Veterinary Assistant

Ridgetop Animal Hospital – Silverdale, WA

Pay: $20.00–$26.00 per hour, depending on experience
Job Type: Full-time, 40 hours per week
Schedule: 8-hour or 10-hour shifts; future weekend availability required

Job Description

Looking for a Veterinary Assistant position where you can truly utilize your skills, take an active role in patient care, and grow your career?

Ridgetop Animal Hospital is a busy, 6-doctor, AAHA-accredited veterinary hospital serving the Silverdale, Washington community for over 20 years. Our practice offers comprehensive general medicine, same-day urgent and emergent care, advanced soft-tissue and orthopedic surgery, dentistry, diagnostics, and hospitalized patient care.

We are seeking a motivated, compassionate, and dependable Veterinary Assistant to join our fast-paced, collaborative medical team.

At Ridgetop, our Veterinary Assistants are an essential part of patient care. They work directly alongside our veterinarians, providing hands-on technical support, patient advocacy, client education, and assistance with a wide variety of medical and surgical cases.

We believe in empowering our Veterinary Assistants to develop and utilize their skills to the fullest extent permitted by Washington State law, with appropriate training and supervision.

Previous veterinary experience is preferred, but we are willing to train the right individual who demonstrates exceptional motivation, initiative, and a genuine passion for veterinary medicine.

Key Responsibilities

• Assist veterinarians and licensed veterinary technicians with examinations, diagnostics, treatments, and medical procedures.

• Provide hands-on patient care, including safe restraint, handling, and monitoring.

• Assist with urgent and emergent cases in a fast-paced clinical environment.

• Perform delegated technical duties, including sample collection, in-house laboratory testing, and reference laboratory submissions, as permitted by law and individual training.

• Prepare patients, equipment, and treatment areas for surgical and dental procedures.

• Assist with surgical preparation, patient recovery, and post-operative care.

• Monitor hospitalized patients and communicate changes in patient condition to the medical team.

• Provide client education regarding patient care, treatment plans, medications, and discharge instructions under veterinary guidance.

• Maintain accurate patient records and communicate effectively with the medical team.

• Support Fear Free and low-stress animal handling practices.

• Maintain hospital cleanliness, organization, and AAHA standards.

• Anticipate the needs of veterinarians and teammates while managing multiple responsibilities efficiently.

Qualifications and Requirements

• Must be at least 18 years of age.

• Must successfully complete a pre-employment background check in accordance with applicable laws and company policies.

• Previous Veterinary Assistant experience preferred, but not required for the right candidate.

• Strong interest in veterinary medicine, animal care, and professional development.

• Ability to work efficiently in a busy, high-volume veterinary hospital.

• Strong communication, organization, and multitasking skills.

• Ability to remain calm, professional, and adaptable in urgent or stressful situations.

• Willingness to learn and perform hands-on technical skills with appropriate training and supervision.

• Dependable, proactive, and team-oriented attitude.

• Ability to safely lift up to 50 pounds, with reasonable accommodations where applicable.

• Must be comfortable working 8-hour or 10-hour shifts and have availability for future weekend scheduling.

Preferred Experience:

• Veterinary assistant experience in general practice, urgent care, emergency medicine, or surgery.

• Experience with animal restraint, venipuncture, laboratory testing, and patient monitoring.

• Familiarity with veterinary practice management software and medical recordkeeping.

Compensation and Benefits

• $20.00–$26.00 per hour, depending on experience and qualifications.

• Full-time employment, 40 hours per week.

• Health, dental, and vision insurance.

• 401(k) with employer match.

• Paid time off.

• Continuing education and professional development opportunities.

• Employee pet care discounts.

• Eligibility for periodic bonuses after one year of employment.

• Opportunities for veterinary technician school sponsorship.

• Career advancement opportunities, including leadership development.

Career Growth and Development

At Ridgetop Animal Hospital, we believe in investing in our team and creating opportunities for long-term professional growth.

Our Veterinary Assistants gain exposure to a diverse caseload, including preventive medicine, urgent and emergency care, advanced surgery, dentistry, and hospitalized patient management.

We encourage continued technical development, offer mentorship from experienced veterinary professionals, and provide opportunities for career progression, including potential sponsorship for Licensed Veterinary Technician (LVT) education and advancement into hospital leadership positions.

Whether you're an experienced Veterinary Assistant looking to expand your skills or someone eager to build a career in veterinary medicine, we want to help you succeed.

Work Schedule

• Full-time: 40 hours per week.

• 8-hour and 10-hour shifts.

• Currently Monday–Friday.

• Weekend availability required as hospital services expand.

• On-site position in Silverdale, WA.

Apply Today

If you're passionate about veterinary medicine, enjoy a fast-paced environment, and want to be part of a team where your contributions truly matter, we'd love to meet you!

Join Ridgetop Animal Hospital and build a career where you can make a difference for patients, clients, and your fellow veterinary professionals.

National Veterinary Associates (NVA) is a leading North American pet health care company with nearly 1,300 locations spanning general practice veterinary hospitals, Ethos emergency and specialty hospitals, and pet resorts and equine veterinary care. With approximately 40,000 team members, we care for pets and support pet families in communities across the United States and Canada.  Our purpose is to give pets and the people who love them more quality years together, and our mission is to make care more personal, easy and accessible while advancing medicine and care across every stage of life. Across NVA, we support our teams with the resources, expertise and opportunities they need to deliver exceptional care and help shape the future of veterinary and pet care.

Purpose: Give pets and the people who love them more quality years together

Mission: Transform the pet family experience to be personal, easy and accessible, while advancing medicine and care across every stage of life. 

Values: Care Deeply, Do What’s Right, One Team, Own It, Shape What’s Next 

One NVA: Bringing General Practice & Ethos Together

NVA is built to make care personal, easy and accessible, while advancing medicine across every stage of a pet’s life. 

At National Veterinary Associates, we want to make sure your experience connecting with us is seamless and straightforward. Here’s what to expect when interacting with us:

- We’ll always reach out via verified LinkedIn profiles or emails ending in @nva.com

- We may also contact you via text message from an identified NVA representative for recruiting-related communication

- All job opportunities and applications are hosted on our official careers site: careers.nva.com

- There is no cost or confidential information required to apply or be considered for a position

If you have any doubts about a communication, feel free to visit our careers page to verify authenticity or email us at hiringhub@nva.com. Thank you for exploring opportunities at NVA!

NVA offers a comprehensive benefits program including medical, dental, vision, a 401k with employer match, and paid time off (including sick time) for all eligible employees.  The team can provide more information about compensation and benefits for your specific location during the process.  For positions based in Colorado, NVA provides eligible employees with paid sick and safe leave and public health emergency leave in accordance with the requirements of Colorado's Healthy Families and Workplaces Act.

NVA is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, protected veteran or disabled status, or genetic information. Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, Los Angeles Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance, and any other state or local hiring regulations, we will consider for employment any qualified applicant, including those with arrest and conviction records, in a manner consistent with the applicable regulation.