Veterinary Assistant

Veterinary Assistant

Full-time

North County Animal Hospital

Paso Robles, CA

Compensation is negotiable based on experience and credentials, with an expected starting range of $19-25/hour. The final pay will carefully consider a wide range of factors including your skills, qualifications, experience, and location. 

About You

You’re a hands-on Veterinary Assistant who enjoys both patient care and client service. In this role, you’ll support outpatient appointments by safely handling and restraining patients, assisting the veterinary team, collecting patient history, running in-house lab tests, and helping keep our treatment areas clean, stocked, and organized.

You take pride in great medicine, clear communication, and a calm, compassionate approach—because our patients’ care matters to you, and your growth matters to us.

Your Experience & Skills 

• At least 6 months of experience as a Veterinary Assistant in a veterinary hospital/clinic
• Comfortable with safe animal handling/restraint for dogs and cats; able to perform venipuncture on dogs and cats
• Working knowledge of veterinary terminology, common equipment, and medications
• Strong client communication skills (in person and by phone)
• Compassionate, dependable, and detail-oriented
• Customer-service mindset—you enjoy helping people as much as pets
• Team-oriented and coachable; able to follow protocols, ask questions, and support the medical team
• Availability to work weekends (as scheduled)
• High school diploma or equivalent

Role Responsibilities: 

• Support veterinarians and technicians to deliver high-quality patient care, advocate for pets, and educate clients.
• Assist with patient intake and discharge, obtain and document patient history, and communicate relevant information to the medical team.
• Assist with exams, outpatient treatments, and procedures; support surgery preparation and recovery as directed and in accordance with the California Veterinary Practice Act.
• Perform assigned laboratory tasks (e.g., sample collection/processing and running in-house tests) and maintain clean, stocked, and organized exam rooms, treatment areas, and lab spaces.
• Use safe restraint techniques and follow hospital protocols for sanitation, safety, and infection control.
• Communicate with clients about scheduling, medication pick-up/refills (as directed), and individualized pet health concerns; provide excellent customer service.
• Accurately enter and maintain medical records in the practice management system (PMS).
• Collaborate with the team to maintain positive patient flow and thrive in a fast-paced environment with strong multitasking and time-management skills.

You’ll Grow with Us

Here, you can grow your career as best fits you through access to comprehensive learning and skillset programs. You can build your skills and earn credentials through:

• Our vast, diverse, and free library of continuing education courses - ThriveU
• Live, virtual interactive workshops to develop valuable leadership skills 
• A program designed to teach you the fundamentals of running a pet hospital

And, with so many locations nationwide, you can find and move into any specialty, hospital type, or environment. Join us and provide your best care at a clinic that is deeply rooted within its community and bolstered by the resources of Thrive Pet Healthcare.

Benefits – our care in action

Thrive offers a suite of benefits to support team members’ emotional, physical, professional, and financial wellbeing. In addition to our health and life insurance, and short- and long- term disability plans, we offer eligible team members:

• Competitive pay
• 401(k) with employer match
• Mental health resources, including easy access to therapy through Lyra Health
• Paid parental leave
• Purr-ental leave for when you adopt a pet
• Subsidized backup childcare and elder care
• Expert advice, support and network discounts for fertility and family planning
• FREE CE courses
• Pet perks and veterinary service discounts
• Student loan support tools and assistance

*Some benefits shown are only for full-time team members who work 30 hours or more per week. Certain Benefits may be subject to waiting periods or length of service requirements.

About the Hospital 

North County Animal Hospital is a general practice located in Paso Robles focusing on primary and urgent care for dogs and cats. Our hospital has a wonderful team and a loyal client base.

We are open Monday through Saturday.

Serving Paso Robles, Atascadero, San Miguel, Heritage Ranch, Creston, Santa Margarita, San Luis Obispo and King City communities.

About Thrive

Thrive Pet Healthcare creates the future of pet well-being through medical excellence, innovative technology, and a connected community of teams and partners. Today, its network of 360+ primary, emergency, and specialty hospitals across the U.S. cares for pets of all ages and health needs, while portfolio companies provide tools and technology that help veterinary teams work smarter and deliver better care. Thrive invests in its people—through mentorship, leadership programs, continuing education, and well-being initiatives—so teams can grow and feel supported. For pet owners, convenient solutions such as a mobile app, digital booking, Thrive PlusTM membership, HereFurYou Helpline, an online pharmacy and flexible financial options* make accessing quality care simpler— giving families the peace of mind their pets deserve. Learn more at thrivepetcare.com.

We welcome you to join our story and join where #WeThriveTogether.