Summary:

Who We Are

Have you ever wondered what happens to cats and dogs whose owners are unable to afford veterinary care? We did. The ASPCAs 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.

What Youll Do

The Senior Veterinary Assistant (SVA) Community Veterinary Clinic (CVC) 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 Focus areas and animals in the care of the rescue community in New York City. 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.

Where and When You’ll Work

This is typically a Monday Friday, 8 hour schedule with flexibility to work occasionally beyond the scheduled work day and Saturdays approximately once per quarter may be required. Schedules are subject to change as needed by the ASPCA.

What youll get

Compensation

Starting pay for the successful applicant will depend on a variety of factors, including but not limited to education, training, experience, location, business needs, internal equity, market demands or budgeted amount for the role. The target hiring range is for new hire offers only, and staff compensation may increase beyond the maximum hiring range based on performance over time. The maximum of the hiring range is reserved for candidates with the highest qualifications and relevant experience. The expected hiring salary range for this role is set forth below and may be modified in the future.

The target hiring range for this role is $25.00 – $26.44 per hour.

Benefits

Work/life balance: paid vacation time to relax paid sick time to heal ten paid holidays to observe plus – paid personal time to celebrate what and when you like

Terrific benefits package: medical, dental, and vision insurance, pre-tax dependent care and health flexible spending accounts (FSAs), 401(k) plan with generous employer contributions beginning after one year of service, employer-paid life and long-term disability insurance and more (note that benefits are subject to change annually)

Room to grow: the ASPCA has robust professional development programs to help you grow as a medical professional and a person

Support: we are one of the largest and most impactful animal welfare organizations in the world, so you will always have a strong team to lean on and cheer you on

More information on our benefits can be found on our website .

Responsibilities:

Responsibility buckets are listed in general order of importance, and include, but are not limited to:

Medical

Care for up to 35-40 cats and dogs per day in spay/neuter surgery

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

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

Assist with patient exams, take medical history, perform diagnostic testing, and prepare medications to go home with the client/patient

Provide support and medical services in special cases as needed, including evaluation of animals living in hoarding situations

Enter medical information into digital data bases as appropriate

Provide medical information and representation to other ASPCA departments

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

Adhere to all protocols put forth by Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)

Follow all written and orally communicated CM Standard Operating Procedures

Customer Service

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 animals condition to clients

Represent ASPCA in a professional and courteous manner

Collaborate and foster good communication with ASPCA colleagues

Qualifications:

Ability to lift and carry 40-plus pounds repeatedly throughout day with assistance

Ability to work standing for 8 or more hours

Fear Free Veterinary certification is required within 60 days of hire

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 ASPCAs core values and behavioral competencies

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

Experience using a computer and navigating software applications

Language:

Education and Work Experience: