Animal Health Center - Veterinary Technician [Full-Time]

Animal Health Center – Veterinary Technician [Full-Time]

Collaborate with a passionate Zoo Crew in San Antonio
Choosing where to grow your career has a major impact on your professional and personal life, so it’s equally important you know that the place you choose to work at will support and guide you. With a diversity of passionate people, San Antonio Zoo is a place where you can collaborate with others securing a future for wildlife.

The Impact You’ll Make in this Role
As an Animal Health Center (AHC) Veterinary Technician you will be responsible for the preparation and assistance with routine and emergency animal procedures, including immobilizations, examinations, and collection of diagnostic samples. You will be expected to follow veterinarian directives for treatment plans, prescriptions, and testing of biological samples. As an AHC Veterinary Technician, you will be responsible for the cleanliness, proper stocking of the hospital as well as the maintenance of various veterinary equipment.  You will be expected to model behavior that demonstrates the commitment to upholding the standards of excellent veterinary care. You will participate in the guest experience via educational, media, and conservation programs including tours.

This position requires full-time work, 7:00am-4:00pm.

As a Veterinary Technician, you will have the opportunity to tap into your curiosity and collaborate with some of the most innovative and diverse people in San Antonio. Here, you will make an impact by:

• Monitor behavior and health of animals in the Animal Health Center and appropriately reporting animal’s status to veterinarians, hospital manager, and veterinary support team.
• Coordinate and delegate with team members the medical treatments of hospitalized and quarantined animals in accordance with instructions of veterinarians.
• Routinely perform all aspects of anesthesia, patient monitoring, radiology, ultrasonography, endoscopy, surgery, and dental work.
• Routinely obtain various biological samples from zoo animals and preparing them for diagnostic laboratory testing such as fecal analysis, hematology, serum chemistry, urinalysis, and microbiology.
• Perform routine pharmacy related skills including medical calculations, reading and entering prescriptions as directed by a veterinarian, filling and dispensing medications, and administering medications in various routes.
• Maintain medical packs, perform routine equipment maintenance tasks, and assist in the up-keep of the hospital supplies inventories to ensure proper function of the hospital.
• Ensure medical records are notated and entered in a correct, timely, and orderly fashion.
• Assist with necropsies including collecting and preparing tissues for histopathologic evaluation.
• Collaborate in creating, updating, and upholding the standard operating procedures for the veterinary hospital.
• Serve as relief for the Animal Health Center Animal Care Specialists as required.
• Upholds all company policies as outlined in the Zoo Standard Operating Procedures, SA Zoo Team Handbook, Safety Handbook, and Code of Business Conduct.
• Constantly exhibit an attitude of service inside and outside the zoo, showing hospitality to all.
• Be fully committed to the mission of San Antonio Zoo to create awareness that inspires action to care for the wild world we steward and the animals we protect.

Other Responsibilities:

• Perform other work-related duties as required and assigned.

 
Your Skills and Expertise
To set you up for success in this role from day one, the San Antonio Zoo recommends the following skills/qualifications:

• Working knowledge of veterinary nursing, clinical pathology, and animal behavior based on experience working in high volume general practice, mixed species practice or emergency hospital.
• Perform full range of veterinary nursing skills including, but not limited to intubation, phlebotomy, catheter placement, gavage feeding, and fluid therapy.
• Able to read, understand, and follow veterinary medical orders, oral and written instructions and communicate in English.
• Exercise sound judgment in analyzing animal behavior concerns, emergencies and to respond with appropriate action.
• Able to communicate with veterinarians, hospital manager, and veterinary support team clearly and concisely about any updates to animal treatment plans.
• Able to work safely around delicate, wild and occasionally dangerous animals.
• Able to safely open, enter, exit, and secure animal enclosures and service areas.
• Operate typical veterinary equipment such as digital X-ray, ultrasound, endoscope, dental machines, autoclave, microscopes, blood chemistry machinery, gas anesthesia machinery.
• Ability to perform routine lab tasks such as manual CBCs with differentials, cytology, complete urinalysis, and fecal analysis.
• Computer literate and able to become familiar with the medical data system (ZIMS).
• Sufficient strength, agility, and coordination to assist in netting, capturing, and/or restraining animals of extreme size, strength, and agility.
• Sufficient delicacy to handle, examine, and move; without harming; sick, injured, and/or struggling small animals.
• Must be highly motivated, organized, and demonstrate a willingness to adapt positively to change.
• Possess excellent public speaking skills to deliver quality educational presentations, tours, and potential media requests.
• Ability to collaborate with team members efficiently and effectively to execute group projects.
• Two years of full-time veterinary clinical experience. Zoo, exotic, wildlife, and/or emergency room experience preferred.
• Licensed (LVT, RVT, CVT) veterinary technician highly preferred.
• Combination of veterinary technician experience and associate or bachelor degree in veterinary technology, wildlife management, zoology, biology, or related field may be considered.
• Must be 18 years of age or older with a clean driving record for vehicle operation.
• Valid Texas driver's license or obtain within 3 months of employment.
• Must complete a pre-employment National Sex Offender Search, Criminal Background Check, and Drug Screen.
• We enjoy year-round operation for all staff, must be available day, nights, weekends, holidays, and occasional special after-hour assignments.

The San Antonio Zoo is an equal opportunity employer.  San Antonio Zoo will not discriminate against any applicant for employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, or veteran status.