Shelter Veterinarian

County of Riverside; California (MO); On-site; USD 110,000 - 170,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Excellent pay and benefits

Pension plan

Generous vacation accrual

Paid holidays

Life insurance

Job summary

County of Riverside seeks a Shelter Veterinarian (Veterinary Surgeon) to oversee medical care at Jurupa, San Jacinto, and Thousand Palms locations. Responsibilities include high-volume spay/neuter surgeries (25-40/day), examinations, treatment plans, and medical oversight of impounded animals.

Ideal candidates have shelter medicine experience; training available for motivated applicants. In-person role with excellent pay, benefits, and a defined pension plan.

Qualifications

• Graduation from an accredited school of veterinary medicine with a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree.
• Experience in shelter medicine or high-volume spay/neuter preferred.
• Ability to supervise staff and oversee medical care for shelter animals.

Responsibilities

• Perform physical examinations, preventive care, diagnostics, and treatments for various animals.
• Perform sterilization and other surgeries; administer anesthesia as needed.
• Immunize animals to control disease.
• Maintain accurate medical records and prepare reports.
• Supervise veterinary technicians and support staff.

Skills

Shelter medicine

High-volume spay-neuter

Leadership

Clinical decision making

Education

Doctor of Veterinary Medicine

Tools

Anesthesia equipment

Surgical instruments

Job description

For questions regarding this position, please contact the Recruiter listed in the Supplemental Information section.

About The Position

The Animal Services Department seeks a Shelter Veterinarian ( Veterinary Surgeon) for the Jurupa, San Jacinto, and Thousand Palms locations.

• This position will perform a wide range of duties including spay/neuter responsibilities in a clinic/mobile environment, performance of various other small animal surgeries, and provision of medical oversight of impounded animals.
• The most competitive candidates will have shelter medicine and high volume spay/neuter experience (training available for motivated candidates with interest in this field).
• While the primary responsibility is the performance of sterilization surgeries (25-40/day) on shelter animals and privately owned pets, ample opportunity exists to perform other soft tissue or orthopedic surgical procedures to improve quality of life and adoptability of shelter animals.
• In addition to surgical responsibilities, the candidate will perform examinations, develop, and oversee treatment plans and medical progress of sick and injured shelter animals.
• In addition, the Shelter Veterinarian oversees a team of registered veterinary technicians, animal care staff and clerical support personnel as their duties relate to contagious disease control, medical care and the general well‑being of individual animals and the shelter population as a whole.
• Our compassionate, hard‑working team cares for more than 40,000 animals per year within the 4th most populous county in the State of California.

If you are a licensed veterinarian and meet the minimum qualifications, we want you to apply.

• A wide scope of responsibilities allowing you to grow as a professional.
• Regular business hours.
• No emergency or evening work.
• Excellent pay and benefits.
• A defined pension plan.
• Generous annual vacation accrual.
• Paid holidays.
• Life insurance.

This is a unique opportunity to join a dedicated team of animal care professionals and allow the selected candidate to take their career to the next level.

This class has been designated At‑Will by the Board of Supervisors, in accordance with the provisions provided under Article 6, Section 601E (8) of the County Management Resolution and serves at the pleasure of the Department Head.

If you are a current Department of Animal Services employee interested in a lateral transfer to San Jacinto, please apply and contact Harold Jones.

Meet the Team!

The Riverside County Department of Animal Services has a vision for promoting an environment of responsible pet ownership through progressive animal welfare initiatives, community outreach, and humane education in a culture of compassion, creativity, and integrity.

Examples Of Essential Duties

• Perform physical examinations, preventive care, diagnostics, and treatments on a variety of animal species.
• Using appropriate medical equipment, perform sterilization and other surgeries as necessary on animals; administer anesthesia and/or other medications as needed.
• Perform immunizations on animals for purpose of disease control.
• Perform post‑mortem exams on a variety of animals in order to make a diagnosis and/or document pathological findings for animal cruelty cases and to ensure community health.
• Maintain control of medicinal and surgical supplies.
• Ensure through subordinate staff all office equipment and miscellaneous supplies required for clinic activities are maintained at an adequate level and that requisitions are prepared and submitted through appropriate channels as necessary.
• Supervise employees to ensure clinic work is adequately performed; instruct, train and advise paraprofessional staff in the proper care and treatment of animals including the euthanasia of dogs, cats, birds and livestock.
• Assign and review work of subordinate staff; respond to inquiries from the public and department employees relative to the health and medical conditions of impounded animals.
• Maintain detailed and accurate medical records on individual animals; prepare reports and compose correspondence.

