Senior Veterinary Assistant

Senior Veterinary Assistant

The Senior Veterinary Assistant (SVA) is a vital member of our veterinary medical team. The SVA supports two program functions - spay/neuter surgery and primary pet care - for pet cats and dogs living with their families in ASPCA service areas and animals in the care of the rescue community.

The ASPCA's Community Medicine (CM) team provides expert veterinary care to support the welfare of animals and their people through our stationary and mobile veterinary clinics, serving the most underserved communities in New York, Miami, and Los Angeles. We help pet owners overcome barriers to care, bringing quality services directly to the communities that need us most and partially or fully subsidizing the cost of basic and preventive care. CM treats people and pets with dignity and respect, assisting pet owners in making informed decisions about their pets' health and wellbeing regardless of their financial circumstances. When you come to work at the ASPCA, you join a team of over 1,000 dedicated colleagues with deep knowledge, skills, and passion for the animals we serve.

The SVA reports directly to the Medical Staff and Floor Manager and has no direct reports. Throughout the day, SVAs are responsible for client communication, assisting the veterinarian and/or veterinary technician, animal handling, preparing animals for surgery, entering medical records, and monitoring patients while they are under anesthesia.

This position is an on-site role and reports to the ASPCA Community Veterinary Clinic. This is typically a Monday – Friday, 8-hour schedule with flexibility to work occasionally beyond the scheduled workday.

Compensation: The target hiring range for this role is $23.85 - $25.29 per hour.

Benefits: Our benefits include, but are not limited to:

• Affordable health coverage, including medical, employer-paid dental, and optional vision coverage, as well as employer-paid life and long-term disability insurance.
• Flexible time off that includes vacation time, sick and bereavement time, paid parental leave, company paid holidays, and 1 week of paid personal time that allows you even more flexibility to observe the days that mean the most to you
• Competitive financial incentives and retirement savings, including a 401(k) plan with generous employer contributions — we match dollar for dollar up to 4% and provide an additional 4% contribution toward your future each year.
• Robust professional development opportunities, including classes, on-the-job training, coaching and mentorship with industry-leading peers, internal mobility, opportunities to support in the field and so much more.

Responsibilities:

• Care for cats and dogs each day presenting for spay/neuter surgery up to calculated clinic capacity
• Provide a safe and compassionate environment for animals in our care, our staff, and for our clients by using low-stress handling techniques during various procedures (examples: exams, treatments, injections, venipuncture, intubation)
• Monitor vital signs of sedated and anesthetized patients in pre-operative, operative, and post-operative phases
• Assist with patient exams, take medical history, perform diagnostic testing, and prepare medications to go home with the client/patient
• Take direction regarding medical protocols and animal care from the clinic veterinarian or veterinary technician
• Organize and maintain pre-operative area and operating room for patient anesthesia, surgical preparation and sterilization
• Ensure anesthesia machines, pulse oximeters, scales, and other equipment are functional and report equipment that is not working properly
• Clean, sonicate, pack, and sterilize surgical instruments and endotracheal tubes
• Work with coworkers to clean and disinfect animal areas and facility while utilizing appropriate personal protective equipment
• Communicate with all clients in a non-judgmental, effective and professional manner
• Greet clients and assist with the intake process, including assisting clients in filling out intake and service documents, flag relevant medical history
• Communicate basic veterinary medical concepts to clients, including, but not limited to vaccine protocols and anesthetic risks
• Explain information provided by the veterinarian about an animal's condition to clients
• Enter medical information into digital databases
• Represent ASPCA in a professional and courteous manner
• Provide medical information and representation to other ASPCA departments
• Adhere to all protocols put forth by Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
• Follow all written and verbally communicated CM Standard Operating Procedures
• Collaborate and foster good communication with ASPCA colleagues
• Participate in veterinary/medical training of CM staff, ASPCA staff and veterinary and technical students by coaching, discussion, and demonstration
• Attend staff meetings and training sessions
• Perform other duties as assigned

Qualifications:

• Ability to lift and carry 40-plus pounds repeatedly throughout day with assistance
• Ability to work standing for 8 or more hours
• Excellent customer service skills
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team
• Ability to work efficiently and calmly under challenging conditions
• Must maintain open mind regarding changes and be willing to learn, implement, and teach new protocols
• Excellent animal handling skills (cats, dogs)
• Strong interest in animal welfare and serving underserved communities
• Ability to exemplify ASPCA's core values and behavioral competencies
• Experience using a computer and navigating software applications
• Fear Free ® Shelter certification is required within 60 days of hire

Education and Work Experience:

• High school diploma, GED, or equivalent experience required
• Minimum 1 year animal handling in a professional setting required
• Veterinary medical experience preferred

Language:

• English (Required)
• Spanish highly preferred