Lead Veterinary Assistant - Emergency

Lead Veterinary Assistant – Emergency Department

VCA Bakersfield Animal Hospital is looking for a Lead Veterinary Assistant to join our Emergency Department. In this hands-on role, you’ll support patient care while coaching veterinary assistants, coordinating shift priorities, and helping the team stay organized during busy or unpredictable shifts.

Location: 8610 Harris Rd, Bakersfield, CA 93311
Pay: $22 per hour, based on education, experience, and relevant credentials

Shift Differential for hours worked between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m.

What you’ll do

• Coordinate daily assignments and adjust priorities with the emergency team as patient needs change.
• Train and mentor veterinary assistants, support new team members during onboarding, and provide feedback on daily workflows.
• Assist veterinarians and registered veterinary technicians with patient handling, exam and treatment room setup, and care for hospitalized patients as directed.
• Support clear handoffs between shifts and promptly communicate changes in patient condition to the clinical team.
• Help maintain hospital standards for patient handling, infection control, stocking, and equipment readiness.
• Partner with hospital leadership to identify training needs and improve how the department works.

What you’ll bring

• Veterinary assistant experience and the ability to stay organized in a fast-paced clinical setting.
• Clear communication skills and the ability to coach teammates and give constructive feedback.
• A calm, compassionate approach to working with patients, clients, and colleagues during emergencies.
• Emergency or specialty hospital experience and prior experience leading, training, or mentoring team members are preferred.

Why Join the VCA Family?

We are passionate about supporting Veterinary Assistants and are committed to your continuing education and personal career development. VCA is a community of dedicated professionals that will encourage you to explore everything a Veterinary Assistant career has to offer.  At VCA, we are committed to equity, inclusion, and diversity and strive to be a place where a talented mix of people want to come, stay, and do their best work. In addition, we support a work environment where you can focus on your career, happiness, and the patients you serve. Below are some of the many benefits of joining the VCA team!

• Access to the people and financial resources of a large veterinary community
• Leadership opportunities
• Career development programs
• Opportunities to give back through strong Shelter partnerships and VCA Charities
• Continuing education opportunities
• Tuition support and sponsorships
• Free mental health and wellness subscriptions (Head Space)
• Referral bonuses
• Competitive wage
• Medical, dental & vision insurance
• Generous pet care discounts
• Life, long and short-term disability insurance
• Paid parental leave
• Paid vacation and sick time
• 401(k)

We value your time and that is why we have a very quick and easy application process. If you feel that you would be right for this role, please fill out our 3-minute, mobile-friendly application today.

If you are a current associate, you 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. For a complete EEO statement please see our career page at vcacareers.com.