Veterinary Technician

Harbor Animal Hospital is hiring a full-time Certified Veterinary Technician to provide skilled care to our patients and exceptional service to our clients. Our ideal candidate has experience in animal care, client communication, and veterinary procedures, with a passion for improving the lives of pets and their owners.

What to Expect

As you join our mission, expect to be supported in your work and home life with :

All the benefits you deserve—medical, dental, vision, retirement for full-time employees

Paid time off. Take the time you need to recharge.

Employee pet discount because we know your pets are family, too

401(k) with a generous company match to help you invest in your future while you care for pets today.

Employee referral bonus. Earn $1,000 when you refer a new team member to one of our 180+ partner hospitals across the country.

Continuing education opportunities for our licensed technicians to grow and thrive in their careers

Salary : $22.00 - $26.00 per hour, determined by the candidate's skills, experience, and qualifications.

Schedule : This is a full time position. Technician shifts typically range from 8 to 10 hours, with one weekday off and rotating Saturday coverage. Monday : 7 : 00 AM - 7 : 00 PM Tuesday-Friday : 8 : 00 AM - 6 : 00 PM. Saturday : 8 : 00 AM - 1 : 00 PM.

Key Responsibilities :

Client Communication : Provide status updates for hospitalized patients, home care instructions, pre- and post-op instructions, and medication administration guidance. Address client medical questions with confidence and direct complex inquiries to veterinarians.

Client Education & Support : Educate clients on preventative medicine, wellness care by age, vaccine requirements, laboratory procedures, and support hospital financial policies by preparing estimates and discussing financial commitments.

Customer Service : Greet clients, escort them and their pets into exam rooms, ensure smooth transitions to the front desk, and promote the practice's products, programs, and services.

Animal Handling & Care : Restrain animals safely and compassionately, assist veterinarians in medical, surgical, and dental procedures, prepare patients for surgery, administer anesthesia, monitor patients during surgery and recovery, and administer fluids.

Facility & Equipment Maintenance : Properly care for all surgical materials, maintain hospital equipment and inventory, and ensure the surgery room, ICU area, exam rooms, and treatment areas are prepared and maintained.

Record Keeping : Maintain accurate and detailed patient records using a paperless medical record system, ensuring all procedures, vaccinations, and notes are documented for proper billing.

Pharmacy Assistance : Assist with dispensing medications as directed by the veterinarian, prepare prescription labels, and appropriately package medication.

Safety & Technical Skills : Follow DEA, OSHA, and hospital safety guidelines; administer SQ, IM, and IV injections; perform laboratory tests, radiographs, and electrocardiograms; place IV catheters; perform emergency treatments such as bleeding control and external cardiac massage.

Qualifications :

Certified Veterinary Technician (CVT) preferred.

Experience in surgery and dental prophylaxis is required.

Minimum of 1 year of experience in a veterinary setting is required.

Ability to handle animals safely and compassionately.

Knowledgeable about common disease states and able to alert veterinarians to changes in patient conditions.

Familiarity with DEA, OSHA, and hospital safety guidelines.

About Harbor Animal Hospital

Located in Winthrop Harbor, IL, we're a leading small-animal veterinary facility offering nothing but the best veterinary services for your best friend. Since Dr. Ned Bartlett founded the hospital in 1988, we've mastered the art of keeping pets their happiest and healthiest selves.