The Veterinary Technician provides hands-on medical care, treatment, and surgical support for shelter animals while collaborating with volunteers to maintain clinic operations. They are responsible for managing daily medical tasks, performing diagnostics, and ensuring high-quality patient care in a fast-paced, no-kill shelter environment.
Requirements summary
Candidates should have basic veterinary technician skills including animal handling, injections, and diagnostics, with a preference for 6 months of relevant experience. Strong interpersonal skills and a commitment to the organization's no-kill mission and volunteer-powered culture are essential.
BACKGROUND Austin Pets Alive! (APA!) is one of Austin’s most dynamic and best-loved nonprofits.
The organization is the leader in the no kill movement nationally and is considered a national thought leader in animal welfare.
APA! locally rescues, treats, and adopts out 10,000 homeless dogs and cats each year, providing the safety net for Austin’s most at-risk shelter pets, which helps Austin to be a no-kill city, while also assisting other communities in saving homeless animals.
The organization is distinguished by the scrappiness of its grassroots, non-traditional community-based animal rescue work.
The organization continues to innovate best practices to save lives and teaches its renowned lifesaving model through American Pets Alive!, APA!’s national division.
In 2020, AmPA! began the Human Animal Support Services (HASS) project, a collaborative movement of more than 10,000 animal welfare professionals working in nearly 1,900 organizations.
HASS is the first-of-its-kind collective of shelters and animal welfare professionals coming together to build community-focused animal services that better meet the needs of people and pets by keeping human-animal families together and keeping pets unnecessarily out of shelters.
The APA!
Medical Clinic works on the cutting edge of shelter medicine, treating the most critical and vulnerable animals that other shelters and even some private clinics don't have the resources to help.
This makes APA! the ideal learning environment for anyone interested in expanding their knowledge of veterinary medicine and no-kill animal sheltering, with the added benefit of knowing you are helping homeless animals from all over Texas and the United States.
POSITION SUMMARY/OVERVIEW Our technicians rotate through different roles in the clinic including Wellness Technician, Emergency Technician, Hospital/Onsite Technician, and Prescription Technician.
Once trained, our techs also assist in high volume spay/neuter surgery; including Recovery of patients, Gopher tech role, and ultimately Surgery Technician.
Our veterinary technicians are crucial to the success of our lifesaving programs, providing hands-on care and treatment to the 10,000+ animals who come through our doors every year.
The ideal candidate is passionate about creating the best experience for the public, adopters, and volunteers who visit APA!, all while making a difference for Austin’s most vulnerable pets.
Benefits
Dental insurance
Vision insurance
Paid holidays
Paid time off
Short-term disability
Life insurance
Medical coverage
401(k) retirement plan
Professional development
Wellness plan
Emergency sick plan
This is a full-time, nonexempt position and reports to the Medical Clinic Manager on duty or another individual designated by APA!.
The Veterinary Technician plays a key role in advancing the goals of APA!’s Clinic Team.
This position contributes directly to APA!’s mission to increase the live release rate across Texas by supporting a sustainable, inclusive, and high-impact model for shelter operations.
The Veterinary Technician is responsible for managing their daily responsibilities, maintaining clear priorities, and delivering consistent, high-quality work that aligns with APA!’s values and goals.
This includes staying organized, using data or feedback to inform decisions, and following through on key tasks and responsibilities with minimal oversight.
This is a hands-on, mission-driven role focused on results, reliability, and teamwork.
APA! is a volunteer-powered organization, so every staff member is expected to work alongside and support volunteers.
The Veterinary Technician collaborates closely with volunteers to complete day-to-day tasks, helps create a positive and inclusive environment, and actively contributes to a culture of shared effort and mutual respect.
This position may involve shift flexibility, weekend hours, and responsiveness during times of high need.
Every individual at APA! is responsible for working in collaboration with volunteers; making sure volunteers are recruited, trained and feel impactful through their efforts at APA!. A core part of this role is creating a welcoming and empowering experience for volunteers, including assisting with onboarding, training, and volunteer engagement as part of the day-to-day workflow. WORKING RELATIONSHIPS This position reports to the Medical Clinic Management team, specifically their Clinic Team Manager. This position will work closely with fosters, adopters, other clinic staff and APA! veterinary staff. This position also requires regular communication with all other teams in the organization to provide quality patient care. DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES (Work assignments vary and will be communicated to the applicant or incumbent by the supervisor)
Actively contribute to a volunteer-powered culture by partnering with volunteers during every shift and helping create an inclusive, welcoming environment
Work alongside volunteers to complete daily tasks, ensuring the work is shared and collaborative—not siloed
Support the recruitment and onboarding process by welcoming new volunteers and helping them get oriented to the program
Help retain volunteers by offering encouragement, guidance, and feedback during shared work
Recommend strong volunteers for deeper involvement or specialized roles to your supervisor or volunteer manager
Contribute to a positive culture by recognizing volunteer contributions through appreciation, gratitude, and shoutouts
Help set volunteers up for success by clearly explaining tasks, providing hands-on guidance, and offering in-the-moment support
Level 0.5
Veterinary Technician in Training (Typical proficiencies expected in order to move up to Level 1)
Complete hospitalized treatment, from beginning to end, at any complexity level
Manage wellness appointment schedule efficiently and on time
Follow technician protocols independently
Understand x-ray positioning and terminology
Use med chart proficiently
Job duties may include some or all of the above, and other duties as assigned by manager
Level 1 (Typical work functions expected of Veterinary Technicians designated as Level 1) General
Able to train for all non-surgical roles: Wellness, Emergency, Hospital/Onsite and Prescription Technician (see below); learning the positions’ duties quickly and willing to take on solo shifts within 30 days of commencing the role
Ability to complete everything on the veterinary technician training checklist within 6 months of commencing the role, with surgical duties as an exception
Treats animals with the highest level of compassion and consideration at all times.
Works professionally with all staff, volunteers, and visitors
Arrives to work on time and ready to work for all shifts and stays for the duration of all shifts to support other tasks if needed and unless otherwise scheduled.
Based on APA Medical Protocols, elevates medical concerns to Clinic Managers, Veterinarians, and Medical Directors
Administers medications as indicated in APA! Medical Protocols as prescribed and within the required timeframes
Perform blood draws
Perform point-of-care diagnostic tests
Perform and read PCV/TP/BG
Start learning microscopy: fecals, skin scrapes
Diff Quick Staining
Administer insulin to diabetic cats
Able to identify common illnesses, injuries, and general health concerns, and respond and treat according to APA Medical Protocols
Learn, understand, and calculate the uses of all medications in the APA! Medical Dose Chart
Able to administer SQ and IM injections.
Administer vaccines and maintain the associated data and records. Rabies vaccinations are administered with Veterinarian approval.
Perform blacklight exams for ringworm.
Concurrently document all vaccinations, preventatives, medications administered, and/or any diagnostic tests completed for a specific cat and the results in the electronic medical record and in a timely manner
Basic APA! software knowledge - ShelterLuv, Waitwhile and Google Suite
Records thorough and accurate patient histories and elevates information to veterinarians as outlined in APA! Medical protocols.
Able to perform radiographs on patients with assistance
Learn and understand X-ray positions
Vaccinate animals and administer necessary treatment (oral, SQ, IM, IV etc) in accordance with protocols and/or directions received from veterinarian
Monitors animal behavior and eating patterns
Cleans and sanitizes cages, kennels, equipment, and treatment areas to maintain the sanitary conditions of the APA! Medical clinic
Ability to run appointments with some assistance needed
Assists in euthanasia appointments and appropriately stores and labels deceased animals
Identify, triage and respond to emergency situations with assistance
Assist colleagues in other clinic positions as outlined by management and as scheduled in Paycor
Appropriately and effectively restrains and handles animals for exams and treatments
Answers questions and provides information to the public and fosters/adopters on APA! policies and procedures
Assists in maintaining accountability of scheduled drugs
Maintain a safe, clean, and sanitary work environment
Provide excellent customer service to all clients
Wellness Technician
This position is responsible for providing wellness services (vaccines, preventatives, intakes, HW injections etc) to scheduled appointments in the APA! medical clinic.
