Veterinary Assistant, Emergency
About The Position
This position is designed for a seasoned Veterinary Assistant with significant hands-on clinical experience who wants to continue growing in emergency medicine, critical care, advanced diagnostics, anesthesia support, and specialty veterinary care. You'll work in a collaborative environment focused on mentorship, continuing education, skill development, and opportunities to advance your veterinary career. SAGE San Francisco is one of Northern California's premier specialty and emergency veterinary hospitals. Our Emergency & Critical Care team manages an unpredictable and complex caseload, offering experienced Veterinary Assistants opportunities to strengthen their technical skills and gain exposure to advanced patient care.
Requirements
- High school diploma or equivalent.
- Minimum of three years of hands-on veterinary clinical experience.
- Strong technical skills including venipuncture, IV catheter placement, patient monitoring, and laboratory sample collection.
- Strong mathematical skills for medication dosages, CRIs, estimates, and invoices.
- Excellent patient handling, communication, organization, and critical-thinking abilities.
- Ability to remain calm and effective in a fast-paced emergency environment.
- California Veterinary Assistant Controlled Substance Permit (VACSP) required or must be obtained within 60 days of hire.
Nice To Haves
- Emergency, Critical Care, ICU, Specialty, or high-volume veterinary hospital experience strongly preferred.
- Experience supporting anesthesia and anesthetic monitoring preferred.
Responsibilities
- Assist with emergency triage and provide hands-on support for critically ill and unstable patients.
- Monitor hospitalized, recovering, and fractious patients and communicate changes in condition promptly.
- Assist veterinarians and RVTs with diagnostics, treatments, emergency procedures, and patient stabilization.
- Perform venipuncture, IV catheter placement, laboratory sample collection, and other advanced technical skills within your scope.
- Assist with medications, IV fluids, CRIs, and oxygen therapy under appropriate supervision.
- Support radiographs, ultrasound, CT, MRI, and other diagnostic procedures.
- Assist with anesthesia monitoring, sedation, surgical preparation, and patient recovery.
- Support emergency procedures including CPR and other lifesaving interventions.
- Maintain accurate treatment documentation and electronic medical records.
- Communicate compassionately with clients and collaborate with Emergency, Critical Care, and Specialty teams.
Benefits
- Competitive compensation based on experience and demonstrated technical skill set
- Up to $5,000 sign-on bonus for eligible Senior Veterinary Assistants
- $5.50/hour differential for eligible hours worked between 6:00 PM and 6:00 AM
- Medical, dental, vision, disability, and life insurance
- 401(k), Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA), paid vacation, and sick leave
- Annual Continuing Education (CE) allowance
- VetBloom RACE-approved continuing education and monthly in-house CE
- Educational and professional development support toward becoming a Registered Veterinary Technician
- Career milestone bonuses for earning your RVT or VTS credential
- Employee Assistance Program (EAP), uniforms, and wellness resources
- Career advancement opportunities throughout Ethos Veterinary Health
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Senior
Education Level
High school or GED
