Veterinary Assistant — Temp-to-Permanent
A hands-on opportunity for pre-vet students, aspiring LVTs, and animal medicine enthusiasts ready to build real clinical experience.
About Our Practice
We're an AAHA-accredited, 4-doctor small animal and exotic practice in the Hudson Valley — and we mean exotic. Alongside our dogs and cats, we treat birds, reptiles, amphibians, ferrets, rabbits, and small mammals of every variety. For anyone planning a future in veterinary medicine, this is the kind of caseload that builds a foundation few clinics can offer.
We take patient care and client education seriously. We take ourselves a little less seriously. The result is a team that's clinically sharp, genuinely collaborative, and actually enjoys coming to work.
The Position
Temp-to-Permanent Veterinary Assistant — a structured opportunity to demonstrate your skills and grow with our team.
- Hours: Full-time, 37 hours per week
- Schedule:
- Monday: 8:30 AM – 7:00 PM
- Tuesday: 12:00 PM – 6:00 PM
- Wednesday: 8:30 AM – 6:00 PM
- Thursday: 8:30 AM – 7:00 PM
- Saturday: 8:30 AM – 3:00 PM
- Path forward: This role begins as a temporary position with strong potential to transition into a permanent placement for the right candidate. We're looking for someone who's invested in doing great work and building something longer-term with us.
What You'll Do
This is a working role, not a shadowing one. Expect to:
- Restrain and safely handle a diverse patient population, including exotics
- Assist veterinarians and licensed technicians with exams, treatments, and surgical procedures
- Perform routine in-house laboratory work
- Prepare prescriptions and maintain exam room readiness
- Communicate with clients and reinforce doctor recommendations through education
- Support front-of-house operations: phones, greetings, scheduling assistance
- Contribute to a smooth, efficient hospital flow alongside the rest of the team
You'll leave each shift having learned something — and over time, you'll build a clinical skill set that translates directly to vet school applications, LVT programs, or longer-term hospital roles.
What We're Looking For
The right candidate is:
- Dependable — consistent attendance and punctuality are foundational
- Compassionate — toward every patient and every client, every time
- Composed under pressure — emergencies require calm thinking and quick action
- Collaborative — we hold each other to a high standard and support one another doing it
- Curious and coachable — you ask thoughtful questions and apply feedback
- Comfortable across species — from a Lab puppy to a leopard gecko, you're game
Basic computer literacy and excellent client communication skills are required. Prior veterinary experience is preferred but not required — we'll train the right person. Experience with exotics is a plus, but again: trainable for someone who's genuinely interested.
Why This Role Matters for Your Career
If you're headed toward vet school, an LVT program, or a long-term career in animal medicine, the experience you'll gain here is genuinely differentiating:
- Exotic and avian caseload most general practices can't offer
- Exposure to surgery, anesthesia, diagnostics, and emergency response
- Mentorship from veterinarians and licensed technicians who actually like to teach
- A reference list that means something when admissions committees come calling
How to Apply
Send your resume along with a brief cover letter telling us about your career goals, your animal experience, and why our practice interests you. All inquiries are kept strictly confidential.
We read every application carefully. The right attitude, work ethic, and curiosity matter more to us than a perfect resume.
Ready to build the foundation for a career in veterinary medicine? We'd love to hear from you.
Job Types: Full-time, Temporary
Pay: From $17.00 per hour
Benefits:
- Continuing education credits
- Disability insurance
- Employee discount
- Referral program
- Uniform allowance
Work Location: In person
