Part-Time Veterinary Pharmacy Assistant

Chimp Haven•Keithville, LA

About The Position

The Veterinary Pharmacy Assistant supports safe, accurate, and timely medication preparation and pharmacy operations for chimpanzees at Chimp Haven. The role focuses on medication organization, inventory, recordkeeping, and routine departmental support under the direction of veterinary personnel. Formal veterinary technical skills are preferred but not required; training will be provided for assigned duties. This is a support position and is not interchangeable with a credentialed or fully trained Veterinary Technician role. The position is non-exempt and approximately 20 hours per week, generally during the day, with occasional weekends or holidays as operationally needed. The role is in the Veterinary Care department and has a risk level of 3. The Veterinary Pharmacy Assistant reports to the Director of Veterinary Care or designee and works under the direction of designated veterinary personnel. The position does not independently diagnose, prescribe, alter treatment orders, perform restricted veterinary technical procedures, or make clinical decisions. Medication handling and animal-contact duties require training, verification, authorization, and compliance with applicable requirements.

Requirements

High school diploma or equivalent; relevant combinations of education and experience may be considered.
Demonstrated accuracy, organization, dependability, discretion, and ability to follow written instructions and standardized procedures.
Basic arithmetic, reading comprehension, and computer/data-entry skills; willingness to learn medication terminology and documentation systems.
Ability to communicate effectively, work collaboratively, and recognize when to seek clarification or escalate concerns.
Interest in animal welfare and ability to work safely in a sanctuary environment.

Nice To Haves

Experience in veterinary medicine, animal care, pharmacy support, medication inventory, healthcare, laboratory operations, or comparable detail-oriented work.
Veterinary assistant or technician training; experience with nonhuman primates or other exotic animals.
Experience with inventory software, medical records, medication labeling, or pharmacy workflows.

Responsibilities

Prepare, organize, and label individual medication containers and AM/PM medication distributions according to approved veterinary orders and established procedures; obtain required verification before release.
Maintain medication logs, distribution records, treatment-related documentation, and pharmacy tracking systems accurately and promptly; report discrepancies immediately.
Organize, clean, and maintain the pharmacy, medication trays, containers, storage areas, and related supplies using infection-control and safety procedures.
Assist with receipt, stocking, inventory counts, expiration-date checks, reorder notifications, and identification of shortages or damaged products.
Follow medication storage, security, handling, and disposal protocols; assist with controlled-substance records only as specifically authorized and supervised.
Communicate medication supply needs, missing information, inconsistencies, and time-sensitive concerns to the veterinarian or designated veterinary technician.
Provide routine nonclinical support such as stocking exam areas, organizing equipment, preparing supplies, and supporting documentation.
Observe and report relevant animal health or medication-administration concerns encountered during assigned duties; assist with medication distribution only when trained and authorized.
Assist with additional clinical or animal-care activities only after task-specific training, competency assessment, and authorization, consistent with applicable law and organizational policy.
Participate in team training, safety procedures, and cross-departmental coordination; perform other related duties within the position’s training and scope.