Veterinary Assistant

Prince George's County Government; Upper Marlboro (MD); On-site; USD 45,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

Prince George’s County Government invites applicants for a lead position in the Department of the Environment, Animal Services Division. The incumbent will support veterinary staff, care for shelter animals, and supervise a team. The role is designated essential and requires adherence to regulatory procedures.

Minimum qualifications include a high school diploma or GED and three years in animal sheltering or control work, plus a valid driver's license. Located in Upper Marlboro, MD.

Qualifications

• Three years of experience in animal sheltering or control work.
• Possession of a valid State driver's license upon appointment.
• An equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered.

Responsibilities

• Lead a team and provide technical guidance in animal care operations.
• Cares for the health and well-being of animals in the shelter.
• Assist in vaccinations, intake exams, and administering medications.
• Maintain data files on animal intake and health information.
• Perform emergency response duties and animal rescue techniques.
• Euthanize animals in accordance with regulations and procedures.

Skills

Animal care

Team leadership

Communication

Education

High School Diploma or GED

Job description

Come join our team!

Prince George’s County Government provides a dynamic and inclusive workplace where employees can thrive, learn, and grow across its 30 diverse agencies, all dedicated to serving the County's residents with essential resources and services. Nestled just minutes away from Washington, DC, Prince George's County combines urban vibrancy with serene surroundings, offering an ideal setting to live, work, and enjoy life.

Applicant Limit Notice: Please be advised that applications for this position will be capped at a maximum of 100 submissions. Once this threshold has been reached, the posting will close, and no further applications will be accepted. We encourage interested candidates to apply promptly to ensure consideration.

About the Position

This is a lead position in the Department of the Environment, Animal Services Division. The incumbent assists the Veterinary Technician and Veterinarian with animal medical care duties related to Animal Services operations. A high degree of judgment and competent administrative skills are utilized with daily functions. This position is designated “essential” in accordance with DOE Instruction 110.4.

About the Agency

The Department of the Environment works for a healthy, beautiful, and sustainable County through programs that provide clean water, flood control, recycling and waste management, litter prevention, sustainable animal management, and pet adoption in partnership with residents and other stakeholders.

Some of our core services include providing clean water services (Stormwater Management Division); flooding prevention for buildings and structures (Flood Management and Environmental Resilience Division and Stormwater Management Division); collecting, processing, and diverting waste from the County-operated landfill, commercial facilities, and households (Sustainable Waste Management Division); providing sustainability services to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (Flood Management and Environmental Resilience Division); and facilitating pet adoptions, managing an animal holding facility, issuing pet licenses, investigating cruelty complaints, and conducting humane outreach and education events (Animal Services Division).

• May lead a team and/or provide technical guidance, training, organizing, prioritizing and assigning work; monitoring status of work in progress, inspecting completed work of subordinates.
• Performs routine day to day tasks required for the general operation and maintenance of the animal shelter.
• Cares for the health and well being of all animals in the care and custody of the shelter
• Monitors sick, quarantined and injured animals and observes them for unusual physical and behavioral conditions; segregate and isolate them as necessary.
• Assists in vaccinations, microchipping, intake exams, administering medication, drawing blood for health checks, and other medical procedures.
• Maintains and updates data files with pertinent information on animal intake and health information on animals received and in the shelter
• Emergency response responsibilities; include animal rescue techniques.
• Euthanizes sick, injured and unwanted animals in accordance with regulations and standard veterinary procedures.
• Willingly and cooperatively performs tasks and duties which may not specifically listed in the class specification or position description.

Minimum Qualifications

• High School Diploma or GED certificate.
• Three (3) years of experience in animal sheltering or control work and euthanizing animals
• Possession of a valid State driver's license is required upon appointment.

An equivalent combination of education and experience that provides the required knowledge, skills, and abilities may be considered.

Preferred Qualifications

• A veterinary assistant certification or ability to obtain one in twelve (12) months (Licensure as a veterinary technician or other superseding documented training may replace this requirement).
• Ability to write reports, complete required records, and summaries with proper format, punctuation, spelling and grammar.
• Ability to work effectively under adverse working conditions

EACH APPLICATION MUST INCLUDE INFORMATION THAT CLEARLY DEMONSTRATES THE ABOVE QUALIFICATIONS FOR THIS POSITION.

Salary Range Transparency

The salary range listed in this announcement reflects the anticipated offer range for this position. Offers made within this range are based on qualifications, experience, and internal equity.

Tentative Interview Dates

October 21, 2026. Please note that interview dates are subject to change and only selected candidates will receive confirmation and additional details.

Job Location

3750 Brown Station Road, Upper Marlboro, Maryland 20772

Conditions of Employment

Upon selection, the candidate must (where applicable):

• Meet all training and performance standards and demonstrate proficiency as required by the agency.
• Wear and use agency protective apparel and equipment in the performance of their assigned duties.
• Successfully pass preemployment checks which may include reference checks, background investigations, and drug screenings, where applicable.
• Be willing and able to serve as an essential employee. Essential employees are expected to report during standard or non-standard hours as operations necessitate, or during emergencies. Essential employees are expected to report or remain at work when other County employees are granted Administrative Leave.