Veterinary Assistant

Medical Management International, Inc.; Vero Beach (FL); On-site; USD 22,027 - 28,158; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance

401(k) with company match

Paid time off and holidays

Flexible Spending Accounts

Continuing education allowance

Job summary

VCA Inc. in Vero Beach, Florida, is seeking a Veterinary Assistant to support veterinarians in delivering quality care for pets. Responsibilities include client education, assisting in procedures, and ensuring a safe environment for pets and clients.

The ideal candidate will have a NAVTA approved certificate, strong communication skills, and the ability to multi-task effectively. The role offers a competitive pay rate and various employee benefits, including comprehensive insurance and retirement plans.

Qualifications

• Must have effective communication in fluent English.
• Must be able to perform all required skills of NAVTA programs.
• Must be at least 18 years old for radiography duties.

Responsibilities

• Support veterinarians in providing quality care for pets.
• Educate clients on pet health and wellness.
• Maintain clean and organized treatment areas.

Skills

Multi-tasking

Communication skills

Organizational ability

Problem solving

Client service skills

Mathematical ability

Computer skills

Education

Certificate from NAVTA approved Veterinary Assistant program

High School Diploma or equivalent

Tools

Specialized medical software

Microsoft Outlook

Microsoft Word

Microsoft Excel

Job description

Summary of Job Purpose and Function

The Veterinary Assistant supports veterinarians and veterinary technicians in ensuring quality veterinary care for all pets, advocates for pets, educates clients on all aspects of pet health, and ensures a safe and effective hospital environment.

Essential Responsibilities and Tasks

• Live and exemplify the Five Principles of Mars, Inc. within self and team.
• Act as the extra eyes, ears and hands for the veterinarian and veterinary technician to ensure the best quality pet care and to maximize the veterinarian's and veterinary technician’s productivity. Communicate with veterinarians, veterinary technicians and all other associates to maintain the flow of patients.
• Provide professional, efficient and exceptional service at all times. This includes performing or preparing procedures that do not require veterinarian or veterinary technician assistance, completing preparatory work for other procedures, ensuring that clients and pets are comfortable in the hospital, and monitoring hospitalized or surgical pets as allowed in the state practice acts.
• Educate clients about Optimum Wellness Plans, preventive care, pet health needs, hospital services and other issues.
• Obtain relevant information and history from clients and maintain proper and complete medical charts.
• Ensure the safety of pets, clients and associates by utilizing safe restraining techniques, following standard protocols and maintaining clean, sterile and organized treatment areas, exam rooms and labs.
• Assist with surgery as applicable.
• Utilize technical skills to the fullest, within state practice acts and as outlined in the NAVTA guidelines for veterinary assistant skills and duties.
• Mentor other paraprofessionals in the hospital.
• Other job duties as assigned.

The Five Principles

• Quality: The consumer is our boss, quality is our work and value for money is our goal.
• Responsibility: As individuals, we demand total responsibility from ourselves; as associates, we support the responsibility of others.
• Mutuality: A mutual benefit is a shared benefit; a shared benefit will endure.
• Efficiency: We use resources to the full, waste nothing, and do only what we can do best.
• Freedom: We need freedom to shape our future; we need profit to remain free.

Hiring Qualifications and Competencies

• Leadership: Action Oriented, Customer Focus, Listening, Peer Relationships, Personal Learning.
• Functional: Ensure medical quality, Effective communication, Drive for results.
• Priority Setting.

Capabilities and Experience (Can Do)

• Ability to multi‑task: manages multiple tasks at one time, quickly and accurately shifts attention.
• Communication skills: reads, writes, speaks fluent English with appropriate grammar.
• Organizational ability: systematic approach, orderly, turns chaos into order.
• Problem solving skills: identifies, analyzes, solves problems and translates them into practical solutions.
• Client service skills: consistently ensures attentive, courteous and informative service.
• Intellectual ability: follows instructions in oral, written or diagram format.
• Mathematical ability: addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, rate, ratio, percent.
• Computer skills: uses computers and specialized medical software, Outlook, Word and Excel.

Attitudes (Will Do)

• Initiative: willingness to find solutions, present options and enhance processes.
• Integrity: adheres to values and ethics, honest, discreet, sound judgment.
• Cooperativeness: works with others, collaborates and shares information.
• Flexibility: open to change and performs all tasks assigned.
• Independence: performs duties without supervision as appropriate.
• Tolerance for Stress: maintains positive outlook, rebounds quickly, stays composed.

Special Working Conditions

• Work at a computer for long periods.
• Confidence around pets of all species.
• Client needs may require more than 40 hours per week; this position requires special hours including weekends and evenings.
• Must have mental processes for reasoning, remembering, mathematics and language ability.
• Moderately high noise level.
• Requires ambulatory skills: stand, walk, stoop, kneel, crouch, climb and lift up to 50 pounds.
• Requires good hand‑eye coordination and visual acuity for keyboard use and equipment operation.
• Exposure to pets that may bite or scratch, and occasional exposure to anesthesia, radiation, biological hazards and medications.

Experience, Education and/or Training

• Certificate of completion from a NAVTA approved Veterinary Assistant program, or equivalent combination of education, training and experience.
• High School Diploma or equivalent preferred.
• Must be able to perform all required skills of NAVTA approved veterinary assistant programs to aid practice efficiency.
• Must be at least 18 years old to perform duties involving radiography and exposure to radioactive substances.
• One year related experience required, customer service preferred.

Pay Range

The pay range for this role is $15.99 to $20.44 per hour, based on candidate experience, skill level, education and location.

Benefits

• Comprehensive Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance.
• Generous 401(k) and Roth retirement plans with company match.
• Student Debt Relief Program for full‑time DVMs.
• Paid time off and holidays.
• Mental health and wellbeing resources.
• Associate life insurance (company‑paid) and supplemental life insurance.
• Short‑ and long‑term disability insurance (company‑paid).
• Flexible Spending Accounts and Health Savings Accounts.
• Paid parental leave.
• Continuing education allowance for eligible positions.
• Back‑up child and elder care and family support resources.
• Fertility and family building support.
• Digital exercise therapy program.
• Voluntary protection benefits.
• Legal plan coverage.
• Identity protection.
• Commuter benefits.
• Three free Optimum Wellness Plans for pets.
• Exclusive discounts on products and services.