Veterinarian Surgeon

Provides professional veterinary services, contributes to oversight of veterinary medical operations, assists in implementing disease prevention and population management strategies, and supports Animal Resources Center (ARC) staff through training, guidance, and clinical supervision. Work includes medical and surgical treatment of animals; maintenance of required veterinary, medical, and controlled substance records; and development and review of medical protocols and procedures. Work is performed under the limited supervision of the Animal Resources Captain. Serves at the pleasure of the Chatham County Sheriff.The following essential functions serve as a general guide for this position. Position functions are subject to change based on departmental needs and external factors including, but not limited to, regulatory requirements.

• Serves as the North Carolina-licensed Supervising Veterinarian for the ARC, overseeing all surgical procedures and ensuring the surgical suite meets regulatory standards.
• Performs physical examinations, diagnostic evaluations, vaccinations, and medical treatments for animals at intake, during shelter stay, and prior to adoption or surgery.
• Performs and/or supervises surgical procedures, including sterilization of adoptable animals, and oversees anesthesia, monitoring, and post-operative care.
• Ensures animals are cared for in accordance with generally accepted shelter medicine guidelines, professional best practices, and all applicable laws.

• Recommends, develops, implements, and evaluates medical protocols that support disease prevention, population management, and overall animal welfare.
• Ensures facility compliance with 02 NCAC 52J .0210 and other regulatory requirements related to veterinary practices in animal shelters.
• Writes, reviews, and updates medical policies, procedures, and guidelines for surgical operations.
• Assists in planning and oversight of veterinary clinic operations including budgeting, supply procurement, and equipment maintenance, following Chatham County purchasing policies.
• Advises, trains, and supports ARC staff regarding animal health, disease prevention, safe handling, sanitation, and euthanasia procedures consistent with shelter medicine standards.
• Provides oversight of, and collaboration with, the veterinary medical team in daily clinic operations.
• Evaluates, trains, and approves any relief or contract veterinarians prior to their performance of surgical procedures within the ARC Surgery Suite.
• Ensures that drug handling, storage, and recordkeeping comply with state and federal regulations, including DEA requirements.
• Provides education and guidance to fosters, adopters, and the public regarding animal health and welfare.
• Supports media or public outreach regarding shelter medical programs and animal well-being, as needed.
• Maintains positive working relationships with external veterinary providers, rescue groups, and community partners.
• Maintains complete and accurate medical records for all animals seen or treated.
• Holds and maintains current DEA registration
• Establishes and oversees controlled substance logs in compliance with DEA, NC Department of Health and Human Services, and local policies.
• Provides rotating emergency/on-call consultation for urgent shelter medical issues, as feasible.

Doctor of Veterinary Medicine and three years of related experience and/or training. Must possess a North Carolina license to practice Veterinary Medicine and a Controlled Substance Certification. 

• Ability to write reports, business correspondence, and assist in adding to policy/procedure manuals. 
• Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of managers, clients, customers, and the general public. 
• Ability to calculate figures and amounts such as fluid rates, medication dosages, discounts, interest, commissions, proportions, percentages, area, circumference, and volume. 
• Ability to apply concepts such as fractions, ratios, and proportions to practical situations. 
• Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions. 
• Ability to interpret an extensive variety of technical instructions in mathematical or diagram form and deal with several abstract and concrete variables. 
• Considerable responsibility with regard to general assignments in planning time, method, manner, and/or sequence of performance of own work, as well as the work operations of Veterinary Technicians. 
• Ability to make frequent decisions of both minor and major importance, either of which would affect the work operations of small organizational components and the organization's clientele. 
• Ability to perform duties that require very close and continuous attention for control of operations which require a high degree of coordination and/or immediate response. 
• Ability to determine or select the most applicable way of handling situations regarding the organization's administration and operations; also, to determine or select material and equipment where highly variable sequences are involved. 
• High order of analytical, interpretative, and constructive thinking in varied situations covering multiple areas of the organization. 
• Skills needed for the use of complex machines and equipment (desktop/laptop computer and software, and other equipment, etc.) 
• Ability to perform work free of errors that would affect the organization and/or its prestige and relationship with the public. 

• Proficiency in use of a personal computer and related software. 

Physical Requirements
This work requires occasional lifting and/or moving of up to 75 pounds; frequent lifting and/or moving of up to 25 pounds. Work regularly requires sitting, speaking, hearing, handling or feeling and repetitive motions; frequently requires standing, walking and reaching with hands and arms and occasionally requires climbing or balancing, stooping, kneeling, crouching, crawling, pushing, pulling and lifting; work has standard vision requirements; work requires vocal communication to express or exchange ideas orally; work requires hearing to perceive information at normal spoken levels; work requires preparing and analyzing written or computer data, operating machines, operating motor vehicles or equipment and observing general surroundings and activities;  work has no exposure to environmental conditions; work is generally in a moderately noisy location (e.g. business office, light traffic).

Special Requirements
Must possess a valid North Carolina driver's license.  
Must successfully complete a background check.