Provide quality and timely wellness-related medical care for scheduled medical clinic clients
Follow vet-approved protocols for diagnostics and treatment of routine medical concerns
Seek manager or vet involvement for all non-routine or chronic patients
Provide fosters and adopters with clear communication and information regarding the animals in their care
Prepare for daily appointments in advance, including reviewing medical history for each patient
Maintain updated animal records through immediate data entry during and after each appointment
Assist other team members when there is down time
Emergency Technician
This position is responsible for assisting the veterinarian with emergency and urgent appointments in the APA! medical clinic.
With veterinarian, provide quality and time-efficient medical care for offsite, emergency and urgent medical clinic clients
Triage and react accordingly to urgent, critical, and contagious animals
Follow veterinarian instructions or approved protocols for diagnostics and treatment of medical concerns
Provide fosters, adopters, and animal program staff with clear communication and information regarding the animals in their care, including relevant APA! handouts when applicable at patient discharge
Prepare for daily appointments in advance when applicable, including reviewing medical history for each patient
Maintain updated animal records through immediate data entry during and after each appointment
Hospitalized/Onsite Technician
This position is responsible for the treatment and care to all hospitalized animals under the care of the APA! medical clinic.
Provide scheduled treatments to all hospitalized animals
Request and administer all assigned medications appropriately and within acceptable time frames, as directed by clinic protocols and the veterinary staff
Maintain proper care of all hospitalized animals, including identifying, monitoring, and documenting illness symptoms and changes
Work with receptionists and clinic managers to coordinate intake and care for all incoming animals needing hospitalization
Triage and react accordingly to urgent, critical, and contagious animals
Report declining hospitalized patients and urgent needs to veterinary staff immediately
Work closely with onsite care teams to identify animals that need medical triage
Triage requests for all onsite animals at the start of the day.
Round with cat team & dog teams to address medical concerns
Responsible for any appointments scheduled under the onsite column in our scheduler
Ensure hand-off of hospitalized patients to other teams is effective and they go with their medications/treatments
Prescription Technician
This position is responsible for filling all prescriptions in a timely manner for the APA! medical clinic.
Efficiently and accurately fill all approved medical prescriptions for the APA! medical clinic in a timely manner
Learn dosages for commonly used medications and calculate doses based on weight, dose and medication concentration
Review medical records as needed to ensure all requested prescriptions are accurate and appropriate for the specific animal
Follow veterinarian-approved protocols and written medical instructions regarding medication use
Communicate with animal caregivers regarding prescriptions, as needed
Maintain updated animal records through immediate data entry
Make sure at-home-parvo packs are filled and handed off in a timely manner
Job duties may include some or all of the above, and other duties as assigned by manager Level 2 (Typical work functions expected of Veterinary Technician designated as Level 2) General
All duties and responsibilities identified in Level 1
Ability to perform all skills from the clinic Veterinary Technician training checklist without assistance
Performs animal triage and treatment with limited assistance
Proficient with blood draws, catheter placement, and all forms of injection
Microscopy: fecals, skin scraping, cytology
Able to read glucose curves.
Calculates out dosages for all medications with no assistance
Able to assist in surgery; including Recovery of patients and Gopher role duties
Ability to perform radiographs on patients with minimal assistance needed
Knowledgeable on all medication and treatment protocols and can perform independently
Confident in talking to and independently relaying health information to fosters, adopters, and members of the public
Ability to be on call as needed with limited veterinarian assistance
Confidently handles emergency situations following protocols and with veterinary direction
Performs daily health checks on hospitalized animals and animals of concern, identifying
Documents pertinent animal health information and able to communicate medical history with fosters and adopters with limited vet assistance
Trains Level 1 employees on Level 1 tasks
Recovery Technician
This position is responsible for the recovery of all animals from spay/neuter surgery.
