Lead Veterinarian

Animal Friends Rescue Project Job Description

Job Title: Lead Veterinarian, Shelter and Community Medicine

Location: Monterey, CA

Hours: 24-40 hrs/wk

Reports To: Operations Manager

Schedule: Minimum of 2 weekdays up to 4 weekdays; alternative work schedule available; weekends as needed

Salary Range: $145,000-$185,000 salaried DOE; eligible for a competitive stipend package to cover licensure/premise permit; DEA registration; associated memberships; continuing education; medical scrubs and any approved travel expenses.

Benefits: This position is eligible for a benefits package that includes vacation and holiday pay, paid sick time, paid employee appreciation time, life insurance, 403(b) plan, and low-cost veterinary services for personal companion animals.

SUMMARY

The Veterinarian is responsible for providing high-quality medical care to patients, implementing standards of animal care, and coordinating and managing treatments for animals in the care of Animal Friends Rescue Project and various rescue partners. Medical cases are both outpatient and inpatient, with the majority being outpatient dogs and cats. Clinical responsibilities are primarily in our Veterinary Clinic. The AFRP Veterinary Clinic provides low cost spay/neuter and vaccinations to the public. The AFRP Veterinary Clinic provides TNVR services when funded and scheduling allows. This job requires familiarity with the concept of High Quality, High Volume / spay – neuter and puts a high value on compassionate client and staff communication. We are looking for a veterinarian experienced in surgery, confident in managing minor medical cases, and has strong communication skills. The Staff Veterinarian will work collaboratively with both the AFRP Veterinary Clinic Staff and the staff at AFRP headquarters.

POSITION DESCRIPTION:

Health Care

• Diagnose diseases, illnesses, and injuries of AFRP and Rescue Partner animals and development treatment plans. Treatment plans may include in-house care or care at outside veterinary clinics.
• Monitor the general health of AFRP animals, ensure proper medical care, and assist in determining the best next steps for the animals, with the understanding that the goal is for the animals to become available for adoption as soon as is possible and reasonable.
• Serve as a medical communication liaison with other veterinarians and/or clinics and AFRP staff, fosters, and adopters.
• Perform surgeries such as, but not limited to, dental extraction, spay/neuter, amputation, enucleation, and orthopedic procedures.
• Perform medical and surgical procedures, radiology and oversee routine anesthesia and analgesia plans.
• Ensures appropriate medication is administered by clinic staff as directed.
• Employs low-stress handling techniques with animals.
• Assist with determining adoptability, hospice, and euthanasia of AFRP animals.
• Perform euthanasia for animals whose quality of life has diminished drastically due to severe behavior or medical problems.
• Provide low cost spay/neuter and vaccinations to general public.
• Provide TNR services when funded and schedule permits.
• Provide limited weekend and evening on-call services for AFRP animals in foster care.
• Other duties as assigned.

Program Administration & Communication

• Keep comprehensive records regarding animals’ diagnostics, heath, treatment, and next steps. This includes writing and updating easy-to-understand medical case summaries for the animals in a timely manner to assist appropriate AFRP staff with medical communications and updating appropriate electronic medical databases.
• Provide specific animal care instructions to AFRP staff, foster parents, volunteers, and Rescue Partners regarding animals in need of treatment and/or medication. This may include answering questions in person, via email, over the phone, or text.
• Advise about current sanitary measures and shelter health management.
• Create, update as needed, and communicate documented medical protocols and policies.
• Help create and promote a welcoming and supportive environment in the vet suite and actively engage with foster parents, public, coworkers, volunteers, donors, and rescue partners.
• Represent AFRP in a positive, professional, and courteous manner always and reserve judgement in difficult situations.
• Ensure all animals, clients, volunteers, fosters, donors, and rescue partners receive the highest level of service and compassion.
• Practice discretion with sensitive information regarding clients, volunteers, employees, donors, rescue partners and our program animals, and refrain from gossip and negativity.
• Partner with the Operations Manager for any program animals in need of any behavioral health management.
• Ensure all program animal records and relevant information are kept up to date in the appropriate AFRP databases.
• Communicate with Operations Manager and Executive Director regarding any HR issues with staff, volunteers, externs, fosters, or general public.
• Other duties as assigned.

