Veterinary Assistant

VCA Animal Hospitals, Inc; Latham (NY); On-site; USD 23,000 - 26,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental & vision insurance

401(k)

Paid vacation and sick time

Tuition support and sponsorships

Free wellness subscriptions (HeadSpace

Referral bonuses

Job summary

VCA Shaker Animal Hospital in Latham, NY seeks a Veterinary Assistant to join our compassionate team. In this role you will support the medical team, greet clients, and help care for dogs and cats.

You will assist with front desk duties, maintain patient records, monitor hospitalized patients under supervision, and contribute to a low-stress, client‑focused environment. We offer a comprehensive benefits package and competitive hourly wages.

Qualifications

• Previous experience or training in a veterinary facility preferred.
• Friendly, outgoing and people oriented.
• Excellent communications skills.
• Able to cross-train for front office receptionist duties.
• Telephone and computer skills are necessary.
• Team player willing to learn new techniques.

Responsibilities

• Greet clients and ensure pets and clients feel welcome.
• Serve as ambassador of goodwill for the hospital.
• Build rapport with clients and pets; inform of delays.
• Support reception by handling calls and requests promptly.
• Housekeeping and maintenance of the hospital.

Skills

People skills

Excellent communication

Team player

Telephone support

Computer skills

Education

Vet assistant training

Front desk experience

Tools

Vet software

Microsoft Office

Job description

Seeking a Veterinary Assistant!

Location: 223 Maxwell Rd, Latham, NY 12110
Compensation: The salary range for this position is $17 - $19 / hour based on experience
VCA Shaker Animal Hospital has opportunities available for Veterinary Assistants to join our team in Latham, NY. VCA Shaker Animal is the perfect environment to explore and expand your veterinary skills and support the medical team. The successful candidate will share our commitment to delivering the highest quality patient care with exceptional client service.

Why join the VCA Shaker team?

We are passionate about supporting Veterinary Assistants and are committed to your personal career development. VCA is a community of dedicated professionals that will encourage you to explore everything a career veterinary medicine has to offer. We create and support an inclusive work environment where you can focus on your growth, your happiness, and the patients you serve. Below are some of the many benefits of joining the VCA team!

• Access to the people and financial resources of a large veterinary community
• Leadership opportunities
• Career development programs
• Opportunities to give back through strong Shelter partnerships and VCA Charities
• Tuition support and sponsorships
• Free wellness subscriptions (Head Space)
• Referral bonuses
• Competitive wage
• Medical, dental & vision insurance
• Life, long and short term disability insurance
• Paid parental leave
• Paid vacation and sick time
• 401(k)

Why We Want You

As a member of the VCA team, you will help create and maintain a positive, low-stress atmosphere for our clients and patients. Your mission will be to win the confidence of every pet parent—by delivering an outstanding client experience—so we can provide exceptional care to every patient.

Whether you are a seasoned Veterinary Assistant or a Technician in training, we want you to use the knowledge that you’ve invested your time and talent in. The skills that will be utilized include, but are not limited to:

Duties:

• Ensure that clients and pets feel welcome and comfortable.
• Service as “Ambassadors” of creating and maintaining goodwill for the hospital.
• Build rapport with clients and pets. If there is a delay, keep clients informed of expected wait times.
• Must support reception staff by providing telephone support to ensure that clients’ calls and requests are being processed in a timely manner.
• Housekeeping and Maintenance of Hospital

Care:

• Compassionate nursing care is the top priority for all patients.
• Make certain all patients are kept clean and as comfortable as possible.
• Assist in treating hospitalized animals under veterinary supervision.
• Continuously monitor all patients admitted to the hospital.
• Ensure all patients are clearly identified including entry on hospital day sheet, cage card, and ID collar
• Flexibility in working hours is required to ensure that the job is done properly.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Previous experience or training/education working in a veterinary facility preferred.
• Must be friendly, outgoing, “people oriented.”
• Excellent communications skills.
• Must be capable of being cross-trained for front office receptionist duties that will be expected in the job.
• Telephone and computer skills are necessary.
• Must be a team player willing to learn new techniques and treatments and to accept change.

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