Experienced Surgical Veterinary Assistant

Description

About Cerro Alto

Cerro Alto Veterinary Specialty & Emergency Hospital is a privately owned, doctor-led specialty and emergency hospital on California’s Central Coast. Built by specialists who believe great medicine starts with great people, we’re committed to collaboration, mentorship, and delivering exceptional, patient-centered care across surgery, emergency, internal medicine, oncology, cardiology, and advanced imaging.

Our surgery service works alongside emergency, internal medicine, radiology, oncology, and cardiology in a fast-growing, high-energy hospital environment. If you want to be part of a team that takes medicine seriously — but not itself — you’ll feel at home here.

Why This Role Is Special

This is a true case management and clinical care role, not just a “treatment floor” position.

As part of our Surgery Service Inpatient Team, you’ll help guide complex cases from admission through recovery and discharge. 

You’ll work directly with board-certified surgeons, anesthesia professionals, and specialty teams to coordinate diagnostics, monitor post-operative patients, manage complications, and serve as a clinical anchor for both patients and clients during some of the most critical moments in their care.

This role is ideal for an experienced Veterinary Assistant who wants deeper clinical involvement, meaningful responsibility, and a long-term growth path in specialty and referral medicine.

What You’ll Do

You’ll be trusted with both patient care and case coordination, playing a central role in outcomes and client experience.

Core Responsibilities:

• Manage surgical and complex medical inpatients from admission to discharge
• Coordinate and perform preoperative diagnostics, laboratory testing, and imaging
• Monitor post-operative recovery, pain management, and potential complications
• Develop and maintain detailed treatment plans and medical records
• Assist surgeons and specialists with case planning and clinical decision-making support
• Communicate with clients regarding patient updates, care plans, and discharge instructions
• Collaborate daily with surgery, anesthesia, ER, and specialty services
• Mentor and support junior assistants and technicians
• Help drive quality improvement, workflow optimization, and clinical standards

Why Cerro Alto

We’re building something intentional here—a hospital where people enjoy coming to work, where technicians are valued for their expertise, and where patient care benefits from true collaboration across services.

If you’re looking for a place where you can grow, be challenged, and be part of a genuinely supportive team, we’d love to connect.

Shift Differentials

We recognize the value of overnight and weekend coverage and offer additional compensation for eligible hours worked:

• Overnight Differential: +$3.00/hour for hours worked between 8:00 PM and 6:00 AM
• Weekend Differential: +$3.00/hour for hours worked between Friday at 8:00 PM and Monday at 6:00 AM

These differentials are separate and cumulative. Team members working eligible overnight hours during the weekend differential period may earn both differentials, providing the opportunity to earn up to an additional $6.00/hour above their base rate.

Requirements

What We’re Looking For

We’re looking for professionals who take pride in ownership of cases, not just tasks.

You may be a great fit if you:

• Are an experienced Veterinary Assistant
• Have background in specialty, emergency, or high-acuity hospital settings (strongly preferred)
• Are confident in patient monitoring, anesthesia recovery, and complex nursing care
• Communicate clearly and compassionately with both teammates and clients
• Thrive in fast-paced, collaborative environments
• Are motivated by learning, teaching, and continuous improvement
• Take a calm, organized, and proactive approach to patient care
• Are able to work 10-hour shifts, flexible Monday through Friday