General

The Veterinary Technician provides safe, efficient and humane standards of care for dogs and cats receiving treatment in Animal Friends Alliance clinic(s). This position requires learning a wide range of policies and procedures and use of independent judgment and training to take appropriate actions with standard situations.

Pay: $15-18 depending on experience

Major Duties and Responsibilities:

• Receives animals and assists with initial examination including TPR.
• Clearly identifies animals and animal belongings when staying at the clinic for procedures.
• Administers indicated vaccines or treatments, conducts frequent health evaluations and administers emergency first-aid when necessary.
• Induces, monitors, and recovers animals receiving procedures under anesthesia.
• Leads surgeries as assigned which includes but is not limited to setting the pace for the veterinarian and providing direction to Technician Assistants.
• Initiates emergency procedures as needed, including CPR, on animals.
• Cleans kennels and performs related housekeeping duties.
• Cleans, disinfects and stores equipment used in and around the clinic.
• Maintains proper inventory levels of cleaning and other supplies. Informs supervisor when reordering is necessary.
• Accurately dispenses and records all controlled drugs used per local, state and federal regulations.
• Ensures that morning/closing checklists are done accurately and completed as assigned.
• Oversees and trains volunteers and interns working directly with the veterinary technicians.
• Upon direction from the supervising veterinarian, communicate any health concerns about a patient to the owner.

Other Duties:

• Assists Client Service Representatives with check-in/out as needed in Public Clinic.

Organization Wide Duties:

• Treats animals humanely, with compassion and concern, both on and off the job, and conveys these values to others, in word and action.
• Represents Animal Friends Alliance in a professional and courteous manner at all times.
• Provides quality service to customers, volunteers, and staff, recognizing their individual contributions to Animal Friends Alliance. Monitors, supports, motivates and champions volunteers and their work.
• Solicits monetary and in-kind donations by raising awareness of the organization’s work, goals, and financial needs.
• Follows all safety rules to ensure a safe work environment at all times. Takes immediate action to address any safety concerns or noncompliance issues that could put an animal, employee, volunteer, visitor, or the organization at risk.
• Learns basic duties of other departments, and supports other departments and staff.
• Monitors, supports, motivates and accredits volunteers and their work.
• Understands and operates by Animal Friends Alliance’s core values.
• Regular and timely presence onsite.

Work Environment:

• Work performed in an animal clinic setting
• Potential for exposure to zoonotic diseases and cleaning chemicals
• Potential for exposure to dangerous and fractious animals.
• Potential exposure to high noise levels when in kennel area.
• Potential for animal bites and scratches while handling animals.

Unusual Demands:

• Work is subject to frequent interruptions.
• Employee is subject to work weekends, holidays and beyond the normal scheduled hours of work.
• Requirements

Education/Experience:

Education

• Required: Associate’s or Bachelor’s Degree in veterinary technology, or equivalent experience.
• Preferred: Associate’s or Bachelor’s Degree in veterinary technology.

Experience

• Required: One year experience working in a veterinary clinic/shelter setting as a veterinary technician.
• Preferred: Two years experience working in a veterinary clinic/shelter setting as a veterinary technician and/or registered as a veterinary technician.

Miscellaneous

• Valid Driver’s License: Not required
• Sincere interest in Animal Friends Alliance’s mission & vision

Knowledge

• Knowledge of Google Suite, including Gmail and Google Drive.
• Knowledge of Microsoft Office, including Excel

Skills

• Effective verbal and interpersonal skills for in-person, written and telephone communication, for interaction with the public and colleagues.
• Excellent organizational skills.
• High level of professionalism.
• Emotional intelligence, work ethics and integrity.
• Strong computer skills.
• Detail-oriented.

Abilities

• Able to safely handle animals.
• Able to distinguish symptoms of common illnesses in shelter animals.
• Able to safely medicate animals.
• Able to give SQ, IM & IV injections to animals.
• Able to perform TPR on animals.
• Able to perform venipuncture on animals.
• Able to induce animals for anesthesia.
• Able to monitor anesthesia.
• Able to recover animals post-surgery.
• Able to lead other technicians through a day of multiple surgeries.
• Able to perform humane euthanasia under a veterinarian’s guidance.
• Able to prioritize duties and perform multiple tasks.
• Able to work in a high-stress, fast-paced environment.
• Able to learn, retain and communicate a wide variety of information.

Physical, Sensory and Mental Requirements:

Physical

Frequent

• Sit, Stand, Walk, Bend, Squat, Kneel, Crawl, Reach above head, Push/Pull objects & reaching above head.
• Lift & carry up to 50 pounds unassisted, over 50 pounds with assistance
• Exposure to hazards: Biologic, Chemical, Noise, Sharp instruments
• Exposure to marked changes in temperature

Occasional

• Write legibly
• Use of microwave
• Climb
• Operate standard pedals in a company vehicle.

Sensory Requirements

Required

• Can hear normal tones
• Can hear soft tones
• Eyesight – Normal/corrected to 20/40
• Eyesight – Close eye work
• Eyesight – Color recognition

Important

• Can distinguish smells
• Can distinguish temperatures by touch/proximity

Not applicable

• Can distinguish tastes

Mental Requirements

Required

• Ability to read, speak and write English
• Ability to control emotions
• Ability to cultivate and project a positive attitude in the work setting, and when representing
• Animal Friends Alliance in public.
• Ability to work with controlled substances
• Ability to handle stress

Note: This job description is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities, or qualifications associated with the job.