Veterinary Technician

Austin Pets Alive!•Kyle, TX

16d•Onsite

About The Position

Austin Pets Alive! is hiring a Veterinary Technician to support its intake-to-placement programs at the PAWS Kyle location. The role helps ensure pets receive accurate, timely medical treatments and preventative care so they are ready for placement, contributing to the organization’s goal of increasing live release rates across Texas. The technician manages daily responsibilities with minimal oversight, maintains priorities, and delivers reliable, high-quality work aligned with APA!’s values and goals. This hands-on role works closely with veterinary and shelter teams, volunteers, foster caregivers, adopters, and customers. The technician supports volunteer onboarding, training, engagement, and day-to-day collaboration, and provides foster caregivers with medical guidance in person and virtually. The position requires a welcoming, inclusive approach, schedule flexibility, and responsiveness in a fast-paced shelter environment. The position is full-time, nonexempt, averaging 40 hours per week. The schedule may change weekly and may include evenings, weekends, and holidays. The role is based at PAWS Kyle, with work also at PAWS Dripping Springs and travel to offsite locations as needed. Starting pay is $17.50 per hour, based on experience. Eligible employees may receive a stipend of up to $2 per hour after completing internal APATec certifications; certifications and stipends are discretionary and subject to change. Austin Pets Alive! offers eligible full-time employees subsidized employer-sponsored medical coverage, subsidized and voluntary life insurance, voluntary dental, vision, and short-term disability options, voluntary wellness and emergency sick plans, a 401(k) match of up to 2%, supplemental benefits, flexible spending accounts, and additional life coverage. Full-time employees receive 10 paid holidays and accrue 10 days of paid time off during their first year, with an additional five days of PTO accrual after 12 months. Professional development opportunities are also offered. The work is normally performed indoors in an animal shelter office environment, with some outdoor work and travel. It involves exposure to animals, animal waste, disinfectants and other chemicals, unpleasant odors, loud noises, potential animal bites and scratches, and diseases transmissible from animals to people. The position includes physically demanding work and prolonged periods on one’s feet, as well as periods of sitting and computer work. Reasonable accommodations may be provided to enable employees with disabilities to perform essential functions, absent undue hardship.

Requirements

Strong commitment to APA!’s core values of Innovation, Respect, Drive, Resourcefulness, and Inclusion, and cultural values of Humble, Hungry, and Smart.
Commitment to APA!’s customer experience expectations and to delivering an exceptional, inclusive customer experience.
Passion for working well with staff, volunteers, and customers and helping people feel successful, appreciated, and connected to APA!’s mission.
Strong commitment to volunteer engagement and support, including working across volunteer roles and collaborating cross-functionally as a liaison among volunteers, customers, and team members.
Effective written and verbal communication skills and ability to interpret rules, procedures, and instructional materials.
Self-starter with strong time management and ability to work independently and collaboratively.
Excellent interpersonal skills and a calm, professional presence in all situations.
Strong attention to detail and high standards for quality; adaptability and ability to perform related duties as needed.
Ability to work autonomously toward goals and deadlines and in a loud, busy environment despite distractions.
Ability to routinely lift 40–50 pounds; the posting also specifies lifting and carrying up to 30 pounds and pushing and pulling up to 50 pounds for moving supplies and event setup.
Ability to work around animals, including diseased, injured, or potentially aggressive animals; loud noises; chlorine or other chemicals; and inclement weather.
Ability to interact comfortably with cats and dogs of varying health conditions, including animals that may carry zoonotic diseases such as ringworm, scabies, and intestinal parasites.
Ability to walk large dogs that pull and jump and to pass required dog-handling training.
Ability to remain on one’s feet for multiple hours, observe people and animals from up to 150 feet away, and hear normal speech nearby, shouting up to 150 feet away, and soft and loud dog vocalizations.
Ability to perform the physical activities described, including sitting, standing, walking, talking, hearing, stooping, bending, stretching, squatting, kneeling, grasping, gripping, reaching above and below shoulder level, repetitive computer use, neck movement, and twisting at the neck and waist.
Ability to work a flexible schedule that may include evenings, weekends, and holidays.

Responsibilities

Maintain a safe, clean, and sanitary medical workspace and follow biosecurity, infection-control, and medical-waste disposal protocols.
Administer medications, vaccines, preventatives, and treatments accurately and on time in accordance with APA medical protocols and standard operating procedures.
Follow veterinary technician protocols as directed by APA medical leadership and the Shelter Director.
Perform clinical procedures, including blood draws, point-of-care diagnostic testing, PCV/TP, blood glucose testing, fecal examinations, skin scrapings, and blacklight examinations for ringworm screening.
Recognize common illnesses, injuries, pain, and changes in patient condition; respond within established protocols and promptly escalate concerns to veterinary personnel.
Assist veterinarians with examinations, diagnostic procedures, treatments, and surgical or recovery care as assigned and within the scope of training and authorization.
Maintain thorough, accurate, and timely electronic medical records, including patient histories, vaccinations, preventatives, medications, diagnostic tests and results, and treatments.
Monitor patient responses to treatment, identify potential complications or adverse medication reactions, and communicate significant findings to appropriate medical personnel.
Train and share medical information with coworkers, volunteers, fosters, and adopters; explain care in accessible terms and guide foster caregivers in person and virtually according to APA protocols.
Provide emergency medical care as directed by APA veterinarians and leadership.
Maintain medical equipment, supplies, and medication inventory.
Use ShelterLuv, Waitwhile, and Google Workspace, and collaborate with veterinary, animal care, and other shelter teams to ensure continuity of care.
Partner with volunteers during shifts and help create an inclusive, welcoming environment; share daily work collaboratively.
Welcome and orient new volunteers, help with onboarding, explain tasks, provide hands-on guidance and in-the-moment support, and offer encouragement and feedback.
Recommend strong volunteers for deeper involvement or specialized roles to a supervisor or volunteer manager, and recognize volunteer contributions.
Demonstrate dependability, accountability, time management, reasoning, and good judgment; attend required training and meetings and maintain communication with supervisors and colleagues.
Partner with Volunteer Managers to learn about volunteer programs and support volunteers interested in the department.
Adapt to changing needs and perform other related duties as assigned.
Work evenings, weekends, and holidays as needed and perform effectively in a high-volume, fast-paced, high-stress environment.

Benefits

Subsidized employer-sponsored medical coverage.
Subsidized and voluntary life insurance.
Voluntary dental insurance.
Voluntary vision insurance.
Voluntary short-term disability options.
Voluntary wellness and emergency sick plans.
401(k) retirement plan with up to a 2% employer match.
Supplemental benefits.
Flexible spending accounts.
Additional life coverage.
10 paid holidays for full-time employees.
Paid time off accrual: 10 days during the first year, plus an additional five days of accrual after 12 months.
Professional development opportunities.
Potential stipend of up to $2 per hour after successful completion of internal APATec certifications; discretionary and subject to change.