Experienced Veterinary Assistant

River Valley Veterinary Hospital; Pittsburgh (Allegheny County); On-site; USD 33,000 - 44,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Bonus package

Health insurance

401k with company match

Paid time off

Job summary

River Valley Veterinary Hospital, located just north of Pittsburgh in Springdale, PA, seeks an Experienced Veterinary Assistant to support both outpatient care and procedural services. The role emphasizes strong client communication, cross-training across hospital functions, and contributing to high standards of care in a busy general practice.

You will assist in exam rooms and procedures, maintain medical records, and participate in surgery prep, anesthesia, and recovery.

Qualifications

• 2+ years of veterinary assistant experience.
• Proficiency in client education and communication.
• Proficiency in conducting patient intake, obtaining medical histories, and obtaining vital signs accurately.
• Safe & effective patient handling & restraint.
• Venipuncture and SQ injections.
• Radiology positioning and safety protocols.
• Ability to prioritize tasks and multitask in a fast-paced environment.
• Commitment to high-quality patient care and continuous learning.

Responsibilities

• Build strong, lasting relationships with clients through clear, compassionate communication and patient care education.
• Support efficient exam room, outpatient, surgical, and dental workflows.
• Assist in surgery, including patient prep, setup, and recovery.
• Maintain accurate, detailed medical records and treatment documentation.
• Review treatment plans, medications, and discharge instructions with clients clearly and compassionately.
• Identify patient concerns and support efficient case management across the hospital.
• Foster client relationships through education, communication, and attentive service.

Skills

Client education

Communication

Patient intake

Vital signs

Safety & restraint

Prioritization

Continuous learning

Job description

River Valley Veterinary Hospital is seeking an Experienced Veterinary Assistant to join our team and support both outpatient care and procedural services.

We are seeking a versatile, client-focused assistant who thrives in a dynamic general practice environment — balancing exam room care, client communication, and hands-on procedural support. We value experienced assistants for the clinical skills, dependability, and genuine care they bring across all areas of the hospital, helping elevate the quality of medicine, client experience, and patient care.

At River Valley, assistants are cross‑trained across all hospital functions and trusted to build genuine, lasting relationships with the clients and patients they serve. This is a practice where clients request team members by name — that's the standard we hold ourselves to, and the kind of environment you'd be joining.

In this position, you will play a key role in both outpatient and procedural workflows, contributing to a consistent, high standard of care throughout the patient visit.

Responsibilities include:

• Building strong, lasting relationships with clients by leading clear, compassionate communication and patient care education during every visit.
• Supporting efficient exam room, outpatient, surgical, and dental workflows
• Assisting in surgery, including patient prep, setup, and recovery
• Maintaining accurate, detailed medical records and treatment documentation
• Reviewing treatment plans, medications, and discharge instructions with clients clearly and compassionately
• Identifying patient concerns and supporting efficient case management across the hospital
• Building strong client relationships through education, communication, and attentive service

This role is ideal for assistants who enjoy variety in their day, are confident moving between exam room and procedure support, and want to fully utilize their clinical knowledge, technical skillset, and client communication abilities in a collaborative general practice environment.

Schedule and compensation:

• Compensation: $16 - 21 per hour, for each hour worked
• Schedule: This is afull-time or part-time position offering a flexibleschedule, Monday-Friday and rotating Saturday shifts. No on-call requirements.
  • Everyone on the team rotates to cover evening shifts 12:00 PM – 8:00 PM – you'd typically work an evening shift twice a week.

Full-time Benefits Package*:

• Bonus package: $500 based on skills and experience
• Health package: Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• Life insurance and disability
• Employee Assistance Program
• 401k with company match
• Paid time off in accordance with site policy and applicable law

*Part-time team members may be eligible for limited benefits in accordance with company policy and state law

Minimum qualifications and skill set:

• 2+ years of veterinary assistant experience
• Proficiency in the following skills:
  • Client education and communication
  • Proficiency in conducting patient intake, obtaining medical histories, and obtaining vital signs accurately
  • Safe & effective patient handling & restraint
  • Venipuncture and SQ injections
  • Radiology positioning and safety protocols
  • Ability to prioritize tasks and multitask in a fast‑paced environment
  • Commitment to high‑quality patient care and continuous learning

Why choose River Valley Veterinary Hospital?

River Valley Veterinary Hospital is a well‑established, fast‑paced, 3‑doctor small animal general practice just outside Pittsburgh, offering a comprehensive range of services including wellness and preventive care, soft tissue surgery, dentistry with digital dental radiographs, digital radiography, ultrasound, in‑house diagnostics, and a full in‑house pharmacy. Known for strong medicine, exceptional client relationships, and a very stable, long‑tenured team, the hospital emphasizes personalized care, continuity of service, and efficiency — with dedicated doctor-technician teams and diagnostic capabilities including Heska and IDEXX analyzers. Clients frequently request technicians by name, reflecting the trust and long‑term relationships built within the practice — and that's not an accident. It's the result of a team that genuinely shows up with care and consistency every single day.

River Valley offers a collaborative, team‑driven environment with structured training, and clear expectations that support both growth and retention. Located just north of Pittsburgh in Springdale, PA — with easy highway access and an affordable, community‑oriented lifestyle — this is an ideal practice for individuals who thrive in a busy setting, value teamwork and communication, and are ready to practice high‑quality medicine in a supportive, well‑organized hospital.

Pay Range

$16 - $21 USD

River Valley VH is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, ancestry, age, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, pregnancy, childbirth or related conditions, veteran or military status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law. We are committed to providing reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities and disabled veterans in the job application process. If you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, please contact us. Hiring decisions will be based on merit, qualifications and the legitimate needs of the business.

We are committed to creating an inclusive workplace and do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, ancestry, age, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, pregnancy, childbirth or related conditions, veteran or military status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.

Voluntary Self-Identification

As an equal opportunity employer, we invite applicants to voluntarily self-identify demographic information for compliance and reporting purposes. Completion of this form is entirely voluntary and refusal to provide this information will not subject you to any adverse treatment.

Any information provided will be kept confidential and maintained in accordance with applicable laws and regulations. This information will not be used in making hiring decisions.

We are committed to creating an inclusive workplace and do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, ancestry, age, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, pregnancy, childbirth or related conditions, veteran or military status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.