Relief Certified Veterinary Technician

About the Oregon Humane Society

Founded in 1868, Oregon Humane Society is the Northwest's oldest and largest animal welfare organization with one of the highest adoption rates in the nation. We are working toward our vision of a world where all animals are treated with compassion, kindness and respect. With campuses in Portland and Salem, OHS is an Oregon-based nonprofit that relies on donor support for its adoption, education, medical and humane law enforcement programs. Visit oregonhumane.org to learn more about how we’re creating a More Humane Society.

The Team

This position is part of the Medical Services team at the Portland Campus.

The Position

The Relief Certified Veterinary Technician (CVT) is a vital member of the Shelter Medicine team. As part of our high volume, high quality veterinary hospital your responsibilities include proficient venipuncture, intubation of dogs and cats of various sizes, preparing, monitoring, and assisting veterinarians with procedures and surgery. Work under the direction of a veterinarian, performing triage exams, entering medical records, restraining animals, administering patient treatments, performing euthanasia, and maintaining the facility at the highest level of cleanliness and order. CVTs also engage with the public, veterinary community and shelter staff to provide consultation and information.  All OHS staff members contribute to the stewardship of the organization’s mission and are expected to stay current on and understand issues related to animal welfare and OHS programs. Please note, this is a relief position and does not include guaranteed hours.

Essential Responsibilities

PERSONAL LEADERSHIP

• Consistently strives to exceed expectations; demonstrates flexibility, resilience, and the ability to maintain positive relationships and composure, even under difficult circumstances.
• Maintains high ethical standards, including exhibiting behaviors and actions that embrace and align to our organization and customer service values, while treating all people with respect and dignity.
• Demonstrates an awareness of your individual personal strengths and development needs, modeling non-defensive behavior and openness to feedback; builds a culture of feedback and learning.

LEARNING

• Contributes to regular dialogue and accountability with the leadership team and across the organization to review progress and course correct if necessary.
• Utilizes data and insights to identify, understand and articulate the key inputs and metrics that tell the story of the organization/team strategy and its progress.
• Builds appropriate feedback loops to measure if we are meeting key milestones and if the impact planned is being felt across the organization.

INFLUENCE & REPRESENTATION

• Communicate effectively to executive and other stakeholder groups to ensure they are informed and able to actively engage.
• Liaise with and maintain productive relationships with all stakeholders, including other departments, and donors; build mutually rewarding professional relationships inside OHS at all levels.
• Leverage our best practices externally and grow OHS’ reputation as a leader in the animal welfare space.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Assist veterinarians with physical examinations and help determine the nature of illness or injury.
• Handle individual animals of varying species, size, and temperament in a caring, respectful, and safe manner.
• Ensure that animals with infectious diseases are handled safely and according to infectious medicine protocols.
• Perform patient care including taking and recording TPR, dressing wounds, and applying splints and other protective devices.
• Administer medications, fluids and blood products as prescribed by the veterinarian.
• Perform routine lab procedures and tests, collect urine, draw blood, and perform skin scrapings. 
• Place catheters, administer intravenous fluids and tube feedings. 
• Perform dental examinations, charting, and procedures.
• Capture and process radiographs.
• Prepare animals for surgery: Induce, intubate, monitor and maintain anesthetic patients during and after surgery.
• Assist veterinarians in surgery for specialized procedures including retraction, lavage, suctions, and transfusion. 
• Operate, maintain, and assure technically advanced hospital equipment is in good working order.
• Monitor, record, and report physical signs of patients before, during, and after surgery and throughout hospitalization. 
• Enter medical and treatment notes according to established protocols in a timely and accurate manner.
• Perform medical consultations with clients from the public. 
• Perform euthanasia.
• Assist in maintaining inventory of all pharmaceuticals, equipment, and supplies.
• Maintain controlled drug logs in accordance with state and federal laws.
• Assist with public education events such as presentations and in-shelter types of education.
• Teach and mentor volunteers, staff, veterinary interns, residents, and students.
• Perform any other duty as requested by management.

