Description

Veterinary Assistant - Shelter Medicine Department

At the San Francisco SPCA, the practice of Shelter Medicine requires a unique blend of individual medicine and population management with a strong focus on behavioral wellness. Every day, the Veterinarians and Technicians on our Shelter Medicine Team dedicate themselves to maximizing our life saving capacity in San Francisco and beyond. We are looking for a highly skilled, innovative, compassionate, Veterinary Assistant (VA) to join this remarkable team.

The Shelter Medicine VA role provides excellent medical and surgical nursing care for the thousands of companion animals that enter the SF SPCA shelter and/or are served by the SF SPCA shelter medicine department each year. The shelter medicine VA works with shelter medicine veterinarians and other departments to ensure that each shelter animal meets adoption criteria and is ready to succeed in its forever home. 

About you: 

• Devoted to improving the outcomes for homeless animals and improving animal welfare
• Self-starter, able to initiate and complete tasks alone or as part of a team
• Able to collect and analyze data and present results
• Work effectively with a team of colleagues of diverse professional, cultural and community backgrounds
• Have a minimum of 1 year experience working in veterinary medicine, including both medicine and anesthesia/surgery
• Current Veterinary Assistant Controlled Substance Permit (VACSP) or ability to obtain one required
• ER/ICU experience translates well for this role

The Role: 

• Work closely with the Shelter Medicine Team to provide excellent medical care (including preventive care, diagnostic testing, routine treatments, and emergency care) to the population of animals transitioned into our care from partnering shelters (no public surrenders/legal intakes)
• Perform basic physical exams and recognize normal and abnormal parameters in a variety of canine and feline patients with familiarity of veterinary terminology and abbreviations
• Demonstrate an understanding of infectious disease in patients and infectious disease control
• Prepare animals for spays, neuters, and other surgeries, including intubation; concurrently monitor multiple patients in various stages of anesthesia and surgery
• Contribute to /participate in ongoing assessment and improvement of nursing care systems, processes, and documentation
• 4x10 schedule, rotating weekend shifts

Included Benefits:

• On-site gated parking with security (Mission Campus)
• Eligibility to participate in our new student debt benefit program
• Competitive PTO
• Low-cost medical, vision, and dental insurance plans 
• 401K with matching funds
• Generous discounts on veterinary care and supplies
• Bring your dog to work! 

About Us:

Here for animals since 1868, the San Francisco SPCA is one of the Bay Area’s most respected nonprofit organizations. Iconic and innovative, the SF SPCA offers you the opportunity to join a team committed not only to veterinary excellence, but to a balanced work environment. The San Francisco SPCA welcomes everyone! We know diversity drives innovation and brings new perspectives. We consider our differences valuable assets that help us continually strive to be better at what we do.

Requirements

 Minimum of 1 year experience working in veterinary medicine, including both medicine and anesthesia/surgery