Licensed Veterinary Technician: We can help you build the life & career you want.

Here’s how:

• Robust compensation & benefits package
• Flexible Scheduling
• A verifiable commitment to putting pets and our people first
• You’ll have the resources necessary to provide the best care

Animal Hospital of Parkland of Cara Veterinary is an established hospital in Washington State. We’re well known for the dedicated care we give our community’s animal family members, and as one of Cara’s 10 member hospitals, we are also recognized as an exceptional place to work.

In real world talk, that means clear expectations. Attainable, plentiful growth and advancement opportunities. Acknowledgement and rewards for those who go the extra mile for our clients and their pets.

Our Offer:

• Competitive Salary ranging from $29.00 - $34.00
• Medical, vision, & dental insurance with 4 premium insurance policy options
• Child, spousal, and family insurance options for all medical, dental, and vision insurance options
• Employee Assistance Program
• Paid Time Off (PTO), up to 80 hours in the first 3 years and 120 hours after 3 years + 10 hours for Personal Celebration Day
• Up to six paid floating holidays per year
• 401k + 4% employer match
• Employee pet care discount for up to four personal pets
• Incentive Bonus Program with potential quarterly earnings of up to $700
• Uniform allowance
• Continuing Education reimbursement up to $750 per year
• License renewal fee covered
• Ample job training/educational opportunities
• Regular reviews and feedback

About Our Location:

Tacoma is one of Washington’s most vibrant, creative, and inclusive cities, an amazing place to grow your career and your life. With a thriving arts scene, great food, and stunning views of Mount Rainier, it offers the perfect mix of culture and natural beauty. It’s also known as a supportive, family-friendly community.

What We’re Looking For:

We want to provide clients and their pets with the kind of exceptional care and service they cannot get anywhere else—so it’s important that you’re as good with people as you are with pets. This means you should be someone who:

• enjoys educating and connecting with people
• communicates effectively
• will advocate for patients
• is licensed and has demonstrable technician and animal handling skills
• is reliable and trustworthy
• shows adaptability and resilience

Cara Veterinary is an equal opportunity employer. We welcome and celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all team members.

Job Title: Licensed Veterinary Technician

As a Tier 1 Licensed Veterinary Technician (LVT) at Cara Veterinary, you play a critical role in ensuring the well-being and quality of care for our animal patients while fostering positive client interactions. Your expertise spans a wide range of responsibilities, encompassing both basic clinical tasks and client service functions. In addition to demonstrating proficiency in the responsibilities and skills of Unregistered Veterinary Assistants Tiers 1 through 4, you are well-versed in the use of practice management software, are capable of obtaining and documenting vital signs, and are skilled in various patient care procedures. Your contribution to the team is instrumental in upholding Cara Veterinary's commitment to delivering the highest standards of patient care and creating exceptional client experiences.

As a Tier 2 Licensed Veterinary Technician (LVT) at Cara Veterinary, your role represents a significant advancement in clinical skills and responsibility. Building upon your Tier 1 foundation, your expertise and proficiency now encompass a broader range of clinical procedures, in-house lab work, and advanced medical equipment management. You are a critical team member responsible for executing complex clinical tasks, including diagnostics, imaging procedures, and sample collection, all while delivering an exemplary level of client service. Your position plays a pivotal role in ensuring the highest quality of patient care and client satisfaction.

As a Tier 3 Licensed Veterinary Technician (LVT) at Cara Veterinary, you stand at the pinnacle of your profession, possessing a comprehensive skill set and a deep understanding of advanced veterinary procedures. Building upon your prior tiers, your role entails responsibilities in anesthesia, surgical support, anesthetic equipment management, and ophthalmological procedures. You perform these tasks under direct DVM supervision, ensuring optimal patient care. Additionally, your role extends to educating clients and discussing treatment plans, further enhancing the clinic's commitment to patient care and client satisfaction.

As a Tier 4 Licensed Veterinary Technician (LVT) at Cara Veterinary, you embody the highest level of proficiency and expertise in the field. You have mastered all skills from Tier 1 to Tier 3 and have taken on additional responsibilities, setting a new standard for veterinary excellence. Your role includes tasks such as intraperitoneal injections, advanced medical administration, leadership, training, and mentoring of junior staff. You are dedicated to fostering excellence within the team, consistently seeking innovative ways to improve patient care, and providing support to your colleagues, aligning with Cara Veterinary's commitment to the well-being of pets and their families.

