Veterinary Assistant: Large Animal

OSU Oregon State University; Corvallis (OR); On-site; USD 27,000 - 40,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Rabies vaccination offered

Job summary

The Lois Bates Acheson Veterinary Teaching Hospital at Oregon State University is seeking a full-time Large Animal Veterinary Assistant for the Afterhours Large Animal Emergency Department. The role is fast-paced and team-oriented, focusing on patient care, emergency response, and assisting in surgeries while supporting students and clients.

Applicants should have experience with large animals, knowledge of veterinary care procedures, drug handling, and strong communication.

Qualifications

• Experience handling and restraining large and/or small animals; at least 1 year in a related facility.
• Knowledge of drugs/medications used in veterinary care.
• Ability to prepare patients and assist with medical procedures.
• Familiarity with medical terminology.
• Understanding of animal anatomy and veterinary care procedures.
• Basic mathematics (addition, subtraction, multiplication, division).
• Experience with animal restraint devices.

Responsibilities

• Receive emergencies
• Assist in surgery
• Provide patient care

Skills

Animal handling

Medical terminology

Patient prep

Animal anatomy

Basic math

Restraint techniques

Drugs & meds

Job description

Department: Lois Bates Acheson Veterinary Teaching Hospital

Special Instructions to Applicants: When applying you will be required to attach the following electronic documents: 1) A resume; and 2) A cover letter indicating how your qualifications and experience have prepared you for this position. 3) Supplemental Question(s) - Please attach as a separate document a) Please describe your experience with large animals and large animal veterinary medicine. For additional information please contact: Cody Spurr [e-mail] 541-737-6910

Job Summary

This recruitment will be used to fill one full-time, Large Animal Veterinary Assistant position in the Lois Bates Acheson Veterinary Teaching Hospital within the Carlson College of Veterinary Medicine at Oregon State University (OSU). Oregon State University’s Veterinary Teaching Hospital is adding talented veterinary assistants to the Afterhours Large Animal Emergency Department. We are looking for self-motivated people with a passion for teaching. It is a fast paced, team-oriented hospital that focuses on an optimal level of patient care while providing supportive instruction to our students, and excellent customer service to our clients.

Key Responsibilities

• Receiving Emergencies
• Assisting in surgery
• Patient Care

Qualifications

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Demonstrated experience in large and/or small animal handling and restraint AND one year of knowledge and experience or training in in a large and/or small animal facility.
• Demonstrated knowledge of: Drugs and medications typically used in veterinary care
• Patient preparation, medical procedure assistance
• Medical terminology
• Animal anatomy
• Veterinary care procedures
• Basic mathematics (add, subtract, multiply, divide)
• Animal restraint technique and devices

This position is designated as a critical or security-sensitive position; therefore, the incumbent must successfully complete a criminal history check and be determined to be position qualified as per University Standard: 05-010 et seq. Incumbents are required to self-report convictions and those in youth programs may have additional criminal history checks every 24 months. This position requires driving a university vehicle or a personal vehicle on behalf of the university; therefore, the incumbent must successfully complete a motor vehicle history check, possess and maintain a current, valid driver’s license in their state of residence, be determined to be position qualified and self-report convictions as per University Policy 05-030.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• At least 1 year of experience providing medical care for equines and other large animal species in a veterinary teaching hospital or veterinary clinic.
• Extensive knowledge and experience working with large animal and/or small animals in all aspects of veterinary assistance.
• Demonstrated ability to effectively instruct others in veterinary techniques.
• A demonstrable commitment to promoting and enhancing inclusive excellence.
• Demonstrated high level of attention to detail.
• Excellent verbal and written communication and interpersonal skills; must have the ability to communicate professionally with a variety of individuals.
• Demonstrated ability to work in a team environment and collaborate effectively with students, staff, faculty, and clients.

Working Conditions / Schedule

• The VTH is a seven day per week, 24 hour per day hospital; therefore, weekend and holiday work may be required.
• Shift assignment may change based on operational needs and/or to maintain appropriate staffing levels.
• This is a float position and work schedule will typically include at least one weekend day.
• This position is located in an extremely busy Veterinary Teaching Hospital and works primarily with large animals.
• This position may be exposed to noxious odors, infectious diseases, chemicals, gas anesthetics, radiation, loud noises, wet and slippery floors and machinery.
• This position has access to controlled substances, is responsible for maintaining controlled drug logs, and witnessing the dispensing of drugs out of the cubex machine.
• This position will often be required to move, which may include lifting and/or carrying, up to 50 pounds, as well as pushing or pulling objects weighing up to 200 pounds.
• This position requires walking, standing, running, stooping, bending, squatting, kneeling, and crawling on hard or uneven surfaces as necessary to provide care to animals.
• Working with and around large animals has certain inherent risks. Animal handling and restraining can lead to injury. To minimize risk to the employee in this positions, Oregon State University offers a rabies vaccination at the employer’s expense (acceptance/declination at the discretion of the appointee)
• Overtime, evening, on-call, and/or weekend hours required
• This position is deemed essential. The employee in this position may be expected to report to work during inclement weather, emergency, and other University work curtailments or closures

