Senior Veterinary Technician - Specialty Services Supervisor

The Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy; Grafton (MA); On-site; USD 46,000 - 64,000; Full time

Job summary

Foster Hospital for Small Animals in Massachusetts seeks a Senior Veterinary Technician – Specialty Services Supervisor to lead the Neurology, Ophthalmology, and Cardiology teams while providing hands-on nursing care and strong leadership. This role drives high-quality patient care, efficient operations, and a premier teaching environment.

You will mentor students and technicians, manage scheduling, support budgets and supplies, and foster a collaborative culture.

Qualifications

• Associate's degree or equivalent plus 5 years of relevant experience.
• Proven leadership, conflict resolution, and problem solving skills.
• Ability to multitask and manage responsibilities across multiple services.
• Demonstrated commitment to excellent internal and external customer service.
• Strong interpersonal skills; able to work independently and collaboratively.
• Ability to remain calm in a fast paced, high stress environment.
• Understanding of HR principles and regulatory compliance.
• Strong medical terminology and veterinary pharmacology knowledge.
• Required technical skills: IV catheterization, phlebotomy, dosage calculations, fluid therapy.
• Proficiency with electronic medical records.
• Ability to lift up to 50 lbs with or without accommodation.
• Certified Veterinary Technician (CVT) in good standing.

Responsibilities

• Oversee clinical care provided by veterinary technicians across specialty sections.
• Assist clinicians, students, and technicians with procedures, treatments, and diagnostics.
• Coordinate patient care across clinical and administrative teams to ensure efficiency and continuity.
• Ensure timely completion of diagnostic tests and assist with advanced procedures.
• Partner with client service teams to deliver an excellent client experience for appointments, procedures, and hospitalizations.
• Communicate with clients regarding treatment plans, education, discharge instructions, and medications.
• Teach and mentor veterinary students and student technicians.
• Train, orient, and support new veterinary technicians.
• Collaborate with supervisors, section heads, and hospital leadership to support daily operations.
• Manage technician scheduling and resource allocation across sections.
• Foster a culture of open communication, teamwork, and professionalism.
• Lead or participate in team meetings, supervisor meetings, and individual check-ins.
• Oversee recruiting, interviewing, hiring, and onboarding of new technicians.
• Provide coaching, feedback, performance reviews, and professional development support.
• Organize continuing education opportunities for team members.
• Troubleshoot operational issues and elevate concerns appropriately.
• Assist with budget preparation, verify expenses, oversee equipment needs, and manage supply purchasing.
• Manage overtime monitoring, weekly payroll submission, and controlled substance inventory.
• Ensure compliance with hospital policies, including safety and infection control.

Skills

Leadership

Multitasking

Customer service

Interpersonal skills

Communication

Calm under pressure

Teamwork

Mentoring

Problem solving

HR/regulatory awareness

Medical terminology

Veterinary pharmacology

Technical skills: IV catheterization

Phlebotomy

Fluid therapy

Education

Associate's degree or equivalent

Tools

EMR systems

Job description

Overview

The Foster Hospital for Small Animals is a premier academic veterinary hospital delivering round the clock, high quality care for companion animals and exotics. Our team provides cutting edge specialty and emergency services while training the next generation of veterinary professionals. We combine exceptional patient care with a collaborative teaching environment that supports growth, innovation, and excellence.

What You'll Do

The Senior Veterinary Technician – Specialty Services Supervisor leads the Neurology, Ophthalmology, and Cardiology clinical teams, combining hands‑on technical work with dedicated leadership time. This role leverages advanced nursing skills and strong supervisory abilities to support high‑quality patient care, efficient clinical operations, and an outstanding teaching environment. The Supervisor fosters teamwork, provides mentorship and training, and ensures a positive, collaborative culture.

• Technical Responsibilities and Patient Care: Provide high quality patient care including the following:
  • Oversee clinical care provided by veterinary technicians across specialty sections.
  • Assist clinicians, students, and technicians with procedures, treatments, and diagnostics.
  • Coordinate patient care across clinical and administrative teams to ensure efficiency and continuity.
  • Ensure timely completion of diagnostic tests and assist with advanced procedures.
  • Partner with client service teams to deliver an excellent client experience for appointments, procedures, and hospitalizations.
  • Communicate with clients regarding treatment plans, education, discharge instructions, and medications.
  • Teach and mentor veterinary students and student technicians.
  • Train, orient, and support new veterinary technicians
• Leadership and Management- Leadership responsibilities will be directed primarily on the clinic floor but will also include administrative time off the floor. The specific allocation of time will depend on the needs of the Services and the Hospital. Responsibilities include:
  • Collaborate with supervisors, section heads, and hospital leadership to support daily operations.
  • Manage technician scheduling and resource allocation across sections.
  • Foster a culture of open communication, teamwork, and professionalism.
  • Lead or participate in team meetings, supervisor meetings, and individual check-ins.
  • Oversee recruiting, interviewing, hiring, and onboarding of new technicians.
  • Provide coaching, feedback, performance reviews, and professional development support.
  • Organize continuing education opportunities for team members.
  • Troubleshoot operational issues and elevate concerns appropriately.
  • Assist with budget preparation, verify expenses, oversee equipment needs, and manage supply purchasing.
  • Manage overtime monitoring, weekly payroll submission, and controlled substance inventory.
  • Ensure compliance with hospital policies, including safety and infection control.
• Miscellaneous – Perform other duties as assigned by Manager including:
  • Participate in hospital-wide projects and initiatives as assigned.
  • Perform other responsibilities as needed to support the hospital’s mission
• The schedule for this position requires flexibility to ensure that adequate patient care is provided without interruption or exception.
• This position is considered essential and may be required to report to work as scheduled during emergency closings

What We're Looking For

Basic Requirements: Knowledge and experience typically acquired by:

• Associate's Degree or equivalent plus 5 years of relevant experience.
• Proven leadership, conflict resolution, and problem solving skills.
• Ability to multitask and manage responsibilities across multiple services.
• Demonstrated commitment to excellent internal and external customer service.
• Strong interpersonal skills; able to work independently and collaboratively.
• Ability to remain calm in a fast paced, high stress environment.
• Understanding of HR principles and regulatory compliance.
• Strong medical terminology and veterinary pharmacology knowledge.
• Required technical skills: IV catheterization, phlebotomy, dosage calculations, fluid therapy.
• Proficiency with electronic medical records.
• Ability to lift up to 50 lbs with or without accommodation.
• Certified Veterinary Technician (CVT) in good standing.

Preferred Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in a fast paced veterinary hospital.
• Specialty experience in the area of Neurology, Ophthalmology or Cardiology.
• Previous supervisory experience.
• Experience in an academic veterinary hospital.
• VTS certification or active VTS candidacy.

Pay Range

Minimum $33.65, Midpoint $40.10, Maximum $46.60

Salary is based on related experience, expertise, and internal equity; generally, new hires can expect pay between the minimum and midpoint of the range.