Veterinary Assistant

National Veterinary Associates; Los Altos (CA); On-site; USD 50,000 - 87,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Discounted veterinary services

Continuing education

Job summary

Adobe Animal Hospitals is seeking a Veterinary Technician to join our fast-paced outpatient care team. You will manage scheduled technician, wellness and urgent care appointments, perform essential nursing duties, and support veterinarians in treatment planning while delivering high-quality client education.

The role requires 1–2 years of technician experience, RVT preferred, and a strong commitment to teamwork, safety, and compassionate care.

Qualifications

• A Registered Veterinary Technician or field-trained assistant with 1-2 years or more of experience.
• RVT license preferred but not required with extensive prior experience
• Offer genuine client service and maintain a professional, courteous, and helpful attitude
• Strong dedication and commitment to quality care
• Demonstrate excellent communication skills (written and oral) and incredible attention to detail
• Must be able to make independent thoughtful decisions and solve complex problems
• Ability to maintain excellent teamwork and communication skills under stressful situations w orking toward a common goal of helping patients and clients
• Perform multiple tasks simultaneously in a fast-paced environment
• A willingness and ability to proactively jump in wherever help is needed and a drive to explore innovative ideas to improve things for the team, clients, and patients
• High school diploma or equivalent and 18 years of age or older
• Must be able to lift or move 40lbs independently
• Ability to walk, stand, stoop, kneel, crouch, and feel using hands and arms on a regular and consistent basis, sitting, and standing for extended periods of time.
• Must be available to work weekends and holidays as needed
• Open to working at Los Altos Animal Hospital when needed
• Background check when hired

Responsibilities

• Assist in directing workflow and provide advice to owners in person or over the phone
• Relay messages to doctors and clients of scheduled appointments, technician appointments, urgent care appointments, and any patient care
• Perform veterinary technical skills efficiently, accurately, and with little supervision
• Assess patient care status, review patient plans, perform treatments per veterinarians orders
• Interact with clients and patients, take histories, obtain vitals, explain treatments and medications
• Give IM, IV, and SQ injections, obtain blood samples
• Understand vital parameters and when to report abnormalities
• Understand common disease processes and medical terminology
• Familiarity with common medications and their dosages and contraindications
• Monitor and treat critical care patients and place IV catheters
• Perform radiographs and evaluate positioning and exposure; maintain safety
• Monitor sedated or anesthetized patients
• Use diagnostic equipment and perform in-house lab tests
• Maintain cleanliness and organization of department
• Assist in training new technicians
• Provide staff leadership for tasks
• Promote a positive attitude and commitment to mission
• Willingness to train and share skills
• Strong work ethic and integrity
• Initiative to resolve or improve situations independently
• Suggest improvements for practice protocols

Skills

RVT experience

Radiography

Anesthesia monitoring

Injections

Communication

Client service

Teamwork

Critical thinking

Veterinary nursing

Education

High school diploma

RVT license preferred

Tools

Radiography equipment

Laboratory equipment

Job description

Job Type: Support Staff

Description & Requirements

Job Description

Position Title: Veterinary Technician

Job Type : Non-Exempt

Schedule : Varies based on hospital

Hourly Rate: Varies based on hospital and experience

Are you looking for an environment to expand your veterinary nursing skills while working with a supportive team of RVT’s, Veterinary Assistants and Doctors? Adobe is unlike any other hospital for many reasons, and one of them is our Open Hospital policy. Our Open Hospital allows our clients to stay with their pet throughout their visit. This policy also creates a unique learning experience that will not only allow you to gain knowledge and experience with your technician skills but also in client interaction and education.

Our hospital is very fast paced! We see a mix of scheduled appointments like wellness and general practice visits as well as elective soft tissue surgeries and the patients that need dental procedures. Outpatient Team Members are responsible for all outpatient care and procedures. You will manage all scheduled technician, wellness and urgent care appointments and any care associated with them . This position requires technician experience .

This position is perfect for someone who is looking to gain experience in all aspects of veterinary medicine. This often requires multi-tasking and a n excellent critical thinking ability. The technician must be a detail-oriented person who can make good decisions, respond quickly and calmly to crises and always maintain high standards of patient care. Technicians need to communicate clearly with the veterinarians and other practice personnel as well as with clients to ensure that patients receive the care that they need. Technicians should enjoy working with people and animals.