Required Skills/ Abilities

Exemplify Cara Veterinary’s Pillars on a daily basis

• Put pets first: Our first priority is always with the health, happiness, and comfort of our patients. We have designed the Cara experience with the animal perspective in mind. And our care advice is based only on what is best for the pet.
• Trust the parent: We believe that caring for an animal is a partnership built on mutual trust and humility. We trust parents to make the right decisions for themselves and their pets and invite them to actively participate in care alongside us.
• Authentically human: Caring for a pet involves the full spectrum of emotions, from joy to grief. We must lean into openness, empathy, and compassionate listening. We know when to be fun, and when to be serious. At all times, we foster supportive, positive, and authentically human hospital culture.
• Good neighbors: Although our business is growing, we retain the attitude and spirit of a neighborhood vet. We welcome people in. We get to know our clients' families and are proud to play an active role in our local communities.
• Shake things up. We are always looking for a better way. In an industry that hasn't seen a lot of innovation, we are experimenting with new ways of delivering care, delighting customers, providing unexpectedly human (and animal) touches, and infusing out hospitals with fresh ideas.

Exemplify Cara Veterinary’s Core Competencies on a daily basis.

• Connection: This competency involves nurturing robust connections with pet parents, pets, the community, and fellow team members, aligning with the practice's foundational values. It centers on fostering a sense of unity and comprehension that transcends the client-patient relationship. Team members prioritize building connections and relationships with clients and their pets, acknowledging the significance of empathy, trust, and team support, benefiting the pet's well-being and enhancing the practice's harmony.

• Advocate: Advocacy is about empowering pet parents to make informed choices, advocating for the well-being of pets within the community, and supporting one another as a cohesive team. Advocates cultivate trust, cooperation, and an inclusive culture, giving utmost importance to values such as support, trust, empathy, and inclusivity. This commitment extends beyond interactions with pet parents and pets and resonates within the broader team, creating an environment where every member is valued, heard, and supported, irrespective of their backgrounds or viewpoints.

• Communication: Communication revolves around fostering effective communication not only with pet parents but also within the team, ensuring a seamless flow of information for the highest quality of care for each patient. Team members prioritize building an atmosphere of trust, rapport, and open communication within the team, where everyone's input is valued. This extends to pet parents, pets, and the local community, creating a collaborative and supportive environment. Effective communication ensures that all aspects of patient care are well-coordinated and harmonized, mirroring the values of the practice pillars while facilitating a culture of inclusivity and transparency.

• Trust: Trust is a cornerstone of our ability to provide the highest quality of care to our patients. It demands an open mind and a non-judgmental approach. Trust requires empathy, allowing us to understand the unique needs and perspectives of our pet parents, pets, and team members. It involves adapting behavior and care recommendations based on cues from pet parents, pets, and team members, establishing an environment of trust and integrity that extends to the entire community. Trust advocates focus on building strong relationships and an environment where everyone feels heard and supported, aligning with the pillars.

• Resilience & Adaptability: This competency encourages viewing challenges as opportunities for growth, acknowledging that the veterinary industry, while rewarding, can also be emotionally and mentally taxing. To be resilient, we must practice self-compassion and extend that compassion to others. This means recognizing when we need assistance and not hesitating to ask for help when it's needed. Resilient individuals offer creative solutions, maintain a positive outlook, and actively support fellow team members, mirroring the spirit of innovation and community engagement outlined in the pillars.

Hiring Qualifications

Special Working Conditions and Physical Requirements

• Team Member should expect to spend nearly all of their workdays standing, sitting, and typing at a computer.
• They should have a physical strength and the ability to safely lift objects weighing up to 50 pounds without assistance.
• Able to assist in lifting patients weighing more than 50 pounds.
• Must possess sufficient strength and assertiveness to effectively restrain patients and ensure the safety of clients and personnel.
• Ability to be confident around pets (ex: dogs, cats, birds, reptiles, etc.)
• The noise level in the work environment is moderately high.
• Ability to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral or diagram form and to solve problems involving several variables.
• Requires ambulatory skills sufficient to perform duties while at hospital.
• Ability to stand, walk, stoop, kneel, crouch, and climb as well as manipulate (lift, carry, move) up to 50 pounds.
• Requires good hand-eye coordination, arm-hand-finger dexterity with the ability to reach and grasp, and visual acuity to use a keyboard, operate equipment and read information.
• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus.
• Staff is routinely exposed to pets that may bite or scratch, and on occasion, exposed to anesthesia, radiation, biological hazards, and medication/ controlled substances.

Experience, Education and/ or Training

• 1 year minimum in Licensed Veterinary Technician role required
• Completion of an accredited veterinary technology program and appropriate registration status with the state the team member is employed in
• This position requires a high school diploma or further education.
• Possesses excellent computer skills
• Previous back and/or front office work experience preferred

DISCLAIMER: This job description is not meant to be an all-inclusive listing of duties expected of this position. The duties and expectations outlined herein may change at any time. Additionally, it is important to note that the skills listed for each tier are not exhaustive. Individuals are encouraged to develop and expand their skills beyond those explicitly mentioned.