Veterinary Assistant

Independence Veterinary Neurology is a new, independently owned specialty practice built around a simple philosophy: pets and people come first.

Led by a board-certified veterinary neurologist, IVN will provide advanced diagnostics, medical neurology, and neurosurgical care while intentionally creating a workplace where talented veterinary professionals can thrive.

We're looking for a Veterinary Assistant who understands how essential this role is to excellent patient care. Assistants are at the center of patient flow, hands-on support, hospital organization, and day-to-day teamwork.

Experience is preferred, but we're willing to train the right person. Attitude, reliability, curiosity, teamwork, and a genuine desire to learn matter tremendously to us.

You May Be a Great Fit If You...

• Want your coworkers to succeed and naturally step in when someone needs help—even when the task isn't technically "yours."
• Communicate directly, respectfully, and professionally, and prefer collaboration over competition or workplace drama.
• Enjoy learning new skills, asking questions, and using constructive feedback to grow.
• Handle patients with patience and compassion, with a preference for thoughtful, low-stress restraint and handling.
• Take pride in doing both the visible and behind-the-scenes work that keeps a hospital safe, clean, organized, and efficient.
• Are excited to help shape a new specialty practice and can remain flexible while the hospital establishes its long-term workflow.

This probably isn't the right environmentfor someone who thrives on workplace drama, treats teamwork as competition, refuses tasks because they are "not my job," or expects professional scope-of-practice boundaries to be ignored.

What You'll Do

As a Veterinary Assistant at IVN, you'll work closely with our veterinarian and LVT team to keep patients safe, comfortable, and moving efficiently through the hospital.

Highlights include:

• Providing skilled, compassionate patient handling and restraint using low-stress and fear-conscious techniques whenever possible.
• Assisting veterinarians and LVTs with appointments, treatments, diagnostics, procedures, and patient preparation.
• Supporting laboratory testing, diagnostic radiographs, surgical setup/breakdown, anesthesia monitoring support, and recovery within your legal scope of practice and demonstrated training.
• Helping care for hospitalized and recovering neurological patients, including walking, feeding, monitoring, comfort care, and maintaining clean patient housing.
• Assisting with prescription preparation, accurate medical records, client communication, education, and discharge support as appropriate.
• Keeping clinical and shared hospital spaces clean, stocked, organized, and ready for patient care.
• Cross-training in other areas of the hospital, including reception/customer-service support when needed.

A comprehensive job description and complete duty list will be reviewed during the interview process.

Grow Your Skills — Within a Team That Respects Your Role

We want Veterinary Assistants who are curious, motivated, and eager to keep developing their skills. At IVN, assistants will be utilized to the level of their training, demonstrated competency, and legal scope of practice.

We also respect the professional distinction between Veterinary Assistant and Licensed Veterinary Technician duties. Those boundaries protect our patients, our team, and the integrity of each role.

Cross-Training Is Part of the Culture

We'll be opening with a small team, so there may be times when an LVT answers a phone, checks in a client, restocks supplies, cleans a treatment area, or briefly steps into another role because that's what the team needs.

Likewise, you should be able to expect your coworkers to step in for you.

No role is unimportant, and helping your team is never beneath your title.

Preferred — But Not Required

Experience is helpful, but the right attitude and willingness to learn matter more than having the perfect resume.

Additional consideration may be given for:

• ·1–3 years of veterinary assisting experience.
• Veterinary Assistant certification.
• Specialty, emergency, or veterinary neurology experience.
• Experience with anesthesia, surgery, hospitalized patient care, or diagnostic imaging.
• Low-Stress Handling or Fear Free training/certification.

Schedule

This is a full-time position of approximately 30–40 hours per week.

Anticipated hospital hours: Monday–Friday | 8:00 AM–5:00 PM

During the opening and early growth of the practice, schedules may vary between four- and five-day workweeks as we determine what works best for patient care, staffing, and workflow. Some flexibility will be important initially, with the long-term goal of establishing a more consistent standard schedule once the practice’s needs and daily rhythm are better defined.

IVN is currently targeting a late November to early December opening, with approximately two weeks of employee orientation and training anticipated beforehand. Because the facility is currently being renovated, these dates remain approximate.

Compensation

Expected starting range: $16–$23/hour

Compensation will be based on veterinary assisting experience, specialty/neurology background, certifications or active enrollment in Veterinary Technology education, technical skill level, and relevant patient-care experience.

Candidates new to veterinary medicine should expect compensation toward the lower portion of the range while they develop clinical experience and skills. Experienced assistants bringing substantial veterinary, specialty, anesthesia, or advanced patient-care experience may qualify toward the upper portion.

Why Independence Veterinary Neurology?

Being independently owned gives us the opportunity to intentionally build the kind of practice we believe patients, clients, and veterinary professionals deserve.

For our patients, that means compassionate, individualized care supported by advanced medicine and technology.

For our team, it means teaching rather than intimidating, sharing knowledge instead of guarding it, respecting each person's role, and helping the person beside you rather than watching them struggle.

Veterinary Assistants are a critical part of that care, and we believe people do their best work when they are respected, supported, challenged, and given room to grow.

The Freedom to Care. The Expertise to Heal.

If you're looking for a place where your work matters, your growth is supported, and being a good teammate is considered just as important as being good at your job, we'd love to hear from you.

Pay: $16.00 - $23.00 per hour

Benefits:

• 401(k) matching
• Continuing education credits
• Employee discount
• Health insurance
• Paid time off
• Uniform allowance

Experience:

• Veterinary Assistant: 1 year (Preferred)

Ability to Commute:

• Quinton, VA 23141 (Required)

Work Location: In person

Salary : $16 - $23