Veterinarian

Veterinarian Position at Pima Animal Care Center

Pima Animal Care Center is seeking a skilled Veterinarian who wants to join our team and make a difference in the lives of thousands of pets and families in Pima County. As the only open-admission shelter in Pima County, every day is guaranteed to offer unique and collaborative opportunities to treat pets with varying conditions. Shelter medicine is the ultimate pathway to making a local and national impact in animal welfare through high-quality, high-volume spay/neuter, infectious disease protocols, and caring for animals who may be neglected and underserved.

This classification is in the unclassified service and is exempt from the Pima County Merit System Rules.

Essential Functions:

• Performs daily observations and examinations of animals under the care of Pima Animal Care Center;
• Provides the requisite veterinary services necessary to diagnose animal health-related matters, develops appropriate therapy/treatment regimens, administers veterinary first aid, and performs medical and behavioral euthanasia as deemed necessary for shelter animals;
• Examines and assesses impounded and found animals that have bitten humans for symptoms of rabies;
• Documents the identification of rabies in impounded or found animals, and assures proper notification of local/state health agencies, individuals who have been in contact with rabies-infected animals and their physicians, health-care and public health agencies;
• Performs high-volume spay and neuter surgeries and other medically necessary procedures to support shelter animal welfare, including dental extractions, enucleations, and similar routine surgeries, including performing advanced procedures such as soft tissue and orthopedic surgeries, depending on experience and credentialing;
• Fosters clear and consistent communication across departments and with shelter staff, volunteers, fosters and adopters to support informed decision-making regarding animal health and medical care needs;
• Assists in the training of staff on proper surgical procedures, animal evaluation and monitoring for pre-/intra-/post-surgical signs and symptoms;
• Assists in the training of staff on preparation of sterile surgery packs, animals and maintenance of sterile surgical fields;
• Assists in the control, security, record keeping and use of controlled drugs by staff in the PACC and ensures conformance with federal, state and local laws, rules and regulations to maintain the facility and personal Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) licenses and permits;
• Informs/advises/trains staff on animal care topics, which may include but is not limited to diagnosis, therapy and treatment of impounded animals, emergency veterinary techniques, husbandry, nutrition, preventive care, first aid, and control/containment/preventive measures for communicable diseases in an animal shelter environment;
• Trains/advises staff on principles and practices of animal restraint and chemical capture, detection, identification and dispositions of animal welfare/cruelty cases;
• Participates and offers input into intra-shelter strategies related to control of infectious diseases within the shelter population;
• Performs comprehensive cruelty workups and serves as a veterinary expert witness in court proceedings.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Graduation from an accredited school of veterinary medicine with a doctoral degree in Veterinary Medicine (DVM) or (VDM) at the time of appointment.
• Qualifying education and experience must be clearly documented in the "Education" and "Work Experience" sections of the application. Preferred Qualifications:
• Minimum one (1) year experience working or volunteering in an animal shelter.
• Minimum one (1) year experience working with high-volume, high-quality spay/neuter.
• Leadership experience in any field.
• Bilingual (English/Spanish).

Selection Procedure: Pima County Human Resources Department reserves the right to admit to the selection process only those candidates that meet the minimum qualifications. All applications will be assessed based on an evaluation of the listed education and experience. Candidates meeting the minimum qualifications may be further evaluated/scored against any advertised Preferred Qualifications. The hiring authority will interview and select the successful candidate from a referral list provided by Human Resources. Additional assessments/testing may be required as part of the selection process.

Supplemental Information:

Licenses and Certificates: Valid driver license is required at time of application. Valid AZ driver license is required at time of appointment. The successful applicant will be subject to a 39-month DOT Motor Vehicle Record review to determine applicant's suitability to operate county vehicles in accordance with Pima County administrative procedures. Failure to obtain and maintain the required licenses and certifications shall be grounds for termination. Any offer of employment resulting from this recruitment is contingent upon Fleet Services' review and approval of the candidate's driving record. A current Arizona license to practice veterinary medicine (per A.R.S. 32-2215 et seq) and a current Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) license for the prescription and administration of controlled substances is required at the time of appointment and must be maintained as a condition of employment.

Special Notice Items: The County requires pre-employment background checks. Successful candidates will receive a post-offer, pre-employment background screening to include verification of work history, education, and criminal conviction history. A prior criminal conviction will not automatically disqualify a candidate from employment with the County. Within nine months of appointment, employees must receive the full series of pre-exposure rabies immunizations. Medical inability to be immunized, or previous immunization, must be verified by the County Physician prior to employment. Recommended boosters are required for the duration of employment unless medically excused or physiologically unable to develop immunity. This position will require a post-job offer physical and/or drug screen. This position will require post-job offer proof of immunization(s) or immunization(s) and/or a TB screening.

Physical/Sensory Requirements: Physical and sensory abilities will be determined by position. Action Activity - bending, crawling, kneeling, reaching, squatting, stooping; Motion Activity - grasping; Hearing Activity - in noisy areas, on a radio, behind themselves, and equipment alarms; Speaking Activity - In person, on a phone, on a radio; Vision - operate motor vehicle, distinguish colors, depth perception, and peripheral vision. Frequently required to lift 50 pounds, push or pull objects weighing up to 100 pounds.

Working Conditions: Working conditions will be determined by the position.

EEO Information: Pima County Government is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. We are committed to an inclusive and diverse workforce and will not discriminate in employment opportunities or practices on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, age, disability, gender, sexual orientation, kinship, political interest, or any other characteristic protected by law.