Career Opportunity

2292-Shelter Veterinarian

Recruitment: RTF0137357-01073781

Published: July 17, 2023

Apply using SmartRecruiters, the City and County of San Francisco's application portal.

About:

The San Francisco Department of Animal Care & Control (SFACC) is a taxpayer-funded, open-admission animal shelter. Since 1989, SFACC has provided housing, care, and medical treatment to wild, exotic and domestic stray, lost, abandoned, sick, injured, and surrendered animals. SFACC’s doors are open to all animals in need regardless of species, medical, or behavioral condition.

SFACC also enforces all state and local Animal Control and Welfare laws and is the lead agency for animals in natural disasters and citizen emergencies.

• SFACC shelters homeless, neglected, and abused animals and provides humane education and many other services to the community.
• SFACC is the local agency that investigates animal cruelty, enforces animal welfare laws, rescues injured and orphaned wildlife and birds, and aids domestic animals in distress.
• SFACC aims to adopt, re-home, or reunite domestic animals with their guardians and to release wildlife to their native habitat.

Role description

Under general direction, the Shelter Veterinarians direct, coordinate and perform the screening, diagnosis, and basic and emergency, surgical and medical treatment of all impounded animals (all species), develop a comprehensive program of preventive care and medical services for the animal shelter, and establish medical standards and procedures for the maintenance of healthy, safe and sanitary facilities.

Additional duties and responsibilities include but are not limited to:

Essential duties:

According to Civil Service Commission Rule 109, the duties specified below are representative of the range of duties assigned to this job code/class and are not intended to be an inclusive list.

• providing all professional veterinary care in shelter including (but not limited to): wellness/ pre-adoption exams, population health monitoring, outbreak prevention and response, prompt diagnosis and treatment of injury and illness, emergency triage and care, spay/neuter (including small mammals and rabbits) and soft tissue surgery, routine dentistry, and humane euthanasia when indicated,
• performing medical evaluations and assigning medical status to animals eligible for adoption or transfer based on the established Asilomar matrix,
• decision-making for all animals requiring humane euthanasia for medical reasons when indicated/ performing humane euthanasia as needed,
• directing and supervising the AHTs and Vet Division Volunteers, and directing the work of the Animal Health Technicians in the care and treatment of impounded animals,
• planning for and responding to disease outbreaks and other animal disasters,
• participating in population rounds with other senior staff,
• advising administration, staff, volunteers and the public on any and all veterinary issues,
• developing, revising/updating and approving policies, procedures and protocols including but not limited to: intake procedures, preventive care, disease control/outbreak prevention and response, quarantine/ isolation, animal handling, care, feeding, husbandry and welfare, humane euthanasia, and cleaning/sanitation as needed based on current best practices,
• teaching and training of staff (including AHTs, ACOs, ACAs) and volunteers related to veterinary topics: recognition of abnormal behavior and signs of illness that indicate an immediate need for care (as well as common medical conditions), basic first aid, vaccination, health screening, humane euthanasia, use of controlled drugs, Veterinary Standard Precautions, rabies prevention and control, and protocols and procedures related to animal health and welfare as outlined above.
• contributing to policy and procedure development concerning work-related health and safety issues for staff and volunteers including zoonotic disease, infectious disease prevention, and radiation and anesthetic gas safety,
• providing Live Animal Exams (LAE) and necropsy exams and associated documentation when requested by the Field Services Supervisor and provide expert testimony in court as needed,
• providing other Animal Care Division and Field Services support as requested,
• consulting with Emergency Medical Animal Hospital (EMPH) vendors regarding treatment plans for ACC animals and approving extraordinary care costs when indicated,
• submit purchase order requests and order veterinary medical equipment and supplies as approved; monitor expenditures,
• record-keeping/ documentation related to medical records, controlled drugs, and inter-Divisional communication,
• ensuring premise license and other regulatory compliance documents are up-to-date,
• advising on compliance and best practices based on animal welfare standards and current veterinary medicine practice standards of care,
• maintaining Veterinary Assistant Controlled Substance Permit (VACSP) sponsorship and supervision of all staff permitted and trained to administer controlled substances and ensuring staff meet criteria,
• assisting with emergency and disaster response,
• performing other duties as assigned by the Director.