Assisting with check in, recording each animal's weight and health status. Setting up animals in an appropriate kennel and labeling the surgery sheets
Giving each patient, especially small or young, a small amount of food before surgery
Prepping recovery in the morning, making sure all your equipment is ready and getting vaccines and rabies certificates ready BEFORE surgery starts.
Cleaning kennels throughout the day as needed
Ability to preparing all post-surgery meds as calculated by the surgery tech
During surgery, the recovery tech will recover each animal, administer any medications, vaccines or treatments that are required and then return it to its kennel once alert enough to hold their head up independently.
Communicating with caretakers during discharge
Cleaning recovery area
Gopher Technician
This position functions as the “Operations Manager” of the surgery day. The main responsibilities are restraining animals for surgery and washing/packing surgical kits.
Checking in surgery animals in the morning over the phone
Prepping surgery in the morning: helping surgery tech draw up meds if requested, making surgical scrub, setting up gopher station, putting any un-sterilized packs in the autoclave.
During surgery gopher will get each animal in turn, restrain for injection and hold for intubation. After surgery they will carry the animal down to the recovery tech
Keeping on top of sterile packs is crucial. Packs should be remade throughout the day so instruments are consistently available for the surgeries. All packs should be cleaned and sterilized by the end of the shift
Assisting with cleaning surgery suite
Able to anticipate what Surgery Tech, Recovery Tech, and Vet needs without much prompting
Job duties may include some or all of the above, and other duties as assigned by manager Level 3 (Typical work functions expected of Veterinary Technicians designated as Level 3)
All duties and responsibilities identified in Level 1 and 2
Assists the veterinarian in all clinical procedures including full surgery days
Operates anesthesia equipment and performs anesthesia on various species and breeds of animals;
Comfortability with handling animals with varied behavior levels
Ability to run special surgeries solo with a veterinarian
Learn or able to do dental prophylaxis on both cats and dogs
Takes lead on emergency situations with little to no veterinary direction
Maintains accountability of DEA controlled pharmaceuticals
Applies bandages and/or places splints on injured animals
Assists in monitoring all inventory and alerts management to low stock or needed items
Trains Level 1 and 2 employees on Level 1 and 2 tasks
Serves as Lead Veterinary Technician and keeps track of training progress for all trainee
Confidently handles client complaints and identifies when to alert clinic management
Job duties may include some or all of the above, and other duties as assigned by manager OTHER FUNCTIONS
Must demonstrate dependability, accountability, time management, use of reasoning, and good judgment skills
Attend and participate in all required training sessions and meetings
Maintain open and consistent communication with Program Manager or designee, supervisor, and other colleagues
Partner with Volunteer Managers to learn about the volunteer programs and support volunteers interested in your department on an ongoing basis
Able to react to change productively and perform other related duties as assigned
Able to work evenings, weekends, and holidays as needed
Able to work in a high-volume, fast-paced, high-stress environment
Comfortable working autonomously when given goals and deadlines
Required qualifications
Preferred 6 months of experience working as a veterinary technician or surgery experience, preferably in a customer-facing role, but not required
Proficiency in standard veterinary technician skills, including but not limited to proper handling and restraint techniques, blood draws and diagnostics, skin scrapes, TPR, SQ/IM/IV injections, and catheter placement
Must possess moderate to expert veterinary pharmacy knowledge
Must have basic knowledge of common dog and cat illnesses, injuries, conditions, and diagnostics and run basic medical tests
Ability to do precise drug calculations and create accurate prescription labels
Must be able to transcribe veterinarian notes
Ability to work independently in a busy and dynamic environment
Current Valid Driver’s License desired for occasional transport needs
EXPECTATIONS • Committed to embodying APA!’s Core Values
Innovation,
Respect,
Drive,
Resourcefulness, and
Inclusion and cultural values: Humble, Hungry, Smart
Passion for working well with staff, volunteers, and customers—helping all individuals feel successful, appreciated, and connected to APA!’s mission
Strong commitment to volunteer engagement and support; dedicated to working well with volunteers across all roles
Comfortable working cross-functionally and serving as a liaison between volunteers, customers, and team members
Effective written and verbal communication skills; able to interpret rules, procedures, and instructional materials
Self-starter with strong time management; able to work independently and collaboratively
Excellent interpersonal skills; maintains a calm and professional presence in all situations
Strong attention to detail and high standards for quality
Adaptable to change and able to perform related duties as needed
Dedicated to delivering an exceptional and inclusive customer experience
Commitment to APA!'s customer experience expectations
Commitment to APA!’s no kill mission and care philosophies
Willing and committed to working well with volunteers and staff in all roles Leadership identifies and puts forth.