Salary Range

Min $19.36 - Max $28.75

Anticipated Start Date

2026-10-05

Anticipated End Date

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer, including disability, protected veteran, and other protected status. OSU will conduct a review of the National Sex Offender Public website prior to hire. OSU is a fair chance employer committed to inclusive hiring. We encourage applications from candidates who bring a wide range of lived experience including involvement with the justice system.

If this position has “critical or security-sensitive” responsibilities and/or driving duties and you are selected as a finalist, your initial job offer will be contingent upon the results of a job-related pre-employment check (such as a background check, motor vehicle history check, sexual misconduct reference check, etc.). Background check results do not automatically disqualify a candidate. Take a look at our Background Checks website including the for candidates section for more details. If you have questions or concerns about the pre-employment check, please contact OSU’s Employee and Labor Relations team at [e-mail].

Working for Oregon State University is so much more than a job! Oregon State University is a dynamic community of dreamers, doers, problem-solvers and change-makers. We don’t wait for challenges to present themselves — we seek them out and take them on. We welcome students, faculty and staff from every background and perspective into a community where everyone feels seen and heard. We have deep-rooted mindfulness for the natural world and all who depend on it, and together, we apply knowledge, tools and skills to build a better future for all.

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer, including disability, protected veteran, and other protected status. OSU will conduct a review of the National Sex Offender Public website prior to hire. OSU is a fair chance employer committed to inclusive hiring. We encourage applications from candidates who bring a wide range of lived experience including involvement with the justice system.

FACTS: Top 1.4% university in the world More research funding than all public universities in Oregon combined 1 of 3 land, sea, space and sun grant universities in the U.S. 2 campuses, 11 colleges, 12 experiment stations, and Extension programs in all 36 counties 7 cultural resource centers that offer education, celebration and belonging for everyone 100+ undergraduate degree programs, 80+ graduate degrees plus hundreds of minor options and certificates 35k+ students including more than 2.3k international students and 10k students of color 217k+ alumni worldwide For more interesting facts about OSU visit: https://oregonstate.edu/about

Locations: Oregon State has a statewide presence with campuses in Corvallis and Bend, the OSU Portland Center and the Hatfield Marine Science Center on the Pacific Coast in Newport. Oregon State’s beautiful, historic and state-of-the-art main campus is located in one of America’s best college towns. Corvallis is located close to the Pacific Ocean, the Cascade mountains and Oregon wine country. Nestled in the heart of the Willamette Valley, this beautiful city offers miles of mountain biking and hiking trails, a river perfect for boating or kayaking and an eclectic downtown featuring local cuisine, popular events and performances.

Total Rewards Package

• Medical, Dental, Vision and Basic Life. OSU pays 95% of premiums for you and your eligible dependents.
• Free confidential mental health and emotional support services, and counseling resources.
• Retirement savings paid by the university.
• A generous paid leave package, including holidays, vacation and sick leave.
• Tuition reduction benefits for you or your qualifying dependents at OSU or the additional six Oregon Public Universities.
• Robust Work Life programs including Dual Career assistance resources, flexible work arrangements, a Family Resource Center, Affinity Groups and an Employee Assistance Program.
• Optional lifestyle benefits such as pet, accident, and critical care insurance, giving you peace of mind and the support you need to thrive in all aspects of your life.
• Future and current OSU employees can use the Benefits Calculator to learn more about the full value of the benefits provided at OSU.

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer, including disability, protected veteran, and other protected status. The contractor will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or c) consistent with the contractor’s legal duty to furnish information. At Oregon State University, no qualified person shall, solely by reason of disability, be denied access to, participation in, or the benefits of, any program or activity operated by the University.

Request any reasonable accommodations for disability as early as possible in the application and search process. Requests may be directed to the hiring unit, or to the Office of Equal Opportunity and Access at [phone]. See Request an Accommodation Procedures for the OSU policy.

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