Veterinary Assistant, Operating Room

About the role

Gulf Coast Veterinary Specialists (GCVS) is a leader in specialized care for companion animals, known for excellence and collaboration with the veterinary community. Our state-of-the-art facility and expert team provide top-tier care across a range of specialties, including emergency, cardiology, oncology, neurology, surgery, and more. Join us and make a difference in the lives of pets and their families every day.

Responsibilities

• OR Suite Turnover: Execute strict decontamination and disinfection protocols immediately following procedure completion to ensure the suite is ready for the next case.
• Deep Cleaning: Clean, wipe, and disinfect all vertical and horizontal surfaces within the OR suite, including surgery and Mayo tables, equipment bases, anesthesia machines, chairs, walls, and suspended surgical lights.
• Ancillary Area Maintenance: Maintain the surgery preparation room, sterile hallways, and scrub sink areas to the same high aseptic standards.
• Floor Care: Sweep and damp-mop sterile hallways, prep room flooring, and surgical suites using designated veterinary-grade disinfectant solutions.
• Waste Management: Frequently remove all regular trash, biohazard waste, and recycling from the surgical suites to the external dumpster throughout the day to maintain a clean, safe environment.
• Laundry Operations: Assist with the continuous cycling, washing, drying, folding, and stocking of surgical towels, patient warming blankets, and microfiber towels.
• Anesthesia Machine & Monitor Maintenance: Properly connect gas supply lines and waste-gas scavenging systems. Monitor and refill anesthetic gas vaporizers. Perform successful pressure checks on anesthesia machines prior to use, and troubleshoot for system leaks. Monitor and replace CO2 absorbent (Sodasorb) canister contents on a regular, scheduled basis. Deploy, inspect, and organize anesthesia monitoring accessories for upcoming cases.
• Specialized Equipment & Tower Calibration: Position, organize, and ergonomics-adjust surgical tables, Mayo stands, instrument tables, and equipment towers according to the specific procedure type. Power on and configure large surgical equipment to proper baseline parameters, including arthroscopy and laparoscopy towers, electrosurgical (cautery/LigaSure) units, orthopedic drill consoles, and fluoroscopy (Mini C-arm) imaging units.
• Surgical Instrument Pulling: Accurately pull specific surgical instrumentation, packs, and specialized implants for advanced surgical procedures utilizing the department’s pullbook guidelines.
• Whiteboard & Workflow Management: Actively monitor and utilize the electronic surgery whiteboard to track case locations, transitions, and timing. Proactively assist in coordinating OR room assignments to minimize downtime between procedures.
• Instrument Processing Support: Wash, clean, and wrap surgical instruments and equipment, ensuring strict adherence to aseptic protocols. Safely and correctly operate sterilization equipment to run complete steam sterilization cycles (including flash cycles) when immediate instrument turnover is required. Actively build and maintain a comprehensive working knowledge of specialized surgical instrumentation, including orthopedic, soft tissue, laparoscopic, thoracoscopic, and arthroscopic equipment.
• Ancillary Support (Non-Patient Contact): Prepare and set up empty patient kennels, ensuring recovery spaces are clean, dry, and stocked with clean bedding. Pre-stage environmental supports such as passive heat sources or fluid pump poles as directed by clinical staff. Prepare the radiology suite for pre- or post-operative imaging.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent required.
• Previous experience in a surgical or specialty veterinary setting is preferred.
• Excellent listening and interpersonal skills and problem-solving methods.
• Exceptional attention to detail.
• Ability to follow highly specific, multi-step standard operating procedures (SOPs) and pullbook guidelines.
• Ability to work efficiently and calmly in a fast-paced, high-stress environment.
• Strong communication and teamwork skills.
• Physical ability to lift and restrain animals of varying sizes (up to 50 lbs. unassisted).
• Compassion for animals and empathy for patients undergoing surgical procedures.
• Commitment to continued learning and professional development.
• Fluent English skills (speaking & reading) are required for the role; fluency in multiple languages a plus!