This position requires at least working one weekend shift (Saturday or Sun days) per week and working two holiday shifts every year.

Veterinary Nursing Responsibilities

Able to help direct the workflow and accurately and efficiently provide advice to owners in person or over the phone, relay phone messages to doctors and clients of scheduled appointments, technician appointments, urgent care appointments, and any patient care needed for patients

Able to perform veterinary techni cal skills efficiently, accurately, and with little supervision

Assess patient care status, review patient plan, perform treatments according to the veterinar i an’s orders and document as necessary

Interact with clients and patients, take an efficient and accurate history, and obtain patient vitals, explain treatments, procedures, medications, and disease processes

Give IM, IV, and SQ injections, ability to obtain blood samples from multiple sites

Understanding of vital parameters ( HR, RR, MM/CRT), ability to accurately obtain them, and knowledge of what abnormalities need to be reported to the doctor

Understand common disease processes and ability to use appropriate medical terminology

Familiarity with common medications and their applications, standard doses, and contraindications , accurately calculate dosages, administer medications

Monitor, assess, and treat critical care patients as well as updating doctor and client on patient status and be able to place IV catheters

Perform radiographs and evaluate for proper positioning and exposure. Adhere to all safety standards

Monitor sedated or anesthetized patient

Know how to use common diag no stic equipment and perform in house lab tests including blood smears, PCV/TP, BG , skin/ear cytology including ELISA snap te sts

Maintain cleanliness and organization through the department including rooms, treatment area, cages and runs

Assist in training of new technicians as needed

Provide staff leadership for tasks in a professional and personable way.

Promote a positive attitude and demonstrate a commitment to the mission /visi on

Willingness to train and share your skills and knowledge

A thirst for knowledge obtained formally and informally

Strong work ethic , flexible and demonstrates high integrity

Initiative: Must have the ability to assess and initiate action to resolve or improve a situation independently.

Make suggestions for how to improve practice protocols

Essential Qualifications

A Registered Veterinary Technician or field-trained assistant with 1-2 years or more of experience. RVT license preferred but not required with extensive prior experience

Offer genuine client service and maintain a professional, courteous, and helpful attitude

Strong dedication and commitment to quality care

Demonstrate excellent communication skills (written and oral) and incredible attention to detail

Must be able to make independent thoughtful decisions and solve complex problems

Ability to maintain excellent teamwork and communication skills under stressful situations w orking toward a common goal of helping patients and clients

Perform multiple tasks simultaneously in a fast-paced environment

A willingness and ability to proactively jump in wherever help is needed and a drive to explore innovative ideas to improve things for the team, clients, and patients

High school diploma or equivalent and 18 years of age or older

Must be able to lift or move 40lbs independently

Ability to walk, stand, stoop, kneel, crouch, and feel using hands and arms on a regular and consistent basis, sitting, and standing for extended periods of time.

Must be available to work weekends and holidays as needed

Open to working at Los Altos An im al Hospital when needed

Background check when hired

Base Wage: $24- $42 dependent on experience

Shifts: Day

Position Location: Los Gatos home base; travel to Los Altos Hospital when needed

Wages & Differentials

Base wages are determined by what skills you know on the Adobe competency skills list.

During the interview process we will ask you to review our competency list and complete a self-evaluation so we may assess your current Veterinary Technician skill level.

Differentials - additional pay that can be added onto your base wage for specific skills, projects, or shifts.

40-Hour Work Week- $2.25/hour

RVT License-$6/hour

VTS Certification -$10/hour

Paid sick, vacation & holiday time

Discounted Veterinary services

Employee Assistance Program

Continuing education for professional development

It is the policy of Adobe Animal Hospitals to afford equal opportunities for all qualified persons, regardless of their actual or perceived: race, religious creed, color, national origin, ancestry, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status (including registered domestic partnership status), sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, lactation and related medical conditions), gender (including gender identity and expression), age (40 and over), sexual orientation, Civil Air Patrol status, military and veteran status, and any other consideration protected by federal, state, or local law (sometimes referred to, collectively, as “protected characteristics”).