Physical job requirements
Must be able to routinely lift 40-50 pounds
Must be able to work around animals (including diseased, injured, and/or potentially aggressive animals), loud noises, unpleasant smells, chlorine or other chemicals, indoors, and outdoors in all weather
Must be able to comfortably interact with cats/dogs of various health levels, including those who may carry zoonotic diseases such as ringworm, scabies, intestinal parasites, etc.
Must be able to work in a medical clinic environment and be witness to a variety of animal medical conditions and procedures
Able to be on your feet for multiple hours of the day
Must be able to visually observe people and animals from up to 150 feet away
Ability to hear normal speech at close contact and shouting up to 150 feet away with the ability to hear and discern dog vocalizations both soft and loud
Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer
Must be able to pass all required dog handling training required for this position
Must be able to focus in a loud and busy environment despite distractions
Must be able to walk around shelter as needed - uneven ground, keeping a safe distance from dogs and handlers
If reasonable accommodations are requested, reasonable accommodations will be made to enable employees with disabilities to perform the essential functions of their job absent undue hardship to the organization.
Work environment
Work is normally performed inside the APA! Medical Clinic; some outside work is required
Exposure to unpleasant odors and noises.
Exposure to bites, scratches and animal waste
Possible exposure to contagious diseases
Rapid pace with exposure to potential hazards including animal waste, disinfectants, and high levels of noise
Must be comfortable witnessing veterinary surgical procedures
Uses own transportation to travel and transport
Occasional after-hours or weekend work may be required to support program needs
Time commitment
This is a full-time, nonexempt position with an average of 40 hours per week.
Shift and schedule flexibility is required, as weekly schedule is subject to change
Able to work evenings, weekends, and holidays as needed
Location(S)
Hwy 290 Medical Clinic - 4942 W Hwy 290 Austin, TX 78735
APA! Main - Town Lake Animal Center 1156 West Cesar Chavez Austin, TX 78703
Occasional travel to offsite locations may be required
Benefits
Austin Pets Alive! is proud to offer a competitive benefits package for full-time employees, including subsidized employer-sponsored medical coverage, subsidized and voluntary life insurance, voluntary dental, vision and short-term disability options, all effective the first day of employment. We also offer voluntary wellness and emergency sick plans, up to 2% match on 401(K) retirement plan, supplemental benefits, flexible spending accounts and additional life coverage. Full-time employees receive 10 paid holidays and accrue 10 days paid time off during the first year of employment, with an additional 5 days of PTO accrual upon completion of 12 months of employment. Employees will also receive professional development opportunities through APA!’s ongoing mission to advance our animal welfare professionals in our life-saving work.
EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES AND ACCOMMODATIONS STATEMENTAustin Pets Alive! is an equal employment opportunity employer and we value having staff who come from communities that are most impacted by the issues we engage on. We especially encourage people of color, LGBTQ people, women, transgender and gender non-conforming people, and people with disabilities to apply.
Austin Pets Alive! does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. Austin Pets Alive! is committed to creating a dynamic work environment that values diversity and inclusion, respect and integrity, community focus, and innovation.
APA! is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities in the employment application process. To request an accommodation, please contact Talent Acquisition at job@austinpetsalive.org at least one week in advance of your interview.
