Veterinary Assistant - Intermediate Care Ward

Veterinary Assistant - Intermediate Care Ward (ICW) | Swing Shift

VCA Mueller Pet Medical Center | Sacramento, CA

Compensation: $22-25/hr (DOE) + Shift Differential

Schedule: FT | Sunday-Wednesday | 12:00pm-10:30pm | Swing Shift | Schedule posted one month in advance to promote work-life balance

VCA Mueller Pet Medical Center is a 24-hour AAHA-accredited hybrid General Practice and Emergency hospital seeking an experienced Veterinary Assistant to join our Intermediate Care Ward (ICW) team.

Our ICW bridges the gap between Emergency and Intensive Care, caring for hospitalized patients who require continued medical treatment, close nursing supervision, and compassionate care throughout their recovery. This position is ideal for someone who enjoys inpatient medicine, takes pride in exceptional nursing care, and wants to follow patients throughout their hospitalization from admission to discharge.

Why Mueller

• 24-hour AAHA-accredited hybrid GP/ER hospital

• Collaborative team of Emergency, General Practice, ICU, and ICW professionals

• Diverse inpatient caseload ranging from post-operative recovery to complex medical hospitalizations

• Strong Veterinary Assistant utilization with opportunities to expand technical skills

• Work closely alongside experienced RVTs and DVMs in a collaborative nursing environment

• Full-time Sunday-Wednesday schedule providing three consecutive days off each week

• Employee pet boarding opportunities

• Growth opportunities into Emergency Medicine and Intensive Care

• Supportive leadership team committed to mentorship and career development

What We're Looking For

We're looking for a Veterinary Assistant who:

• Has previous veterinary assistant experience

• Enjoys hospitalized patient care and nursing

• Thrives in a fast-paced hospital environment

• Demonstrates strong communication and teamwork skills

• Is dependable, adaptable, and eager to continue learning

• Takes pride in providing compassionate patient care and exceptional client service

• Sunday availability is required and is a condition of employment for this position.

Previous experience in emergency, inpatient, surgery, ICU, or high-volume general practice is strongly preferred.

What You'll Do

Our ICW Veterinary Assistants are actively involved in:

• Providing compassionate nursing care for hospitalized patients

• Patient restraint and low-stress handling techniques

• Monitoring patient comfort, appetite, elimination, and overall well-being

• Assisting RVTs and DVMs with treatments and patient care

• Preparing treatments, medications, and equipment

• Maintaining hospitalized patient cleanliness and comfort

• Laboratory sample collection and diagnostic support

• Assisting with procedures and patient recoveries

• Client communication and discharge support

• Collaborating closely with Emergency, ICU, General Practice, and DVM teams to provide seamless continuity of care

Benefits

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance

• Paid time off

• Continuing education and professional development opportunities

• 401(k)

• Mental health and wellness resources

• Employee pet discounts

If you're looking for a hospital where you'll build meaningful relationships with your patients, strengthen your inpatient nursing skills, and work alongside a supportive team dedicated to exceptional patient care, we'd love to meet you.

If you are a current associate, you will need to apply through our internal career site. Please log into Workday and click on the Jobs Hub app or search for Browse Jobs.

Benefits: We offer competitive compensation along with a comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental, vision and paid vacation/sick days, 401(k), generous employee pet discounts and more!

The information in this position description indicates the general nature and level of work to be performed. It is not designed to be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities, and qualifications required of associates assigned to this job. Management reserves the right to revise the job description or require that other tasks be performed when the circumstances of the job change (for example, emergencies, change in personnel, workload, or technical development)

We are proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer - Veterans / Disabled. For a complete EEO statement please see our career page at vcacareers.com