Veterinary Technician

Thrive Pet Healthcare; Santa Fe (NM); On-site; USD 32,000 - 34,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive pay

401(k) with employer match

Paid parental leave

Mental health resources

Continuing education opportunities

Veterinary service discounts

Job summary

Smith Veterinary Hospital in Santa Fe, NM is seeking a Veterinary Technician to join our AAHA-accredited team. You will support veterinarians with examinations, diagnostic testing, anesthesia, and patient care across general practice and urgent care.

We value 1+ year of technician experience, with RVT preferred. Responsibilities include nursing care, labs, radiographs, client education, and maintaining clean, organized hospital areas.

Qualifications

• 1+ years veterinary technician experience required.
• Knowledge of anesthesia, laboratory procedures, radiology, and patient nursing care.

Responsibilities

• Provide compassionate patient care, including histories, vital signs, restraint, and monitoring.
• Assist veterinarians during examinations, treatments, procedures, and patient care.
• Triage support and urgent/same-day patient intake.
• Administer medications, vaccines, IV fluids, and other care as directed.
• Collect lab samples, run tests, take radiographs, and record results.
• Prepare patients and surgical areas; assist with anesthesia induction and recovery.
• Educate clients on medications, discharge instructions, and preventive care.
• Maintain exam rooms, treatment areas, and equipment cleanliness and organization.

Skills

Veterinary technician experience

Client communication

Vital signs / patient monitoring

Lab procedures

Radiology

Anesthesia support

Education

Registered Veterinary Technician (RVT) preferred

Job description

Description

Veterinary Technician

Smith Veterinary Hospital

Santa Fe, NM

Schedule: 4x10 shifts from 10:30 or 11am - 8:30pm.

Compensation is negotiable based on experience and credentials, with an expected starting range of $23-$25/hour. The final pay will carefully consider a wide range of factors including your skills, qualifications, experience, and location.

About You

You’ll play an important role in pets' lives by providing end-to-end care for our precious patients across both general practice and urgent care services. Your life-changing work will range from hands-on outpatient treatments, laboratory testing, and patient nursing care to supporting urgent/same-day visits, intake, and patient discharges.

Responsibilities

• Provide compassionate patient care, including obtaining histories, taking vital signs, safely restraining patients, and monitoring hospitalized patients.
• Assist veterinarians during examinations, treatments, medical procedures, and patient care.
• Triage support and urgent/same-day patient intake.
• Administer medications, vaccines, treatments, IV fluids, and other care as directed by the veterinarian.
• Collect laboratory samples, perform testing, take diagnostic radiographs, and accurately record results.
• Place and maintain intravenous catheters and support patient nursing care.
• Assist with dental procedures, including dental radiographs, cleanings, and charting.
• Prepare patients, surgical instruments, packs, and surgical suites for procedures.
• Assist with anesthesia induction, monitoring, recovery, and follow hospital protocols.
• Educate clients on medications, preventive care, treatment recommendations, discharge instructions, and patient updates.
• Maintain cleanliness, organization, stocking, and disinfection of exam rooms, treatment areas, surgical suites, and equipment.
• Properly handle controlled substances and follow OSHA, safety, and infection-control protocols.
• Communicate effectively with veterinarians, technicians, assistants, client service representatives, and other departments.
• Contribute to a positive, respectful, collaborative work environment and participate in continuing education opportunities.
• Complete other tasks as assigned.

Qualifications:

• 1 or more years of veterinary technician experience required
• Registered Veterinary Technician (RVT) preferred
• Knowledge of veterinary terminology, anesthesia, laboratory procedures, radiology, and patient nursing care required
• Strong communication, organization, multitasking, and attention to detail.
• Compassionate, patient-centered approach with excellent client service skills.
• Professional, respectful, and collaborative with clients and teammates.
• Ability to take initiative, remain adaptable, and work effectively in a fast-paced hospital environment.
• Commitment to continuous learning and professional growth.

Physical Requirements:

The physical requirements listed below may be performed with or without reasonable accommodation.

• Ability to lift and carry up to 50 pounds independently and assist with larger patients.
• Ability to stand, walk, bend, kneel, and reach for extended periods.
• Ability to safely restrain animals of various sizes and temperaments.
• Ability to work around animals, cleaning chemicals, medications, and potential biohazards.

You’ll Grow With Us

Here, you can grow your career as best fits you through access to comprehensive learning and skillset programs. You can build your skills and earn credentials through:

• Our vast, diverse, and free library of continuing education courses - ThriveU
• Live, virtual interactive workshops to develop valuable leadership skills
• A program designed to teach you the fundamentals of running a pet hospital

And, with so many locations nationwide, you can find and move into any specialty, hospital type, or environment. Join us and provide your best care at a clinic that is deeply rooted within its community and bolstered by the resources of Thrive Pet Healthcare.

Benefits - our care in action

Thrive offers a suite of benefits to support team members' emotional, physical, professional, and financial wellbeing. In addition to our health and life insurance, and short- and long- term disability plans, we offer eligible team members:

• Competitive pay
• 401(k) with employer match
• Mental health resources, including easy access to therapy through Lyra Health
• Paid parental leave
• Purr-ental leave for when you adopt a pet
• Subsidized backup childcare and elder care
• Expert advice, support and network discounts for fertility and family planning
• FREE CE courses
• Pet perks and veterinary service discounts
• Student loan support tools and assistance

*Some benefits shown are only for full-time team members who work 30 hours or more per week. Certain Benefits may be subject to waiting periods or length of service requirements.

About the Hospital

Smith Veterinary Hospital has proudly served pets in Santa Fe and the surrounding communities for over 75 years. Our AAHA-accredited and Feline-Friendly certified hospital offers primary, urgent, and emergency care, along with surgical, dental, and ultrasound services. We’re committed to delivering high-quality, compassionate care in a collaborative environment that supports both pets and the people who love them.

About Thrive

Thrive Pet Healthcare creates the future of pet well-being through medical excellence, innovative technology, and a connected community of teams and partners. Today, its network of 360+ primary, emergency, and specialty hospitals across the U.S. cares for pets of all ages and health needs, while portfolio companies provide tools and technology that help veterinary teams work smarter and deliver better care.

Thrive invests in its people—through mentorship, leadership programs, continuing education, and well-being initiatives—so teams can grow and feel supported. For pet owners, convenient solutions such as a mobile app, digital booking, Thrive PlusTM membership, HereFurYou Helpline, an online pharmacy and flexible financial options* make accessing quality care simpler - giving families the peace of mind their pets deserve.

Learn more at thrivepetcare.com.

We welcome you to join our story and join where #WeThriveTogether.