Staff Veterinarian

Maryland SPCA

Job Description

Job title: Staff Veterinarian

Reports to: Director of Veterinary Services

Salary: $98,000-$110,000

FLSA status: Exempt

Schedule: 30 hours weekly

Date created:4/8/2026

Position Summary:

The Maryland SPCA is an innovative dynamic organization that focuses on improving the lives of pets and people in our community. This position will work closely with an experienced team including three staff veterinarians, two department managers, five licensed veterinary technicians, and over ten other medical support staff with low turnover and a strong emphasis on work-life balance.

The veterinary team provides medical and surgical care for shelter pets at our facility and our extensive foster program. In addition, the team performs approximately 6,000 spay and neuter surgeries for publicly owned pets. We offer preventative care to community members through seasonal monthly community clinics. The shelter has contracts with Antech and Idexx and is equipped with in-house CBC and chemistry analyzers, digital radiography, and access to ultrasound services as needed.

We have an extensive benefits package including full-time benefits for 30 hours of work. This includes medical benefits, $2,500 CE financial allowance including additional time, generous paid time off, holidays, a monthly contribution towards student loans, PSLF eligibility, paid state license and DEA fees, plus many other benefits listed below.  

If you feel strongly about helping pets in your community and working in a supportive, flexible, and energetic environment, please apply now. If you have questions or concerns about what working at a shelter could be like contact us for a tour and to meet our staff. We pride ourselves in the work that we do together as a team, and we can’t wait to show it off to anyone that may be interested in helping us get it done.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

Medical Care

·      Practice veterinary medicine using shelter medicine principles in accordance with Maryland SPCA policies.

·      Create clear diagnostic plans and treatment plans for sick/ailing shelter patients within our resources

·      Maintain complete and clear medical records

·      See appointments with foster pets, follow up with foster staff members and foster parents

·      Provide on-call phone support to shelter staff on a rotating basis with other veterinarians. Coordinate care with local ERs for any hospitalized shelter pets.

Surgical Care

·      Perform on average 25-30 spay/neuter surgeries a day

·      Perform spay/neuter surgeries for public and shelter-owned pets, including pediatric and pregnant animals.

·      Perform needed surgeries on shelter pets not limited to soft tissue, amputations, dentistry, etc.

·      Document surgical procedures in medical records, with clear plan if needed

Administrative

·      Collaborate with other staff veterinarians to achieve best practices by giving input on current and new protocols

·      Work in conjunction with the behavior team to ensure the mental well-being of shelter residents

·      Attend weekly vet rounds and staff meetings as needed

Qualifications:

·      1-3 years of relevant small animal veterinary experience including medicine and surgery. New graduates with an interest in shelter medicine welcome to apply. Mentorship available.

·      Proficient in high-quality, high-volume sterilization surgeries for cats and dogs. Humane Alliance training preferred.

·      Experience and knowledge in dentistry is preferred, but not required

·      Maintain an active Maryland Veterinary License, Maryland Controlled Dangerous Substance License, and Professional Liability Insurance Policy

·      No sanctions with the Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners

·      Able to exercise professional judgment in the best interest of the animals and the MD SPCA.

·      Strong interpersonal, collaborative and team-building skills

·      Positive attitude and ability to deal with emotionally challenging situations

·      Commitment to and enthusiasm for the mission, programs and services of the Maryland SPCA

Physical Demands:

·      Standing or walking 8 or more hours per day with frequent bending, stooping and reaching

·      Able to see fine details in a variety of situations

·      Must have a reasonable degree of agility to move through tightly cramped areas in various situations

·      Possess excellent eye-hand coordination

·      Physically capable of performing all duties, including moderately heavy work like lifting/transporting pets of 50 pounds

Working Conditions:

·      Work is performed in an animal shelter and within a Spay/Neuter clinic

·      Noise level is usually moderate

·      Exposure to disinfecting solutions when cleaning with exposure to unpleasant odors and high noise levels when in kennel area

The Maryland SPCA is an equal opportunity employer and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any kind. We encourage all applicants with a passion for our mission to apply.

The MD SPCA strives to provide a safe work environment and encourage personal health. Therefore, it is a substance-free, drug-free workplace.

MD SPCA Benefit Highlights

·      Paid time off with increases to PTO accrual happening at 1 year, 3 years, 5 years and 10 years

·      Carry over and buy back options for paid time off

·      8 paid Federal holidays, 2 paid personal holidays, and a day paid to celebrate your birthday

·      Medical, dental, and vision plans offered 1^st of the month following 30 days of employment

·      Employer funded HRA for those on the MD SPCA medical plan ($4,000 for employee/$8,000 for family)

·      Employer paid Employee Assistance Program

·      Employer paid $25,000 Life AD&D coverage

·      AFLAC policies with rate guarantee and portability

·      401(k) and Roth retirement options through Mutual of America

·      Discounts on pet food and prescription diet

·      Discounted vaccines and preventatives provided to staff throughout the year

·      Paid bereavement leave, including a day of paid leave for the loss of a personal pet

·      Education assistance program offering up to $250 reimbursement every six months

·      Paid education and development opportunities throughout the year

·      Employee of the month and anniversary recognition

·      Employee referral program

·      Gym membership discount

·      Branded uniform tops (or scrubs for medical staff) provided

Part time colleagues working 20 or more hours are eligible for some benefits including paid hours for holidays and bereavement as well as reduced PTO accruals. Colleagues must work 30 hours per week to be eligible for health benefits.

Veterinarian specific:

Veterinarians (30 hours per week) receive 160 hours of PTO front-loaded into their available time-bank from their date of hire. Although we will do our best to accommodate pre-planned time off requests, we do ask that time off be limited in your first 90 days to facilitate a structured training schedule. After your first year of employment, you will transition to a bi-weekly accrual schedule for PTO.

MD SPCA is committed to assisting Veterinarians with several costs by providing the following:

AVMA membership     MD state veterinary license                 MD CDS license

PLITe                           VIN membership                                  ASV membership

·      Spay/Neuter Alliance Training Program (ASPCA) or comparable training as needed

·      Up to $3,000 contribution toward eligible, qualified student loans

·      Up to $2,500 annual Continuing Education allowance after one year of employment