Job Description

Position Title: Tier 4 Veterinary Technician

Job Type: Non-Exempt

Schedule: Varies based on hospital
Shifts: Day
Position Location: Los Gatos home base; travel to Los Altos Hospital when needed

Hourly Rate: Varies based on hospital and experience
Base Wage: $33.25-$45.00

Are you looking for an environment to expand your veterinary nursing skills while working with a supportive team of RVT’s, Veterinary Assistants and Doctors? Adobe is unlike any other hospital for many reasons, and one of them is our Open Hospital policy. Our Open Hospital allows our clients to stay with their pet throughout their visit. This policy also creates a unique learning experience that will not only allow you to gain knowledge and experience with your technician skills but also in client interaction and education. 

Our hospital is very fast paced!  We see a mix of scheduled appointments like wellness and general practice visits as well elective soft tissue surgeries. This position is perfect for someone who is looking to gain experience in all aspects of veterinary medicine. This often requires multi-tasking and a excellent critical thinking ability. The technician must be a detail-oriented person who can make good decisions, respond quickly and calmly to crises and always maintain high standards of patient care. Technicians need to communicate clearly with the veterinarians, other practice personnel as well as with clients to ensure that patients receive the care that they need. Technicians should enjoy working with people and animals.

Veterinary Nursing Responsibilities

• Able to help direct the workflow and accurately and efficiently provide advice to owners in person or over the phone, relay phone messages to doctors and clients of scheduled appointments, technician appointments, urgent care appointments, and any patient care needed for patients
• Assess patient care status, review patient plan, perform treatments according to the veterinarian’s orders and document as necessary
• Interact with clients and patients, take an efficient and accurate history, and obtain patient vitals, explain treatments, procedures, medications, and disease processes
• Give IM, IV, and SQ injections, ability to obtain blood samples from multiple sites
• Understanding of vital parameters (T, HR/pulse rate, RR, MM/CRT), ability to accurately obtain them, and knowledge of what abnormalities need to be reported to the doctor
• Understand common disease processes and ability to use appropriate medical terminology
• Familiarity with common medications and their applications, standard doses, and contraindications, accurately calculate dosages, administer medications, calculate, and draw up IV fluid additives 
• Induce, monitor and recover surgical patients undergoing general anesthesia and sedated procedures such as exams or minor procedures
• Operate and maintain anesthetic machines with closed and open circuit anesthetic systems
• Knowledge and maintenance of surgical equipment. Operate and maintain autoclave.
• Knowledge of commonly used analgesics and resuscitative medications. Properly calculate emergency medication volumes
• Monitor, assess, and treat critical care patients as well as updating doctor and client on patient status and be able to place complicated IV catheters
• Perform radiographs and evaluate for proper positioning and exposure. Adhere to all safety standards
• Know how to use common diagnostic equipment and perform in house lab tests including blood smears, PCV/TP, urinalysis with sediments, fecal tests, skin/ear cytology including ELISA snap tests

Learning & Leadership

• Assist in training and supervision of new technicians
• Provide staff leadership for tasks in a professional and personable way.
• Promote a positive attitude and demonstrate a commitment to the mission/vision

• Willingness to train and share your skills and knowledge
• A thirst for knowledge obtained formally and informally

• Make suggestions for how to improve practice protocols
• Strong interest in surgery and anesthesia
• Perform laboratory, treatment and surgical inventory as requested
• Maintain cleanliness and organization in the treatment area, surgery suite, imaging, cages and runs

Essential Qualifications

• Offer genuine client service and maintain a professional, courteous, and helpful attitude
• Demonstrate excellent communication skills (written and oral) and incredible attention to detail
• Must be able to make independent thoughtful decisions and solve complex problems
• Ability to maintain excellent teamwork and communication skills under stressful situations working toward a common goal of helping patients and clients
• Perform multiple tasks simultaneously in a fast-paced environment

• A willingness and ability to proactively jump in wherever you can help and a drive to explore innovative ideas to improve things for the team, clients, and patients
• High school diploma or equivalent and 18 years of age or older
• Valid California RVT license and in good standing 
• Must be able to lift or move 40lbs independently
• Ability to walk, stand, stoop, kneel, crouch, and feel using hands and arms on a regular and consistent basis, sitting, and standing for extended periods of time.
• Must be available to work weekends and holidays as needed
• Open to working at Los Altos Animal Hospital when needed
• Special interest in exotics a plus
• Background check when hired

Cover letters are encouraged but not required. If you are considering including a cover letter, we would love to get to know who you are and what you are looking for. Why are you interested in working for Adobe Animal Hospital as a Veterinary Technician, what skills and abilities make you an ideal applicant for this position and what do you hope to contribute to our medical department and Adobe Animal Hospital as a whole?

 Wages & Differentials

• Base wages are determined by what skills you know on the Adobe competency skills list. 

• During the interview process we will ask you to review our competency list and complete a self-evaluation so we may assess your current Veterinary Technician skill level.
• Differentials- additional pay that can be added onto your base wage for specific skills, projects, or shifts.
• 40-Hour Work Week- $2.25/hour
• Weekend- $3/hour 
• RVT License-$6/hour 
• VTS Certification -$10/hour

Benefits

• Health benefits, dental, vision & more!
• Paid sick, vacation & holiday time
• 401k benefits
• Discounted Veterinary services 
• Employee Assistance Program
• Continuing education for professional development

It is the policy of Adobe Animal Hospitals to afford equal opportunities for all qualified persons, regardless of their actual or perceived:  race, religious creed, color, national origin, ancestry, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status (including registered domestic partnership status), sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, lactation and related medical conditions), gender (including gender identity and expression), age (40 and over), sexual orientation, Civil Air Patrol status, military and veteran status, and any other consideration protected by federal, state, or local law (sometimes referred to, collectively, as “protected characteristics”).