Certified Veterinary Technician

Northwest Veterinary Hospital; Hillsboro (OR); On-site; USD 40,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job summary

Washington County Animal Services seeks a Certified Veterinary Technician to join the Bonnie L. Hays Small Animal Shelter in Hillsboro. This role involves providing critical medical care and treatment to animals, assisting the Veterinarian, and engaging with community partners. Candidates should have training in animal health, experience in animal care, and relevant certifications for a rewarding public service career.

Qualifications

• Possess a Certified Veterinary Technician license from Oregon.
• Ability to obtain Euthanasia Technician Certification.
• Valid driver's license in Oregon with acceptable record.

Responsibilities

• Assist Shelter Veterinarian in animal care and emergencies.
• Maintain medical equipment and supplies.
• Triage animal emergencies and assist with training.

Skills

Animal care

Anesthesia

Triage

Public interaction

Emergency response

Education

Two years of professional training in animal health

Job description

Washington County Animal Services, located at the Bonnie L. Hays Small Animal Shelter in Hillsboro, Oregon has an exceptional opportunity for a Certified Veterinary Technician to perform specialized technical work related to the medical care and treatment of animals in our veterinary clinic. You will also assist our staff Veterinarian with medical procedures and the day-to-day functions of the shelter.

If you are passionate about your career and contributions that you make on a day-to-day basis providing medical care and treatment to animals and have considered continuing your profession in the public sector within a municipal animal shelter, your talents will bring value to the services we provide to animals and people residing in Washington County. You will be a part of collaborative efforts with community partners throughout the Portland metropolitan area. Through outreach and education, we are working together to prevent animals from needing our services in the first place, and just as significant, providing excellent care and shelter to the animals that do come to us.

* Effective 5/24/2025, this recruitment will open continuous until filled. Applications will be reviewed as received, and the posting may be closed at any time without further notice. Washington County reserves the right to make a hiring decision at any point during the posting period. *

** It is anticipated that the first initial application screening will start the week of 6/16/2025 for the applications submitted by Sunday, 6/15/2025. This posting will remain open, and applications received after 6/15/2025 may be considered if needed. **

About Our Shelter:
Bonnie L. Hays Small Animal Shelter cares for lost animals, finds homes for abandoned pets, licenses dogs, enforces animal cruelty laws and protects our citizens from dangerous animals. Last year, we provided care for stray and injured animals in our shelter, responded to more than 7,000 citizen calls, answered over 50,000 phone calls from community members and maintained some of the highest return-to-owner rates in the country! We work closely with our animal welfare partners to place animals in new homes with fantastic success and many happy placement stories.

Washington County is the second largest county in Oregon with a population of more than 601,500 people. We provide services for an estimated 145,000 dogs and 115,000 cats and their owners in an area that encompasses 727 square miles.

About the Opportunity:
In this role, you will assist the Shelter Veterinarian in tasks involving animal care, anesthesia, triage, and population medicine. You will maintain equipment and stock supplies used for medical care and husbandry of animals housed at the shelter. You will also triage animal emergencies and transport animals to other facilities or veterinary clinics. You will participate in daily cleaning, husbandry, training of volunteers/other staff, protocol development, and safety activities as needed. Additionally, you will respond to County requests for emergency response during emergency activation.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Education and Experience:
Two (2) years of professional training or course work in the animal health field; AND
Two (2) years of work experience in an animal health-related field including the care, handling, or training of dogs and working with the public.

ADDITIONAL LICENSES, CERTIFICATES, PHYSICAL ABILITIES AND SPECIALTY REQUIREMENTS
Possession of a Certified Veterinary Technician license issued by the Oregon Veterinary Medical Examining Board.

Possession of, or the ability to obtain, a Euthanasia Technician Certification issued by the Oregon Veterinary Medical Examining Board.

Must possess a driver's license valid in the State of Oregon and have an acceptable driving record. To review the Driver's License and Record Policy for Washington County, please use this link: Driver's License & Records Policy-Vehicles
Please be advised that this position is required to pass a criminal background check post offer.

Must be able to pass a post-offer physical capacities test (PCT) including a medical check and drug screening prior to appointment. For more information on the physical requirements, please visit the Job Task Analysis. (Download PDF reader)