Full- Time Veterinary Technician

Job Summary:

The Humane Rescue Alliance (HRA), the first unified organization in a major urban area to provide all animal welfare programs and services to the community, seeks a veterinary technician to join a dynamic team of medical professionals to provide medical care and monitoring of health and welfare of animals through its medical center. HRA’s medical center cares for shelter animals and provides low-cost services to members of the public via appointment and through HRA community programs, including community cats and animals in HRA foster homes. This position offers a unique opportunity to work for an innovative, mission-oriented organization committed to changing the landscape of animal welfare.

The veterinary technician provides a wide range of medical care and guidance, from basic wellness and care information to surgical support to HRA shelter animals and community/owned animals. Ensure each patient is treated humanely and compassionately and that medical information is shared with clients in a way that is friendly, approachable, and clear, and that it complies with policies and the mission of HRA. Must be committed to providing incremental levels of support to owned animals to support accessible and improved care in the home and maintenance of the human-animal bond.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Appointments and Medical Care

• Conduct patient appointments for basic wellness procedures, including administering vaccinations, parasite treatments, and routine health screenings.
• Assist veterinarians with patient appointments for illnesses, including obtaining patient history, addressing client or foster parent concerns, performing indicated diagnostics, administering treatments, and reviewing discharge instructions.
• Inform and educate clients and foster parents on animal health status, health inquiries, diseases, and proper care.
• Calculate, administer and record medications, complete controlled drug logs.
• Respond to emergency situations and begin first aid or CPR as needed.
• Perform nursing care such as wound care, administering medications (oral, topical, injectable), feeding special diets, checking vital signs, placing and maintaining IV, catheters and administering and monitoring IV fluid therapy.
• Fill prescriptions.

Shelter Animal Care

• Perform daily health evaluations, scheduled treatments, intake exams and vaccinations of shelter animals.
• Assist veterinarians with daily rounds, monitor daily health of animals in the shelter and medical center.
• Provide care for all hospitalized animals including feeding, cleaning, walking, medicating, and monitoring overall health status.
• Notify behavior team of animal behavioral needs and/or concerns.
• Perform and assist with euthanasia of shelter and publicly owned animals following certification.

Diagnostics

• Collect laboratory samples including blood, urine, feces, skin samples, and ear swabs.
• Prepare laboratory samples and perform in-house screenings or prepare to be sent to reference laboratory.
• Capture diagnostic radiographs following OSHA guidelines.

Surgical and Anesthesia

• Prepare animals for surgery including pre-surgery health screenings, animal identification, preparing medications, anesthesia induction, and aseptically preparing surgical site.
• Perform all aspects of anesthesia monitoring including during peri and post-operative monitoring.
• Clean, wrap and sterilize surgical instruments.
• Assist with surgical check in and discharge of public, foster, and shelter animals.
• Perform dental scaling and polishing.

Administrative and General Requirements

• Update and maintain patient files, review care plans, and handle other administrative duties, as necessary.
• Assist with equipment maintenance and inventory management as assigned.
• Attend continuing education training as required or assigned.
• Maintain departmental procedures and protocols regarding humane care and treatment of animals.
• Maintain cleanliness and stock of supplies of medical and surgical areas.
• Follow safety guidelines, maintain a healthy and safe environment for animals and people.
• Take immediate action to address any safety concerns or noncompliance of safety rules that could put an employee, volunteer, client, animal, volunteer, or organization at risk.
• Always represent HRA in a professional and courteous manner. Provide quality service to the public, volunteers, and employees recognizing their individual contributions to the success of the organization.
• Perform other duties and special projects as assigned.

Qualifications and Requirements:

• Proficient technical skills, including but not limited to administering medications, phlebotomy, placing IV catheters, analyzing blood, urine, fecal samples, obtain vital signs, monitor anesthesia, capture radiographs.
• Knowledge of animal shelter procedures and protocols.
• Knowledge and skill in restraint and handling techniques, general animal safety practices, including recognizing animal behavior patterns.
• Ability to work effectively, independently and in a team setting in atmosphere of multiple projects, shifting priorities, and deadline pressures; and the ability to be flexible, detail oriented and to prioritize.
• Excellent interpersonal skills w/ customer service orientation. Ability to communicate effectively, courteously, professionally.
• Computer literacy w/ proficient use of programs including Microsoft Office programs, email, Internet and database software.
• Ability to work weeknights, weekends, holidays as needed. Ability to work weekend vaccine, feline clinics, as needed.
• Passion for the HRA mission, and for caring for all animals regardless of age, breed, temperament, or species, and supporting and educating members of the public, free of judgment or bias.

Physical Requirements and Work Environment:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

• Ability to lift 50 pounds unassisted regularly, 50+ pounds assisted.
• Ability to be comfortable working with cats, dogs, small animals, reptiles, fish, and wildlife.
• Ability to perform strenuous physical activity daily, including but not limited to lifting and carrying, reaching, stooping, squatting, and bending. Regularly moves about the facilities to coordinate work. Typically stands, bends, stoops, and crouches while working special events.
• Due to the nature of shelter work, may be exposed to deceased, fractious, or aggressive animals; common allergens; hostile or irate persons; zoonotic or other diseases; unpleasant noises, odors, or sights; and extreme temperatures.

Education and Experience:

• Minimum two years of experience as veterinary technician, experience as high volume surgical veterinary technician preferred.
• Ability to pass skills assessment during interview process.

Salary premium may be offered for multilingual candidates.

HRA is committed to being an Equal Opportunity Employer, and does not discriminate because of race, color, creed, gender, religion, national origin, disability, age, pregnancy, genetic predisposition or carrier status, marital status, citizenship status, or sexual orientation. Accommodations will be provided to qualified individuals requiring them.