IMPORTANT AND ESSENTIAL KNOWLEDGES, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

Knowledge, Abilities and Skills: Knowledge of: veterinary shelter medicine and the diseases, treatment, prevention, control and care of animals, particularly dogs and cats; city, state and federal animal health laws and regulations governing the impounding, release and euthanasia of animals; soft tissue surgery skills including S/N for dogs, cats and rabbits; forensic necropsy; modern principles of supervision.

Ability to: plan, assign, supervise and train subordinates in the paraprofessional treatment and humane care of animals; develop and direct a comprehensive program of disease prevention and control in an animal shelter; establish medical standards and procedures to assure the maintenance of healthy, safe and sanitary facilities; establish and maintain harmonious and effective relationships with co-workers, volunteers and the public; advise the public and department employees on veterinary medical matters; estimate veterinary requirements for budgetary purposes and monitor and control expenditures of the division; communicate effectively orally and in writing.

How to qualify

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

These minimum qualifications establish the education, training, experience, special skills and/or license(s) which are required for employment in the classification. Please note, additional qualifications (i.e., special conditions) may apply to a particular position and will be stated on the exam/job announcement.

LICENSE AND CERTIFICATION

1. Possession of a doctor's degree in veterinary medicine from a college or university recognized by the California Board of Examiners in Veterinary Medicine; AND

2. Requires a valid license issued by the California Board of Examiners in Veterinary Medicine to practice as a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine; AND

3. One (1) year of verifiable veterinary experience working in an animal shelter, kennel, or Veterinary Hospital Facility. This includes recent experience within the last year in soft tissue surgery; examples include laceration repair, mass removal, enucleation, and particularly spay/neuter surgery; AND4. Requires a valid California driver's license.

LICENSE AND CERTIFICATION

Possession of a DEA license within ten weeks of appointment. Must maintain a valid DEA license while employed.

What else should I know?

SHIFT:

On-call availability required, may require weekend, holiday or shift work, may require extended hours and/or overtime work; changes in work schedule may occur with limited advance notice.

COMPENSATION:  $62.5375 - $81.7500/hour

DEADLINE:

Applicants are encouraged to apply immediately as this recruitment may close at any time, but not before August 4, 2023.

Additional information

• Information About The Hiring Process
• Conviction History
• Employee Benefits Overview  
• Equal Employment Opportunity 
• Disaster Service Worker
• ADA Accommodation
• Veterans Preference
• Right to Work
• Copies of Application Documents
• Diversity Statement

Human Resources Analyst Information: If you have any questions regarding this recruitment or application process, please contact the Human Resources analyst, Jason Wong at jason.wong3@sfgov.org or call (415) 554-4823.

Late or incomplete submissions will not be considered. Mailed, hand delivered or faxed documents/applications will not be accepted.

Applications will be screened for relevant qualifying experience. Additional screening mechanisms may be implemented in order to determine candidates’ qualifications. Only those applicants who most closely meet the needs of the Agency will be invited to participate in the selection process. Applicants meeting the minimum qualifications are not guaranteed advancement to the interview. Qualified applicants with disabilities requiring reasonable accommodation in the selection process must contact the Agency by phone at (415) 554-6000 or, if hearing impaired at (415) 554-6015 (TTY).

CONDITION OF EMPLOYMENT:  All City and County of San Francisco employees are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 as a condition of employment. Someone is fully vaccinated when 14 days have passed since they received the final dose of a two-shot vaccine or a dose of a one-shot vaccine. Any new hire must present proof of full vaccination status to be appointed. Any new hire who will be routinely assigned or occasionally enter High-Risk Settings, must provide proof of having received a COVID-19 booster vaccine by March 1, 2022, or once eligible.

The City and County of San Francisco encourages women, minorities and persons with disabilities to apply. Applicants will be considered regardless of their sex, race, age, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition (associated with cancer, a history of cancer, or genetic characteristics), HIV/AIDS status, genetic information, marital status, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, military and veteran status, or other protected category under the law.