient assessment

Job description

Registered Veterinary Technician, RVT Employment Type: Full-time or Part-time Level: Experienced or new graduates Bonus: Relocation and Sign-On

At Chester Basin Animal Hospital, we welcome Veterinary Technicians to join our team in Chester Basin, Nova Scotia.

This is an exciting opportunity for a Veterinary Technician or Veterinary Technologist to work alongside a collaborative team to provide high-quality small-animal patient care.

What You Will Do

• Clinical & Surgical Assistance: Assist veterinarians with examinations, diagnostics, treatments, surgeries, and medical procedures, including patient preparation, anesthesia monitoring, recovery, pain management, and surgical and dental procedures.
• Comprehensive Patient Care: Place and maintain IV catheters and administer medications, fluids, and treatments as directed. Collect and process blood, urine, cytology, and other laboratory samples.
• Client Education & Compassionate Support: Educate and communicate with clients on medications, treatments, nutrition, preventive care, and at-home patient care.
• Medical Records: Maintain accurate patient files, medical logs, and inventory.
• Team Collaboration: Work with team members to deliver exceptional patient and client experiences.
• Team Training: Support, train and mentor new graduates, including Veterinary Assistants.
• Patient Appointment: Assist with 8+ scheduled and walk-in appointments per day.

What You Will Bring

• Completion of a Veterinary Technician or Animal Health Technician program, with eligibility for registration in the applicable province.
• Experience in a veterinary hospital or clinical setting is an asset. (Not for new grad jobs)
• Strong knowledge of patient care, anesthesia, pharmacology, and clinical procedures.
• Strong technical skills, including venipuncture, IV catheter placement, anesthesia monitoring, laboratory procedures, and patient assessment.
• Ability to safely handle and restrain animals using appropriate techniques.
• Excellent communication, organizational and interpersonal skills.
• Compassionate, patient-focused approach to animal care.
• Commitment to continuing education and ongoing professional development.
• Ability to adapt to changing priorities and schedules.

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.

Our hospital

Our clinic is a beautiful, scenic 45-minute drive from downtown Halifax! At Chester Basin Animal Hospital, we are a well-established small animal team on Nova Scotia's picturesque South Shore, proudly serving our seaside community since 1976. Our primary focus is education and individualized care, but we make sure to have plenty of fun along the way ! Whether we're celebrating local milestones, helping a lost neighbourhood pet, or posing with Dr. Julia's visiting goat, Watson, our tight-knit team thrives on laughter and mutual support. Best of all, we protect your downtime with no on-call, no overnights, no Sundays, and no holiday schedules! We love what we do!

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.

#NovaScotiajobs #VeterinaryTechnician #EVTA #VetTechJobs #VCACanada

A leader in veterinary care, VCA Animal Hospitals is committed to taking care of the future of veterinary medicine.

We are a family of hometown animal hospitals determined to positively impact pets, people and our communities.

From primary care to emergency, urgent and specialty care, VCA delivers world-class medicine and hometown care to more than four million pets each year.

We invest in cutting-edge tools, training and technology that enable Associates across our national network of hospitals to lead the industry today and into tomorrow.

Among our talented 35,000 Associates are nearly 7,000 veterinarians – including 500 who are board-certified specialists – nearly 4,000 credentialed technicians and over 10,000 veterinary assistants – all dedicated to giving pets the very best in medical care.

The future of veterinary medicine is in our hands. Join us.