Licensed Veterinary Technician - Surgery Lead

Description

The Veterinary Specialty Center of Seattle, a Thrive Pet Healthcare Partner, is a 24-hour Emergency and Critical Care and Specialty hospital. We offer a collaborative approach to veterinary medicine, providing services in Surgery, Internal Medicine, Cardiology, Oncology, Radiology, and more. We are a diverse group of assistants, licensed veterinarian technicians, and doctors, fostering a learning environment while encouraging autonomy and teamwork.

Role Responsibilities

• Advanced patient handling and restraint, including fear-free techniques
• Triage, full patient assessment, and history taking
• Administer treatments/medications via all routes; calculate doses, CRIs, and % solutions
• Place/maintain peripheral & central IV catheters; manage IV fluids
• Perform and monitor blood transfusions
• Provide advanced inpatient nursing care, including recumbent patient management
• Skilled pain assessment and management
• Place and manage urinary catheters; calculate urine output
• Emergency response proficiency, including CPRA
• Aid with advanced procedures; set up and monitor sedation/anesthesia
• Collect and process diagnostic samples; operate and troubleshoot lab equipment
• Perform venipuncture, blood typing, and crossmatching
• Navigate EzyVet and SmartFlow efficiently
• Advanced pharmacy skills: fill/label prescriptions, reconstitute/dilute drugs, controlled substance documentation
• Strong knowledge of surgical and anesthetic procedures for critical patients
• Proficient in aseptic and sterile technique
• Skilled diagnostic imaging: radiographs (all views), ultrasound operation, endoscopy care
• Provide clinical leadership and training to team members

Management

• Maintain high standards of patient care and client service
• Create and manage schedules for veterinary support staff
• Oversee onboarding, training, KPIs, and performance evaluations
• Ensure efficient workflow and interdepartmental coordination
• Set team goals and communicate expectations clearly
• Collaborate with leadership to meet budget and operational targets
• Mentor and engage staff to support morale, growth, and retention
• Represent support staff on the leadership team
• Address personnel issues, conflict resolution, and corrective documentation
• Foster a positive, collaborative work environment
• Handle client concerns and service recovery
• Identify opportunities to improve revenue and client satisfaction
• Oversee department cleanliness, equipment maintenance, and inventory
• Escalate medical or employment concerns appropriately

Communication Skills

• Clear, timely communication with the veterinary team
• Coordinate with clients and external practices to obtain records
• Maintain patient/client privacy
• Provide advanced client education on procedures, diagnostics, and treatment plans
• Obtain informed consent
• Provide follow-up updates on patient progress
• Model and mentor strong communication, emotional intelligence, and conflict competence

Benefits

• Competitive compensation-$30-40/hr
• Paid time off including 8-weeks of full-pay parental leave, bereavement to grieve both humans and pets, and time off for new pet adoptions
• Top quality medical, dental, and vision insurance plus health savings account and flexible spending account
• Pet perks including free exams, discounts on products and services, and more at all Thrive Pet Healthcare locations
• Generously subsidized backup and ongoing care support for children, adults, and pets
• Mental health benefits including coaching and therapy sessions
• 401k program
• Continuing education and development support through our library of free CE courses and 3 days PTO to complete