Surgical Veterinary Assistant at Asheville Humane Society – Asheville, North Carolina

Since 1984, we’ve dedicated ourselves to ensuring every animal has the quality of life they deserve – a life worth living. Now, we go beyond our walls to help create a more humane community for pets and the people who love them.

Asheville Humane Society is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. We do, however, hold the County contract for animal sheltering. This means that we are the open-admission shelter for all Buncombe County animals.

Position Summary

This position is primarily responsible for assisting the surgical staff with assisting doctors and surgical staff with pre-, peri- and post-operative care of patients, administering medications and general cleaning and care of the surgical facility. The offices and operations of a high volume spay/neuter clinic can be high stress and very busy at times. The Surgical Veterinary Assistant will be working off site at a veterinary surgical facility. This position is located on the Buncombe County Animal Care Campus.

Schedule: The work schedule is 10 hour shifts, Monday-Thursday, 7a-5p. This schedule may be adjusted in the future, however it will remain 40 hours/week.

Compensation & Benefits: The compensation for the Shelter Veterinary Assistant starts at $18.25/hour. AHS is pleased to offer a competitive and comprehensive benefits package to full-time employees that includes: medical, dental, and vision insurance, a Simple IRA plan with up to 3% company match, 18 days of PTO in the first year, paid holidays, pet prescription discounts, and more! Benefits are available after 60 days of employment.

Key Responsibilities:

1. Comfort and competency in restraint and handling of all types and sizes of animals in a kind and safe manner for pre-op exams, surgical induction, and during recovery.
2. General duties in the operating room during surgery, assisting with the movement of patients, recovery of patients, and general flow.
3. Responsible for prepping patients for surgery, observing all clinic procedures to ensure sterility and safety of patients.
4. Monitor anesthesia, with a clear understanding of abnormal conditions.
5. Respond appropriately during an emergency, able to take direction from a veterinarian and/or veterinary technician and maintain competency in CPR procedures.
6. Prepare surgical instruments for cleaning, pack preparation, and sterilization.
7. Responsible for calculating dosages and preparing and filling medications for animals.
8. Responsible for monitoring patients during recovery from anesthesia.
9. Follow all written and verbally communicated departmental standard operating procedures.
10. Ensure prompt and accurate recordkeeping procedures are followed each day
11. Able to provide basic kennel assistant duties.
12. Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
13. Provide a high level of customer service to partners and clients.
14. Perform other duties as assigned.

1. Must have a high school diploma or GED, an associate's degree or higher preferred

2. Prior experience working in private veterinary practice or in a high volume/high quality spay/neuter practice as an assistant or technician is required

3. Knowledge of basic veterinary medical and surgical concepts.

4. Must have a working knowledge of infectious disease control.

5. Ability to perform basic veterinary assistant duties.

6. Basic computer knowledge

7. Strong interpersonal, organizational, written, and communication skills

8. Ability to work with volunteers and co-workers in a professional manner

9. Ability to multi-task, problem solve and coordinate multiple schedules with a high attention to detail

10. Must have good hand-eye coordination and an acceptable degree of dexterity in hands and fingers

11. Must have good hearing including ability to distinguish changes in pitch

12. Must have reasonable degree of agility to move through tightly cramped areas in various situations

13. Must be able to stand for extended periods of time

14. Must be able to work indoors and outdoors