SUPERVISOR RESPONSIBILITY

Supervises: None

ACCOUNTABILITY

Reports Directly To: Manager, Hospital Operations

Often Engages Directly With: Veterinary Staff

Minimum Qualification & Transferable Skills

We are interested in finding the best candidate for the job, and that candidate may be one who comes from a less traditional background. We welcome applicants who bring a diversity of identity, culture, experience, perspective and thought. We encourage you to apply, even if you do not believe you meet every one of the qualifications described. You are also encouraged to address how your professional and lived experience, scholarship, mentorship and/or service will contribute to the Oregon Humane Society.

• Hold and maintain Certified Veterinarian Technician license as required by the State of Oregon
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Able to communicate with a diverse population in a consistently informative, respectful and professional manner.   
• Able to participate as a member of a high performing team in a collaborative and positive manner.
• Able to maintain a professional, calm demeanor and exercise sound judgment during times of high workload, rapid pace of work, emotionally charged situations and during all interactions with the public, staff and volunteers. 
• Able to maintain highest standards of confidentiality and discretion related to department activities.
• Excellent logic and problem solving skills.
• Excellent prioritization and decision-making skills.
• Able to mitigate and/or resolve conflict in a constructive and proactive manner.
• Knowledge and experience working with a wide variety of dog, cat, birds, rodent, and other unusual species and breeds. 
• Competent use of software programs such as Shelter Buddy and Cornerstone.
• Proficient in use of a Windows based operating system and Microsoft Office tools including Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook.  
• Available to work weekends, evenings, and holidays as needed.
• Ability to lead responses in times of in need of life saving techniques in an emergency.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, including Outlook, Word, Excel.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills - able to communicate with a diverse population in a consistently informative, respectful and professional manner.
• Preferred: 3-5 years in a leadership/supervisory role in a veterinary hospital or animal shelter environment.

Work Environment Conditions & Physical Requirements

This position interacts and collaborates will all levels of the organization, including OHS staff, executive team members, donors, general-public, external vendors, volunteers, and supporters. Contact and communication is carried out through face-to-face, telephone and digital interactions. Excellent customer service skills are essential to success. Communication must be clear, understandable, professional and respectful in all circumstances.

WORKING CONDITIONS

• Work is performed in an office and medical center/animal shelter environment.
• Travel between the two campuses may be required.
• Working at both campuses may be required.
• Occasional weekend and evening work may be required.
• Animal contact and related injuries may occur.
• Noise exposure varies and sometimes includes uncontrolled barking and other animal vocalizations.
• Pace of work is active and demanding, requiring a high degree of multitasking and ability to adapt to changing priorities while managing concurrent projects/tasks to completion.
• Contact with angry or emotional people may occur.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

• Occasional lifting and moving of inanimate objects weighing up to 50 lbs.
• Occasional pushing and pulling of carted items weighing up to 100 lbs.
• Occasional moving items above shoulder level.
• Occasional use of hands and arms at or above shoulder level.
• Prolonged standing, sitting and/or stooping may occur.
• Occasional climbing and bending.
• Must be able to lift, move, restrain, guide, or manage an animal weighing up to 150 lbs. on a leash on an occasional basis.
• Must be able to remain in a stationary position for prolonged periods.
• Ability to respond and perform life saving techniques in an emergency.

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Achieving our mission begins with how we build our team and work together. Through our commitment to enriching our organization with people of different origins, beliefs, backgrounds and ways of thinking, we are better able to leverage the collective power of our teams and address and overcome complex challenges and barriers. We strive for a culture of integrity, respect and compassion where every member of our community contributes their perspectives and authentic selves and where everyone reaches their potential as individuals and teams. We recognize that striving for diversity, equity and inclusion is a journey, and we are committed to learning, listening and evolving to become more diverse, equitable and inclusive than we are today.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Oregon Humane Society is an equal opportunity employer that does not tolerate discrimination on any basis. We actively seek out diverse backgrounds, perspectives and skills so that we can be collectively stronger and have sustained impact.

We are committed to providing an environment of respect and psychological safety where equal employment opportunities are available to all. We do not engage in or tolerate discrimination on the basis of race, color, gender identity, gender expression, religion, age, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin, disability (including HIV/AIDS status), marital status, military veteran status or any other protected group.

At-Will Employment

This position description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties performed by the employee occupying this position. Employees will be required to follow any other job-related duties required by their supervisor. This document does not create an employment contract implied or otherwise, other than an “at-will” relationship.