Veterinarian - Training and Development

Role Overview

The Humane Society for Southwest Washington (HSSW) is seeking a full‑time, exempt Veterinarian – Training and Development. HSSW operates shelter campuses in Vancouver and Longview, WA, serving over 10,000 animals annually and providing community‑based veterinary services to more than 18,000 owned animals each year. This newly created role builds a consistent training pipeline across HSSW’s Shelter Medicine and Community Medicine programs, partnering with medical directors, LVTs, veterinary assistants, and program directors to ensure high‑quality, standardized care.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• New Veterinarian Development and Mentorship
  • Design and lead a structured onboarding and development pathway for newly hired veterinarians.
  • Provide hands‑on clinical mentorship in surgery, medical decision‑making, and case management.
  • Conduct skills assessments, create individualized development plans, and deliver real‑time coaching.
  • Track development milestones and report progress to the Medical Director – Shelter Medicine.
• SOP Management and Standardization
  • Draft, write, and maintain standard operating procedures (SOPs) for shelter and community medicine clinical workflows.
  • Partner with both Medical Directors to keep SOPs current and evidence‑based.
  • Train staff on new and updated SOPs and audit practice for consistency across campuses.
  • Support training on forensic examination protocols and evidence documentation standards.
• HQHVSN Training and Spectrum of Care
  • Lead training on HQHVSN surgical protocols, anesthesia, and peri‑operative care.
  • Collaborate with Clinical Resource Veterinary Technicians to align surgical training standards.
  • Develop and deploy spectrum of care frameworks so staff can confidently offer a full range of care options.
  • Support staff in balancing gold‑standard medicine with practical, resource‑conscious treatment planning.
• Cross‑Program Collaboration
  • Align training priorities with both Medical Directors, the Director of Shelter Medicine, and program directors across shelter, foster, adoption, and community‑based programs.
  • Coordinate with site leadership to ensure consistent workflows and medical standards across campuses.
  • Participate in medical leadership meetings and support recruiting and candidate evaluation.
• Quality Assurance, Continuing Education, and Reporting
  • Support medical record audits and surgical outcome reviews to identify training opportunities.
  • Coordinate continuing education and maintain training and competency documentation.
  • Track training completion, time‑to‑independence, and outcome metrics; report regularly to the Medical Director – Shelter Medicine.

Required Qualifications

• DVM or VMD degree from an accredited institution.
• Current Washington State veterinary license, or ability to obtain prior to employment.
• Current DEA registration, or ability to obtain.
• Minimum three years practicing veterinary medicine, including shelter medicine, community medicine, or HQHVSN.
• Demonstrated experience training, mentoring, or coaching veterinarians, technicians, or students.
• Experience performing high‑quality, high‑volume spay/neuter surgery.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience developing SOPs, training curricula, or onboarding programs.
• Experience with spectrum of care or access‑to‑care veterinary models.
• Experience working across multiple sites; familiarity with ASV Guidelines and HQHVSN best practices.

Physical Requirements and Work Environment

Work is performed within animal shelter, clinic, and community‑based environments across Vancouver and Longview campuses, with exposure to animals of varying behavior and medical conditions, noise, zoonotic disease, cleaning chemicals, allergens, controlled substances, and radiographic equipment. Reasonable accommodation may be provided to qualified individuals with disabilities.

Compensation

The annual salary range for this position is $135,000 to $145,000, with starting pay dependent upon experience.

Benefits and Perks

• Health insurance effective the first of the month following hire (full‑time employees).
• Dental and vision insurance effective the first of the month following hire.
• Matching percentage 401(k) retirement plan with a 3‑year graded vesting schedule and ROTH contribution option.
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP) available to all employees and household members.
• Section 125 FSA Cafeteria Plan for out‑of‑pocket health and/or dependent day‑care expenses.
• Access to affordable life, disability, and accidental supplemental insurance.
• Numerous employee discounts and partner‑organization discounts.
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness qualified employer.
• Paid Time Off (PTO) – 3 weeks per year, plus floating holidays, bereavement leave, and pet bereavement leave.

Culture, Vision, Mission, and Values

Vision: A community where everyone loves and cares for animals.

Mission: Rescue. Return. Restore. Rehome. Reconnect. One animal at a time.

Values: Compassion, Collaboration, Excellence, Service, Integrity.

The organization seeks team members who display enthusiasm, a service‑oriented attitude, strong teamwork, adaptability, curiosity, and a commitment to lifelong learning.