Minimum Qualifications

• Education: Graduation from an accredited school of veterinary medicine with a degree of Doctor of Veterinary Medicine.
• Knowledge of: The principles and practices of modern veterinary medicine, particularly as they relate to the treatment of small animals like dogs and cats; the methods of examining and preparing animals for surgery and of testing and treating them for disease; the laws and regulations governing licensing, quarantine, impounding and care and treatment of animals.
• Ability to: Administer medical treatment to and perform surgery on animals; diagnose diseases among animals; deal tactfully and effectively with the public; prepare correspondence, records and reports as necessary.
• Physical exposures: This position may require working in an environment with exposure to animal smells, dander, excrement, fluids/wounds, and aggressive animals.
• The Veterinary Surgeon may assist with euthanasia of animals and/or lifting of animals for disposal and impounding.
• License: A valid license to practice veterinary medicine in the State of California. (An applicant lacking a valid license to practice veterinary medicine in the State of California may be appointed provided he/she acquires the license within 12 months from date of hire.)
• Possession of a valid California Driver's License.

Supplemental Information

Veteran's Preference

The County has a Veterans Preference Policy applicable to new hires. To qualify, attach the required documents to your job application. Documents include a copy of your (or your spouse's) Member‑4 Form DD‑214 indicating dates of service. For spousal preference, and as applicable, the following documents: a copy of your marriage certificate, spouse's death certificate, a letter of spouse's disability and/or letter of service‑related death (if available) from the U.S. Veteran's Administration. For privacy reasons, it is recommended that you remove your social security information from the document(s). A Human Resources Representative will review the materials and determine if you qualify for veterans' preference. For complete details and documentation requirements, please review the Veterans Preference Policy, C‑3 here: https://rivcocob.org/board-policies

Reasonable Accommodations

The County of Riverside is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to applicants as required by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA). Qualified individuals with disabilities who need a reasonable accommodation during the application or selection process should contact the recruiter for the position noted above. For additional information and/or to obtain the appropriate form for requesting a reasonable accommodation, please visit the Disability Access Office web page located at: https://rc-hr.com/disability

Work Location and Telework

In‑person attendance is the standard work expectation for County of Riverside assignments. Certain assignments may be eligible for a hybrid telework schedule; however, telework arrangements are subject to management approval, operational needs, and/or may be modified or discontinued at any time. Employees who telework are expected to be able to report to their assigned worksite on short notice or as operational needs require. Unless otherwise specified for a particular position, employees are expected to reside in California following appointment. Limited exceptions may apply. Applicants should contact the assigned recruiter for additional information regarding work location expectations, telework eligibility, and residency requirements.

Proof of Education

If using education to qualify or when requested by the recruiter, upload a copy of any license(s), official/unofficial transcript(s), degrees, and/or related employment documents to your NeoGov account at the time of application and before the closing date. Official or unofficial transcripts will be accepted.

If your education was completed outside of the United States, you will need to provide a copy of your Foreign Education Equivalency evaluation from a member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) or Association of International Credential Evaluators, Inc. (AICE).

Work Authorization Requirement

Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States at the time of application. The County of Riverside does not participate in visa sponsorship programs, including H1‑B visas, and will not provide sponsorship for any employment‑based visas.

Equal Opportunity Employer

The County of Riverside is an Equal Opportunity Employer. It is the policy of the County of Riverside to provide equal employment opportunities for all qualified persons. All applicants will be considered without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, ancestry, medical condition (cancer and genetic characteristics), genetic information, or denial of medical and family care leave, or any other non‑job‑related factors.

Pre‑Employment

All employment offers are contingent upon successful completion of pre‑employment requirements including a criminal background investigation, which involves fingerprinting. (A felony or misdemeanor conviction may disqualify the applicant from County employment). A pre‑employment physical examination and background check may be required.

Probationary Period

As an Approved Local Merit System, all County of Riverside employees, except those serving “At Will,” are subject to the probationary period provisions as specified in the applicable Memorandum of Understanding, County Resolution, or Salary Ordinance. Temporary and Per Diem employees serve at the pleasure of the agency/department head.

General Information

Current County of Riverside and/or current employees of the hiring department may receive priority consideration. Qualified candidates may be considered for future County vacancies.