Lead Licensed Veterinary Technician

West Side Pet Clinic is hiring a full-time Lead Licensed 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, and shares our passion for improving the lives of pets and their owners.

What to Expect

As you join our mission to provide the best in wellness, preventative, urgent, and diagnostic care, expect to be supported in your work and home life with:

• All the benefits you deserve—medical, dental, vision, and retirement.

• 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: $23.00-$27.00 per hour, based on the candidate's skills, experience, and qualifications.

Schedule: This is a full-time position. Hospital Hours: Monday–Friday business hours, 7:30 AM–5:30 PM. The typical schedule includes four days on and one day off. Rotating Saturday shifts at sister clinics in the future.

Lead Technician Responsibilities

• Oversee daily appointment workflow, delegating tasks and ensuring adherence to standards of care.

• Develop and maintain training manuals and protocols for all departments to ensure consistency of care.

• Evaluate and ensure the competency of staff in clinical skills, documentation, and client communication.

• Maintain compliance with checklists, controlled drug logs, equipment maintenance, and supply inventory.

• Troubleshoot equipment issues and coordinate with vendors (e.g., IDEXX) and IT as needed.

• Ensure accurate submission, tracking, and recording of all laboratory samples and results.

• Create and maintain staff schedules with leadership team members.

• Provide leadership through professional communication, participation in staff meetings, serving as a liaison between staff and leadership, and assisting with employee concerns and disciplinary matters.

• Collaborate with the leadership team to ensure adherence to hospital protocols and assist with quarterly inventory counts.

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:

• Must be a Licensed Veterinary Technician in New York.

• 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 West Side Pet Clinic

West Side Pet Clinic, established in 2014 in Buffalo, NY, provides high-quality, affordable wellness care for dogs and cats. We focus on preventative medicine, including physical exams, vaccinations, and treatment of common health concerns, while educating pet owners on proactive care. As an AAHA-accredited clinic, we’re committed to compassionate, accessible veterinary services that help pets thrive and support their families.