Veterinary ER Shift Lead – Daytime & Mentorship

Animal Urgent Care of South Orange County; Mission Viejo (CA); On-site; USD 41,000 - 62,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Sign-on bonus up to $2,500

Overnight differential

Weekend differential

Job summary

Animal Emergency of South Orange County is part of Thrive Pet Healthcare and seeks an experienced Veterinary assistant or RVT Shift Lead to join our 24/7 emergency team. This role blends advanced ER skills with frontline shift leadership responsibilities.

The Shift Lead serves as primary key holder, guiding hospital flow, mentoring technicians, prioritizing emergencies, and helping implement protocols while maintaining high standards of patient care overnight.

Qualifications

• Active California RVT license a plus
• Minimum 2+ years veterinary experience (ER/Urgent Care strongly preferred)
• Prior leadership, mentorship, or charge/lead experience preferred
• Strong triage awareness and emergency workflow understanding

Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary shift lead and key holder during assigned shifts
• Help navigate hospital and treatment floor flow during high-volume and critical cases
• Support team coordination, communication, and task delegation throughout the shift
• Assist with real-time prioritization of incoming emergencies and hospitalized patients
• Provide mentorship, guidance, and support to technicians and assistants on shift
• Escalate operational concerns appropriately and communicate updates to leadership
• Promote a positive, accountable, and team-focused culture overnight
• Attend monthly Shift Lead meetings focused on hospital improvement, workflow development, communication initiatives, and team growth
• Support implementation of hospital protocols, training initiatives, and workflow improvements
• Maintain accurate treatment sheets and medical records
• Maintain clean, organized treatment and hospital areas
• Maintain professionalism and composure during high-volume emergency situations

Skills

Leadership experience

ER veterinary

Triage & emergency care

Mentorship

Communication

Education

California RVT license

Tools

In-house lab equipment

Radiographs

Vital monitoring devices

Job description

Animal Emergency of South Orange County is part of Thrive Pet Healthcare and seeks an experienced Veterinary assistant or RVT Shift Lead to join our 24/7 emergency team. This role blends advanced ER skills with frontline shift leadership responsibilities.

The Shift Lead serves as primary key holder, guiding hospital flow, mentoring technicians, prioritizing emergencies, and helping implement protocols while maintaining high standards of patient care overnight.