Veterinary Assistant, Food Animal (dual-posted with Veterinary Technician, Job ID: 54492)

University of Missouri System; Columbia Township (MO); On-site; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player in veterinary medicine seeks a dedicated Veterinary Assistant to join their Food Animal Service. This full-time role involves providing care for a variety of food and fiber animals, assisting with research, and ensuring a sanitary clinic environment. You'll work alongside a team of professionals committed to animal welfare and agricultural growth. The position offers a competitive hourly wage and a comprehensive benefits package, making it an excellent opportunity for those passionate about animal health and welfare. If you thrive in a dynamic environment and enjoy working with animals, this position is perfect for you.

Benefits

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Retirement plan

Paid time off

Short-term disability

Long-term disability

Paid parental leave

Educational fee discounts

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent experience required.
• Prior experience handling large food animals desired.

Responsibilities

• Maintain clinic cleanliness and supervise patient handling.
• Assist with research projects and maintain records.
• Coordinate sample submissions and oversee inventory.

Skills

Excellent communication skills

Animal behavior understanding

Detail-oriented

Ability to handle and restrain animals

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Tools

Laboratory equipment (centrifuges, analyzers)

Job description

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Veterinary Assistant, Food Animal (dual-posted with Veterinary Technician, Job ID: 54492)

Job Description

The College of Veterinary Medicine at MU is on a mission to educate and train outstanding clinicians and scientists from diverse backgrounds, generate new knowledge, engage stakeholders, and foster economic growth, all of which promote and protect the health and welfare of animals and people. Simply put, our mission is to Teach, Heal, Discover and Serve.

We are seeking a Veterinary Assistant to join our dynamic Food Animal Service. The Veterinary Health Center Food Animal Hospital is staffed by veterinarians, technicians, and assistants committed to the health and welfare of food and fiber animals and the growth and development of Missouri’s agricultural sector. The majority of our caseload consists of traditional agricultural animals, including beef cattle, dairy cattle, sheep, goats, and swine. The hospital also provides services to camelids, miniature swine, and other nontraditional livestock. We offer a wide variety of services from routine care to state-of-the-art medical and surgical procedures. The Food Animal Hospital provides both in-hospital and field service care.

Located in Clydesdale Hall, the hospital offers 24-hour outpatient and inpatient animal care. It has a full-service handling facility including a hydraulic chute and tilt table. We have a variety of stalls suitable to house cattle, camelids, small ruminants, and swine.

Typical Veterinary Assistant Job Responsibilities Include:

• Ensure that the clinic is kept in a neat, sanitary, and orderly condition. Supervise unloading and loading of patients as well as routine handling to ensure that the procedure is properly and safely conducted, and that human and animal injuries are minimized.
• Assist faculty with research projects including treatments, technical procedures, and record keeping as well as help to supervise professional students in teaching laboratories. Supervise record-keeping for whole herd tests.
• Coordinate submission of samples to internal and external laboratories.
• Maintain records of routine vaccinations and testing procedures during on-farm visits.
• Oversee instruments and supplies used and ensure instruments are sterile, properly rotated, and adequately stocked.
• Order necessary surgical, medical, obstetrical, and research supplies.
• Maintain invoices and financial records in accordance with university fiscal policies.
• Conduct weekly inventory of medication in the clinic and on ambulatory vehicles.
• Maintain laboratory equipment housed in the Food Animal Clinic such as centrifuges, refractometers, blood chemistry analyzers, etc.
• Coordinate requests from pre-vet students for shadowing time.

Shift

This is a full-time, 40-hour per week position. Normal hours are during the day, Monday through Friday. There is an on-call rotation for evening and weekend emergency calls this position is expected to participate in.

Minimum Qualifications

High school diploma or equivalent experience from which comparable knowledge and skills can be acquired is necessary.

Preferred Qualifications

Prior experience handling large / food animals is desired.

Successful candidate will exhibit the following skills and core competencies:

• Excellent communication skills, to interact with pet owners and veterinary staff.
• Strong understanding of animal behavior and clinical skills in order to properly evaluate an animal’s condition and provide treatment.
• Detail-oriented and well organized to take medical histories, carry out instructions, document patient statistics, and update records.
• Enjoy working with animals and have the ability to comfort, handle, and restrain large and small animals.

Anticipated Hiring Range

Hiring at $15.00/hour
Grade: GGS-004
University Title: Veterinary Assistant
Internal applicants can determine their University Title by accessing the Talent profile tile in myHR.

This position is eligible for University benefits. As part of your total compensation, the University offers a comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental, and vision plans, retirement, paid time off, short- and long-term disability, paid parental leave, paid caregiver leave, and educational fee discounts for all four UM System campuses. For additional information on University benefits, please visit the Faculty & Staff Benefits website at https://www.umsystem.edu/totalrewards/benefits.

Values Commitment

We value the uniqueness of every individual and strive to ensure each person’s success. Contributions from individuals with diverse backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives promote intellectual pluralism and enable us to achieve the excellence that we seek in learning, research, and engagement. This commitment makes our university a better place to work, learn, and innovate.

In your application materials, please discuss your experiences and expertise that support these values and enrich our missions of teaching, research, and engagement.

The University of Missouri System is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Equal Opportunity is and shall be provided for all employees and applicants for employment on the basis of their demonstrated ability and competence without unlawful discrimination on the basis of their race, color, national origin, ancestry, religion, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, disability, or protected veteran status, or any other status protected by applicable state or federal law. This policy applies to all employment decisions including, but not limited to, recruiting, hiring, training, promotions, pay practices, benefits, disciplinary actions, and terminations. For more information, visit https://www.umsystem.edu/ums/hr/eeo or call the Director of Employee and Labor Relations at 573-882-2146.

To request ADA accommodations, please call the Director of Accessibility and ADA at 573-884-7278.