Veterinary Assistant

Veterinary Assistant

Summary of Job Purpose and Function: The Veterinary Assistant supports the veterinarians and veterinary technicians in ensuring quality veterinary care for all pets, advocates for pets, educates clients on all aspects of pet health, and ensures a safe and effective hospital environment.

Essential Responsibilities and Tasks

• Live and exemplify the Five Principles of Mars, Inc. within self and team.
• Act as the extra eyes, ears and hands for the veterinarian and veterinary technician to ensure the best quality pet care and to maximize the veterinarian's and veterinary technician’s productivity. Communicate with veterinarian, veterinary technicians and all other associates to maintain the flow of patients.
• Provide professional, efficient and exceptional service at all times. This includes performing or preparing procedures that do not require veterinarian or veterinary technician assistance, completing preparatory work for other procedures, ensuring that clients and pets are comfortable in the hospital, and monitoring hospitalized or surgical pets as allowed in the state practice acts.
• Educate clients about Optimum Wellness Plans, preventive care, pet health needs, hospital services and other issues.
• Obtain relevant information and history from clients and maintain proper and complete medical charts.
• Ensure the safety of pets, clients and associates by utilizing safe restraining techniques, following standard protocols, and maintaining clean, sterile and organized treatment areas, exam rooms and labs.
• Assist with surgery as applicable.
• Utilize technical skills to the fullest, within state practice acts and as outlined in the NAVTA guidelines for veterinary assistant skills and duties.
• Mentor other paraprofessionals in the hospital.
• Other job duties as assigned.

The Five Principles

• Quality – The consumer is our boss, quality is our work and value for money is our goal.
• Responsibility – As individuals, we demand total responsibility from ourselves; as associates, we support the responsibility of others.
• Mutuality – A mutual benefit is a shared benefit; a shared benefit will endure.
• Efficiency – We use resources to the full, waste nothing and do only what we can do best.
• Freedom – We need freedom to shape our future; we need profit to remain free.

Hiring Qualifications & Competencies

• Leadership: Action Oriented, Customer Focus, Listening, Peer Relationships, Personal Learning.
• Functional: Ensure medical quality, Effective communication, Drive for results, Priority Setting.

Capabilities and Experience (Can Do)

• Ability to multi‑task – manages multiple tasks at one time; quickly and accurately shifts attention among tasks under distracting conditions with no loss of accuracy.
• Communication skills – reads, writes and speaks fluent English. Demonstrates exceptionally strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Organizational ability – demonstrates a systematic approach. Orderly and excels at turning chaos into order.
• Problem solving skills – identifies, analyzes and solves problems; translates problems into practical solutions.
• Client service skills – consistently ensures the team provides the client with attentive, courteous and informative service.
• Intellectual ability – accurately and consistently follows instructions delivered in an oral, written or diagram format.
• Mathematical ability – adds, subtracts, multiplies and divides, computes rate, ratio and percent; converts units of measurement.
• Computer skills – comfortably and confidently uses a computer and specialized medical software, Microsoft Outlook, Word and Excel.

Attitudes (Will Do)

• Initiative – demonstrates willingness and aptitude to find solutions to problems.
• Integrity – firmly adheres to the values and ethics of Banfield Pet Hospital.
• Cooperativeness – willing to work with others, collaborating and compromising where necessary; promptly shares relevant information.
• Flexibility – open to changing situations and opportunities and willing to perform all tasks assigned.
• Independence – able and willing to perform tasks and duties without supervision as appropriate.
• Tolerance for Stress / Resiliency – maintains a positive “can do” outlook, rebounds quickly from frustrations, and maintains composure.

Special Working Conditions

• Ability to work at a computer for long periods of time.
• Ability to be confident around pets (dogs, cats, birds, reptiles, etc.).
• Client needs and work volume may often require more than 40 hours per week.
• Requires work on weekends and evenings.
• Must have mental processes for reasoning, remembering, mathematics and language ability to perform duties proficiently.
• Moderately high noise level.
• Requires sufficient ambulatory skills to perform duties while at hospital.
• Ability to stand, walk, stoop, kneel, crouch, climb and manipulate up to 50 pounds.
• Requires good hand‑eye coordination and visual acuity for keyboard and equipment use.
• Exposed to a variety of pets that may bite or scratch, anesthesia, radiation, biological hazards and medication/controlled substances.

Experience, Education and/or Training

• Certificate of completion from a NAVTA approved Veterinary Assistant program, or an equivalent combination of education, training and experience.
• High School Diploma or equivalent preferred.
• Must be able to perform all required skills of NAVTA approved veterinary assistant programs at a level that aids the efficiency of the practice.
• Must be at least 18 years old to perform duties involving radiography (x‑ray) and exposure to radioactive substances.
• One year related experience required with customer service preferred.

Pay Range

The pay range for this role is $17.60 - $22.49 hourly, based on the candidate’s experience, skill level, and education.

Benefits

• Comprehensive Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance: Enjoy peace of mind knowing your health and wellness are our top priorities.
• Generous Retirement Plans (401(k) and Roth): Invest in your future with a generous company match.
• Best-in-Class Student Debt Relief Program (for Full-Time DVMs).
• Paid Time Off and Holidays.
• Top‑Tier Mental Health and Wellbeing Resources: access to free coaching and counseling sessions.
• Associate Life Insurance (company‑paid) & Supplemental Life Insurance.
• Company‑Paid Short‑ and Long‑Term Disability.
• Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA).
• Health Savings Account (HSA).
• Paid Parental Leave.
• Continuing Education Allowance (for Eligible Positions).
• Back‑Up Child and Elder Care & Family Support Resources.
• Fertility and Family Building Support.
• Digital Exercise Therapy.
• Voluntary Protection Benefits.
• Legal Plan.
• Identity Protection.
• Commuter Benefits.
• Three Free Optimum Wellness Plans for Pets.
• Exclusive Discounts on products and services.