Surgery Veterinary Technician

VCA Animal Hospitals; Aurora (IL); On-site; USD 32,000 - 48,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

401k retirement plan with companymatch

Paid time off (vacation and sick leave

Continuing Education Allowance

Tuition for CE or conferences

Job summary

VCA Aurora Animal Hospital is seeking a skilled Surgery Veterinary Technician to support advanced surgical procedures in a high‑caliber, teaching‑oriented setting. You will work closely with board-certified specialists and a dedicated anesthesia team to ensure optimal patient care.

Responsibilities include prepping patients, anesthesia induction and recovery, and post‑operative nursing care. Must be CVT/LVT/RVT or VTNE eligible and thrive in a collaborative, mentorship‑driven environment.

Qualifications

• Credentialed Veterinary Technician or VTNE eligible.
• Ability to remain calm, organized, and effective in a fast-paced environment.
• Passion for high-quality patient-centered care in veterinary surgery.

Responsibilities

• Prepare patients for surgery, diagnostics, catheter placement, and site prep.
• Induce, monitor, and recover patients under anesthesia with the surgical team.
• Assist surgeons in soft tissue, orthopedic, neurologic procedures, and minimally invasive techniques.
• Operate and maintain surgical, monitoring, and anesthesia equipment.
• Provide post-operative nursing care and pain management.

Skills

CVT/LVT/RVT

VTNE eligible

Tools

Surgery equipment

Job description

Surgery Veterinary Technician at VCA Aurora Animal Hospital

Schedule

Full-time opportunity, 4 x 10 hour shifts

Compensation

$23 – $35/hour. Pay range is negotiable based on experience, skills, knowledge, abilities and other relevant credentials.

About The Hospital

At VCA Aurora Animal Hospital, you'll be part of a 24/7 emergency, specialty, and primary care hospital providing advanced, team-based veterinary medicine.

Our Surgery service is led by an exceptional team that includes a board-certified anesthesiologist, three board-certified surgeons, and a surgical resident.

Together, they perform a wide variety of advanced soft tissue, orthopedic, neurologic, and minimally invasive procedures using state-of-the-art equipment and techniques.

As a teaching-focused hospital, you'll work alongside experienced specialists, veterinarians, and credentialed technicians in an environment that values mentorship, collaboration, and continuous learning while delivering the highest standard of patient care.

The Role

As a Surgery Veterinary Technician, you'll play a vital role in supporting advanced surgical procedures from patient preparation, monitoring anesthesia, through recovery. You'll work closely with our surgeons, anesthesiologist, and surgical team to provide exceptional perioperative nursing care while helping ensure the safety and comfort of every patient.

What We’re Looking For

• Credentialed Veterinary Technician (CVT, LVT, RVT) or eligible to become credentialed (VTNE eligible)
• Ability to remain calm, organized, and effective in a fast-paced environment
• Passion for high-quality, patient-centered critical care

What You’ll Do

• Prepare patients for surgery, including diagnostics, catheter placement, and surgical site preparation
• Induce, monitor, and recover patients under anesthesia alongside our board-certified anesthesiologist and surgical team
• Assist surgeons during advanced soft tissue, orthopedic, neurologic, and minimally invasive procedures
• Operate and maintain surgical, monitoring, and anesthesia equipment
• Provide exceptional post-operative nursing care and pain management

Total Rewards

As a VCA Associate, eligible full-time employees receive a comprehensive benefits package, including:

• Innovative Associate health and well-being resources (Headspace app, Vault financial wellness tool, and access to additional mental health resources including Lyra Health)
• 401k retirement savings plan with companymatch
• Health/dental/vision insurance, infertility and gender affirmation benefits
• Paid parental, vacation and sick leave
• Professional Development
• Continuing Education Allowance and paid time off
• WOOF University – offering abundant virtual CE
• Opportunities to participate in a robust Clinical Studies program
• Discover Additional BenefitsBenefits | VCA (vcacareers.com)

About VCA

At VCA, we are passionate about delivering world‑class veterinary care while supporting the people who make it possible. With hospitals nationwide, we combine advanced medicine with a compassionate, community‑focused approach.

As part of Mars Veterinary Health, we are committed to helping our teams grow and making a lasting impact on pets and the people who love them.

Location

2600 W Galena Blvd, Aurora, IL 60506

Benefits: We offer competitive compensation along with a comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental, vision and paid vacation/sick days, 401(k), generous employee pet discounts and more!

The information in this position description indicates the general nature and level of work to be performed. It is not designed to be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities, and qualifications required of associates assigned to this job. Management reserves the right to revise the job description or require that other tasks be performed when the circumstances of the job change (for example, emergencies, change in personnel, workload, or technical development)

We are proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer - Veterans / Disabled. For a complete EEO statement please see our career page at vcacareers.com