Veterinary Technician (Relief)

PAWS Chicago; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 42,000 - 64,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

Paid time off

Job summary

PAWS Chicago’s Shelter Medicine Veterinary Technician plays a vital role on the medical team, delivering exceptional nursing care for shelter and foster animals in a fast-paced environment.

The role combines emergency and critical care with infectious disease management, diagnostics, patient monitoring, and preventive medicine, ensuring high-quality care and positive outcomes for thousands of animals annually.

Qualifications

• Passion for animal welfare and PAWS Chicago's No Kill mission.
• Strong understanding of veterinary nursing principles, including patient assessment and medication administration.
• Experience with blood collection, IV catheter placement, treatment administration, and patient monitoring.
• Ability to remain calm, organized, and compassionate in a fast-paced clinical environment.
• Strong communication and teamwork skills.
• Basic computer proficiency.
• Ability to lift up to 40 pounds.

Responsibilities

• Provide skilled nursing care for shelter and foster animals across life stages.
• Monitor hospitalized patients and communicate changes to veterinarians.
• Assist veterinarians during examinations, diagnostics, treatments, and procedures.
• Collect diagnostic samples and perform in-house testing.
• Administer medications and fluid therapy, manage wound care and sedation as needed.

Skills

Animal welfare

Veterinary nursing

Blood collection

IV catheter placement

Teamwork

Communication

Computer skills

Lifting up to 40 lbs

Education

CVT/LVT/RVT certification

Tools

IDEXX laboratory diagnostics

Job description

Brief Description

Where Advanced Medicine Meets Lifesaving Impact

At PAWS Chicago, every patient has a story—and every member of our medical team plays a vital role in changing its ending.

PAWS Chicago provides advanced medical care to thousands of homeless and at-risk animals each year while maintaining an industry-leading save rate. Our Shelter Medicine team treats everything from neonatal kittens and puppies to critically ill emergency patients, infectious disease cases, trauma, and medically complex animals that require intensive nursing care and close collaboration across disciplines.

For veterinary technicians, there are few environments that offer this breadth of experience. Every day presents new challenges, opportunities to expand your clinical skills, and the chance to make a meaningful impact on the lives of animals who have nowhere else to turn.

If you're looking for a career where your technical expertise is valued, your professional growth is supported, and your work directly saves lives, we'd love to meet you.

Position Summary

The Shelter Medicine Veterinary Technician is an essential member of PAWS Chicago's medical team, partnering closely with Shelter Medicine Veterinarians to provide exceptional nursing care for shelter and foster animals.

This role combines emergency and critical care, infectious disease management, diagnostics, patient monitoring and preventative medicine in a fast-paced, collaborative environment. Veterinary Technicians at PAWS Chicago apply advanced technical skills while helping shape positive outcomes for thousands of animals each year.

Whether caring for neonatal patients, assisting with emergency cases, managing hospitalized animals, or preparing pets for adoption, every day offers opportunities to learn, grow, and make a lasting difference.

What You'll Do

Deliver Outstanding Patient Care

• Provide skilled nursing care for shelter and foster animals across every stage of life—from fragile neonates to senior pets.
• Monitor hospitalized patients and promptly communicate changes in condition to veterinarians.
• Assist veterinarians during examinations, diagnostics, treatments, and medical procedures.
• Collect diagnostic samples and perform in-house laboratory testing, including fecal examinations and IDEXX laboratory diagnostics.
• Perform blood draws, place and maintain intravenous catheters, administer medications and fluid therapy, and provide ongoing patient treatments.
• Administer vaccinations and preventive medications upon intake and throughout an animal's stay.
• Perform digital radiography and assist with diagnostic imaging.
• Assist with emergency stabilization and intensive care for critically ill and injured patients.
• Support minor medical procedures, wound management, and sedation cases as needed.

Advance Shelter Medicine

• Help maintain a healthy shelter population by following best practices for infectious disease prevention, sanitation, and biosecurity.
• Monitor animals for signs of illness, injury, parasites, and behavioral changes, communicating concerns promptly to veterinarians.
• Maintain accurate, thorough medical records to ensure continuity of care.
• Assist in quality assurance for medical equipment, laboratory instruments, and technical protocols.
• Help ensure medical spaces remain clean, organized, and prepared for patient care.

Collaborate and Grow

• Partner with veterinarians, animal care staff, and behavior specialists to provide comprehensive patient care.
• Mentor and develop volunteers, helping foster a positive learning environment.
• Participate in continuing education and ongoing professional development opportunities.
• Contribute ideas that improve patient care, workflow, and shelter medicine best practices.

What You'll Bring

Required Qualifications

• Passion for animal welfare and PAWS Chicago's No Kill mission.
• Strong understanding of veterinary nursing principles, including patient assessment, disease recognition, medication administration, laboratory procedures, and animal restraint.
• Experience with blood collection, IV catheter placement, treatment administration, and patient monitoring.
• Ability to remain calm, organized, and compassionate while managing multiple priorities in a fast-paced clinical environment.
• Strong communication and teamwork skills.
• Basic computer proficiency.
• Ability to lift up to 40 pounds.

Preferred Qualifications

• Veterinary Technician certification (CVT, LVT, or RVT) or eligibility for certification.
• Previous experience in shelter medicine, emergency medicine, specialty practice, or high-volume veterinary care.
• Experience working with infectious disease, neonatal patients, or hospitalized animals.
• Interest in continuing education and expanding clinical skills.

Why PAWS Chicago?

Shelter medicine is one of the most dynamic and rewarding fields in veterinary medicine.

At PAWS Chicago, you'll gain hands‑on experience with a remarkable diversity of medical cases while working alongside an experienced team committed to advancing animal welfare through exceptional medicine.

You’ll Build Experience In

• Emergency and critical care
• Infectious disease management
• Neonatal and pediatric nursing
• Internal medicine
• Population medicine
• Diagnostic laboratory testing
• Digital radiology
• Intensive nursing care
• Preventive medicine
• Shelter and foster medicine

You’ll be supported in your professional development and encouraged to continuously grow your skills through mentorship and continuing education.

Most importantly, you'll experience the extraordinary reward of watching critically ill, injured, and vulnerable animals recover, heal, and leave the shelter for loving homes because of the care you helped provide.

Our Values

• Respect: Every life has value.
• Community: We save more lives together.
• Innovation: We continually improve shelter medicine through learning and best practices.
• Proactivity: We anticipate challenges and respond with urgency and compassion.
• Transparency: We measure our impact and hold ourselves accountable.
• Education: We empower people to improve the lives of animals.
• Sustainability: We build programs that create lasting change.
• Compassion: We care deeply—for animals, our colleagues, and our community.

Our Benefits

• Employee Assistance Program (EAP) through Blue Cross Blue Shield
• Paid time off, including vacation and sick days

Join a team where your technical expertise is valued, your growth is encouraged, and your work changes lives every day.