- Location
- Fairfax, VA, US
- Type
- Part-time
- Department
- IT
- Closing date
- Today
- Source
- iCIMS
Description
Who we are:
Merrifield Animal Hospital is Hiring a Part-Time Veterinary Assistant!
Position Details
Role: Veterinary AssistantStatus: Part-TimeSalary: Competitive and based on experienceSchedule: 2–3 days per week with rotating Saturday shifts; no nights, on-call shifts, or holiday hours
Benefits Highlights
Financial Rewards that Grow with You: Competitive pay, 401(k) matching, tuition support, and referral bonuses.
Wellness & Peace of Mind: Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage with supplemental options; up to three weeks of paid parental leave; generous PTO; and employee pet discounts.
Professional Growth & Recognition: Quarterly team bonuses, continuing education allowance, state veterinary technician license reimbursement, VTNE exam fee reimbursement, professional development opportunities, and uniform allowance.
Lifestyle Perks You’ll Appreciate: Six paid holidays, an Employee Assistance Program, and an employee discount program.
Must Love Dogs. Must Appreciate Cattitude.
Is your dating profile tagline “Must Love Dogs,” but you secretly believe cats run the world? Same.
If you love it all—from puppy kisses to kitty headbutts—Merrifield Animal Hospital might be your people.
We’re looking for a Part-Time Veterinary Assistant who brings compassion, strong technical skills, and a team-first attitude to patient care. Around here, remarkable results happen because people help each other, communicate openly, and genuinely appreciate the humans working beside them.
We believe in a “better together” culture where wins are shared, challenges aren’t faced alone, and being yourself isn’t just allowed—it’s encouraged.
Why Our Veterinary Assistants Love It Here
- 2–3 day workweeks with flexibility to support work-life balance
- No nights, on-call shifts, or holiday hours
- Rotating Saturday shifts
- A supportive team that genuinely helps each other—no egos, no drama
- A “better together” culture built on teamwork and mutual respect
- Leaders who listen, value your ideas, and appreciate your contribution
- Opportunities to use and expand your veterinary technical skills
- Fear Free and low-stress patient handling principles
- Regular lunch breaks
- Mentoring and support as you grow and advance your career
- A workplace where your unique awesomeness is worth celebrating
- Birthdays, new babies, anniversaries, milestones, and little wins that deserve recognition
- Occasional coffee runs, ice cream parties, and meals on us
What Our Veterinary Assistants Do
As a Veterinary Assistant, you’ll work alongside our veterinarians and veterinary team to provide compassionate, high-quality care from intake through discharge. You’ll:
- Triage patients and obtain thorough histories, vitals, and patient assessments
- Assist veterinarians during examinations, treatments, and procedures
- Provide attentive nursing care and patient monitoring, including TPRs, pain scoring, wound care, and other supportive care
- Prepare and administer medications, vaccines, and treatments as directed
- Perform venipuncture, catheter placement, fluid therapy, and sample collection
- Obtain high-quality radiographs while maintaining imaging standards
- Run in-house laboratory testing, including CBC/chemistry, urinalysis, cytology, fecals, and other diagnostics
- Support surgical and dental procedures, including preparation, monitoring, recovery, and instrument care
- Monitor anesthesia and patient vitals during procedures and maintain accurate records
- Practice Fear Free and low-stress handling techniques to help keep patients safe and comfortable
- Educate clients about patient care, medications, discharge instructions, and preventive care with compassion and clarity
- Maintain accurate, concise, and up-to-date medical records and patient charts
- Keep treatment and exam areas clean, stocked, and organized while following infection-control protocols
- Collaborate with teammates to maintain an efficient workflow and positive hospital culture
- Participate in ongoing training and professional growth opportunities
What You’ll Bring
We’re looking for a Veterinary Assistant who combines hands-on patient care skills with professionalism, compassion, and a willingness to jump in when teammates need help.
You’ll bring:
- Safe and effective patient handling and restraint skills
- Knowledge of preventive care and vaccines
- Diagnostic skills, including radiographs, phlebotomy, sample collection, and in-house laboratory work
- Professional and compassionate communication with clients and teammates
- Clear, concise documentation of patient care and client interactions
- Strong attention to detail and commitment to high-quality patient care
- A collaborative, team-first approach
- A willingness to ask for help when you need it and offer help when others do
- A positive, supportive attitude grounded in teamwork and mutual respect
- A desire to continue learning and strengthening your veterinary skills
- And, of course, the right cattitude—because anything is pawsible
The Extras You’ll Actually Feel
At Merrifield Animal Hospital, truly appreciating each other is more than something written on a motivational poster. We believe people do their best work when they’re supported, respected, and comfortable bringing their authentic selves to work.
That means leaders who listen, teammates who help each other, and a culture that makes time to celebrate birthdays, new babies, anniversaries, milestones, and everyday wins.
Your schedule matters, too. With 2–3 day workweeks, rotating Saturdays, no nights, no on-call shifts, no holiday hours, and regular lunch breaks, you’ll have more room for life outside the hospital.
You’ll also have opportunities to use your veterinary skills to make a difference in your community, along with mentoring and support as you advance your career. After all, the more you know, the better off we all are.
And because good teams deserve a little fun, don’t be surprised by the occasional coffee run, ice cream party, or meal on us.
Benefits You Can’t Beat
This position is part-time. Benefit eligibility varies based on employment status and plan requirements. Full-time-only benefits are identified below so candidates can clearly see the distinction.
Financial Benefits
- A flexible approach to compensation that reflects your skill set and future performance
- 401(k) matching & Roth Retirement Savings Plan
- Flexible Spending Account (full-time only)
- 529 Savings Plan
- Tuition Support Program (full-time only)
- Referral bonus program
Wellness Benefits
- Health insurance, including medical, dental, and vision (full-time only)
- Supplemental insurance, including accident, critical illness, hospital, short- and long-term disability, legal plan, and employee, spouse, and child-dependent life insurance (full-time only)
- Up to three weeks of full pay for the birth or adoption of a child (full-time employees only; available after one year of service). In states with paid family leave programs, this benefit does not apply.
- Sick Time / Paid Time Off
- Free or discounted lab work for all employee pets
- Pet discounts on services and products
- Pet food discount program
Workplace Benefits
- Quarterly Team Rewards Bonus Program
- State veterinary technician license reimbursement
- VTNE exam fee reimbursement
- Professional development opportunities
- Continuing education allowance
- Uniform allowance
Lifestyle Benefits
- Six paid holidays (full-time only)
- Employee Assistance Program
- Employee discount program
Join Our Team!
If you’re looking for a Veterinary Assistant role where you can use your technical skills, keep learning, care deeply for your patients, and work alongside people who genuinely support one another, we’d love to meet you.
Bring your compassion. Bring your skills. Bring your personality—and definitely bring your best cattitude.
Ready to join a team that truly values you? Apply today—we can’t wait to meet you!
Diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging are core values at Merrifield Animal Hospital and Vetcor. We are passionate about building and sustaining an inclusive and equitable working and learning environment for all employees. Every team member enriches our diversity by bringing different perspectives and ways of understanding and engaging with the world. That’s why we’re committed to a workplace culture where employees are comfortable being their authentic selves, experience a true sense of belonging, and are empowered to reach their highest potential.