Veterinary Technician: Small Animal Float

University of Wisconsin-Madison; Madison (WI); On-site; USD 26,000 - 37,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Night/Weekend differential

Shoe allowance

Hospital-branded clothing

Continuing education support

Employee benefits

Job summary

University of Wisconsin-Madison’s UW Veterinary Care is seeking a Veterinary Technician II for a dynamic Small Animal Float role. You will support patients and owners across specialty services, expand nursing skills, and take initiative in technical tasks.

Ability to lift 50 lbs and physically handle specialized procedures is required. The position offers part- to full-time hours (60–100% FTE, 24–40 hours/week) with a schedule typical of hospital care, including potential on-call coverage.

Qualifications

• Must be able to lift a minimum of 50 lbs.
• Physical and manual dexterity for technical tasks.
• Strong interpersonal and collaborative skills essential.
• At least 3 years of professional experience in a veterinary clinic handling small animals.

Responsibilities

• Oversees daily receiving schedules and initiates changes as needed.
• Maintains specialized equipment and assists clinicians and students with procedures.
• Anticipates needs of clinicians, staff, and students during procedures and animal care.
• Assists in training veterinary students and entry-level Veterinary Technicians.
• Contributes to team problem-solving and process improvements.
• Monitors animal health status, records nursing care, and notifies veterinarians of changes.

Skills

Lifting 50 lbs

Manual dexterity

Interpersonal skills

Team collaboration

Vet clinic experience

Education

High School Diploma

Certified Veterinary Technician

Associates degree preferred

Job description

Current Employees: If you are currently employed at any of the Universities of Wisconsin, log in to Workday to apply through the internal application process.

Job Category

University Staff

Employment Type

Regular

Job Profile

Veterinary Technician II

Job Summary

Each day brings something different in this unique floating nurse role, supporting patients and their owners while working across small animal specialty services. This position provides the opportunity to expand your knowledge of specialty care and further develop your veterinary nursing skills. The role requires initiative and the ability to independently follow through on assigned technical responsibilities. Candidates must be able to lift a minimum of 50 pounds independently and have the physical and manual dexterity necessary to perform specialized technical tasks.

Responsibilities

• Oversees daily receiving schedules, provides assistance, and initiates changes as needed.
• Develops knowledge and expertise in specialized areas, including maintaining specialized equipment, instructing others on its use and care, and assisting clinicians and students with procedures.
• Anticipates the needs of clinicians, staff, and students during procedures and while providing primary animal care.
• Assists with the instruction of professional veterinary students and the training of entry-level Veterinary Technicians, as requested.
• Contributes to and participates in team building by assisting with problem-solving activities.

This position can be full or part-time, between 60–100% FTE (24–40 hours per week).

The anticipated schedule is Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., with a 30-minute unpaid lunch. On-call coverage may be required as needed to support hospital operations. The schedule is subject to change based on department needs.

Key Job Responsibilities

• Monitors animal health status and records, provides nursing care, notifies veterinarian when status changes, and records in the medical record (10%)
• Tracks supply inventory levels and places replenishment orders (10%)
• Develops recordkeeping processes, maintains organization of and updates records related to medical procedures and billing (20%)
• Assists in the facilitation of trainings for animal care staff and supervises student employees as needed (10%)
• Prepares, completes, monitors, and documents complex technical animal care procedures and work unit activities, assessments, and medication administration according to established care plans and medical necessity (20%)
• Serves as a point of contact for animal owners and stakeholders providing information and answering questions (10%)
• Documents and disseminates results to the appropriate entities (10%)
• Completes appropriate laboratory tests and collects specimens according to established medical orders and care plans (10%)

Department

School of Veterinary Medicine

UW Veterinary Care (UWVC)

Small Animal Float

Compensation

The starting hourly rate for the position is $23.00 (but is negotiable based on experience and qualifications).

This position is being posted at Vet Tech levels 1, 2 and 3. Level and pay are commensurate with experience.

UW Veterinary Care offers competitive wages (including night and weekend differential, if applicable), outstanding employee benefits https://hr.wisc.edu/benefits/new-employee-benefits-enrollment/benefits-for-employees-covered-by-the-wrs/ ample paid time off https://hr.wisc.edu/benefits/leave/paid-leave/ , financial support for continuing education and pursuing specialty certification, referral bonuses, an annual shoe allowance, and a yearly provision of hospital-branded clothing.

Required Qualifications

• Requires the ability to lift a minimum of 50 lbs. independently.
• Physical and manual dexterity to perform specialized technical tasks.
• Strong interpersonal and collaborative skills are essential.
• At least 3 years professional experience in a veterinary clinic setting handling small animals.

This position is posted at Vet Tech levels 1, 2 and 3. Level is determined by qualifications based on type of prior veterinary tech experience:

• To qualify for Level 1: Entry level, new CVT grad with minimal experience
• To qualify for Level 2: Generally, over 2 years of veterinary tech experience, may substitute years of experience for specialization
• To qualify for Level 3: Veterinary Tech Specialist (VTS), or highly qualified and specialized in a specific area, may have prior experience from another university hospital

Preferred Qualifications

• VTS - Veterinary Technician Specialist Preferred
• 4 - 5 years of professional experience in a veterinary clinic setting handling small animals.
• Experience working in a Critical Care Unit (CCU) and/or Emergency Room (ER) setting preferred.

Education

• H.S. Diploma Required
• Certified Veterinary Technician Required
• Associates Degree Preferred

Contact Information

Hiring Manager: Jill Medenwaldt, Veterinary Nurse Supervisor, [e-mail]

Human Resources Support: Anne Kaldunski, HR Coordinator, [e-mail]

Please note that successful applicants are responsible for ensuring their eligibility to work in the United States (i.e. a citizen or national of the United States, a lawful permanent resident, a foreign national authorized to work in the United States without need of employer sponsorship) on or before the effective date of appointment.

Institutional Statement on Diversity

Diversity is a source of strength, creativity, and innovation for UW-Madison. We value the contributions of each person and respect the profound ways their identity, culture, background, experience, status, abilities, and opinion enrich the university community. We commit ourselves to the pursuit of excellence in teaching, research, outreach, and diversity as inextricably linked goals.

The University of Wisconsin-Madison fulfills its public mission by creating a welcoming and inclusive community for people from every background - people who as students, faculty, and staff serve Wisconsin and the world.

The University of Wisconsin-Madison is an Equal Opportunity Employer

Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to, including but not limited to, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, pregnancy, disability, or status as a protected veteran and other bases as defined by federal regulations and UW System policies. We promote excellence by acknowledging skills and expertise from all backgrounds and encourage all qualified individuals to apply. For more information regarding applicant and employee rights and to view federal and state required postings, visit the Human Resources Workplace Poster website.

To request a disability or pregnancy-related accommodation for any step in the hiring process (e.g., application, interview, pre-employment testing, etc.), please contact the Divisional Disability Representative (DDR) in the division you are applying to. Please make your request as soon as possible to help the university respond most effectively to you.

Employment may require a criminal background check. It may also require your references to answer questions regarding misconduct, including sexual violence and sexual harassment.

The University of Wisconsin System will not reveal the identities of applicants who request confidentiality in writing, except that the identity of the successful candidate will be released. See Wis. Stat. sec. 19.36(7).

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