Veterinary Clinic Management

• Maintains appropriate licensing and completes required continued education courses. Adheres to state regulations and organizational protocol regarding animal care, treatment, advocacy, and AFRP’s mission.
• Ensure that all state and federal laws, state regulations, and accepted standards regarding clinic operations, the practice of veterinary medicine, drug control, and animal care and handling are adhered to.
• Takes immediate action to address any safety concern or noncompliance of safety rules that could put an employee, volunteer, client, animal, or the organization at risk.
• Maintain up-to-date knowledge of veterinary regulations, standards of care, and companion animal health issues.
• Supervise, train, and mentor all clinic staff, externs, and volunteers as necessary.
• Assign staff role and responsibilities for clinic operations such as, but not limited to, inventory management, up-to-date licenses and certifications, equipment maintenance, supply ordering, and other regular functions of the vet clinic.
• Coordinate with appropriate staff to ensure scheduling efficiency of clinic resources.

POSITION REQUIREMENTS

Knowledge, Abilities and Skills

• Experience and/or training in high-quality, high-volume spay-neuter surgical techniques.
• Ability to deal with staff and clients in a professional manner. Able to direct the work of others, train/ develop employees, evaluate performance, and provide feedback.
• Ability to communicate orally and in writing (email and text) with staff, fosters, rescue partners and the general public.
• Stress management skills with the ability to handle an array of situations from routine to emergency calmly and professionally and handle multiple tasks at one time.
• Knowledge of the principles and practices of veterinary medicine.
• Effective decision-making and diagnostic skills and interest in pursuing treatment options with limited funding.
• Ability to exercise independent judgment, decisiveness and creativity to problem solve.
• Embrace and foster change, with the ability to come up with solutions and regularly demonstrate flexibility.
• Desire to implement efficiencies on an on-going basis.
• Commitment to practicing excellent medicine.
• Ability to create and sustain positive working relationships within AFRP with colleagues, volunteers, externs, rescue partners, and the general public, and be a team player.
• Comfortable and willing to accommodate multiple dogs and cats in work spaces.
• Computer skills: experienced with common business computer applications, and ability to learn organizational databases.

Education and Experience

• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from an accredited college or university and over one year of professional veterinary medical experience.
• Possession of a current license to practice veterinary medicine in California.
• Internship or experience in shelter medicine and high volume spay/neuter preferred and a passion for community medicine.

Physical Requirements and Work Environment

• Work is performed in a veterinary clinic with shared space. There is potential for exposure to zoonotic diseases, dangerous and fractious animals, high noise levels, hazardous chemicals, anesthetics, and sharp objects
• The physical demands and work environment characteristics described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
• Must be able to interact with animals.
• Subject to dog and cat bites and scratches while handling animals of questionable temperament.
• Must be able to stand, walk, sit, talk, hear, stoop, bend, squat, kneel, grasp, grip, put fingers together firmly and reach above and below shoulder level and lift, push or pull 50 pounds for situations of restraining or moving animals and lifting food and animal care supplies.
• Ability to operate, maneuver and/or provide simple but continuous adjustments and repetitive movements on equipment such as surgical instruments, syringes, microscopes, diagnostic equipment, computer terminal, and/or materials used in performing essential functions.
• Ability to coordinate eyes, hands, feet, and limbs in performing movements requiring skill and training, such as performing surgery and giving injections.
• Ability to use hands to operate computers; flex the neck upward and downward; twist the neck and the waist.
• Occasionally, there may be situations requiring high stamina, such as training days or special events.
• Specific vision abilities required by the job include close vision, distance vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.
• Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

Job Types: Full-time, Part-time

Pay: $145,000.00 – $185,000.00 per year

Expected hours: 24 – 40 per week

Benefits:

• Dental insurance
• Employee discount
• Flexible schedule
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Retirement plan
• Vision insurance

Schedule:

• 10 hour shift
• 4 hour shift
• 8 hour shift
• Weekends as needed

Supplemental Pay:

• Bonus opportunities

Work Location: In person