Veterinary Assistant 1 - Food Animal

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Job Posting Title:

Veterinary Assistant 1, 2, or 3-Food Animal

Position Type:

Professional / Unclassified

Department:

LSUAM VetMed - VTH - Admin - Nursing - Food Animal (Dawn Lou-Wese Kelley (00001329))

Work Location:

Veterinary Medicine

Pay Grade:

Job Description:

The Large Animal Hospital provides patient care 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. This position provides technical veterinary support to faculty clinicians, house officers, and veterinary students in the Food Animal department and throughout the Large Animal Hospital. The individual must possess extensive experience in the safe handling and restraint of livestock and be capable of instructing veterinary students in proper animal handling techniques while promoting a safe learning environment for both personnel and patients. This position supports the care and management of emergency and critical care cases during both regular business hours and after-hours operations. The individual is expected to consistently adhere to hospital infection prevention and biosecurity protocols to maintain a safe environment for patients, clients, students, and staff. Patient care responsibilities include, but are not limited to, providing technical support in the Food Animal Department, Isolation Unit, Large Animal Intensive Care Unit (LAICU), resident teaching herd, as well as equine services. The position requires flexibility to assist throughout the hospital as needed to ensure the delivery of high-quality patient care and support the hospital's teaching, clinical, and service missions.

Veterinary Assistant 1:

30%-Assist with the day-to-day operations of the Food Animal Department and  Large Animal Hospital, including assisting faculty clinicians, house officers, and veterinary students with appointments, emergency cases, medical procedures, and inpatient treatments. Assist with providing proper patient handling, restraint, inpatient monitoring, hourly patient assessments, and treatment administration. Safely unload, load, admit, transfer, and discharge large animal patients, and prepare examination and treatment areas before and after procedures by setting up, cleaning, disinfecting, and restocking equipment and supplies. Complete all duties with minimal supervision while adhering to established hospital policies, safety procedures, and biosecurity protocols.

20%-Assist with client communication, ensuring effective communication and accurate collection of patient information. Monitor patients throughout the hospital; assist with treatments as prescribed by clinicians; maintain accurate and complete medical records; and enter and track charges for large animal inpatients and outpatients. Assist veterinary students and student workers with clinical procedures and treatments while promoting proper techniques and quality patient care.

20%-Assist with clinical teaching and training of veterinary students and newly hired  veterinary technicians, assistants, and student workers. Assist clinical veterinary students, house officers, and faculty clinicians with diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, including bandaging, sample collection, blood transfusions, ultrasonography, joint injections, intravenous catheter placement, and other clinical treatments.

15%-Assist with the routine maintenance and cleaning of technical equipment, including endoscopes, ultrasound machines, ECG equipment, oxygen tanks, and other clinical instruments. Maintain hospital readiness by stocking and cleaning examination rooms, treatment areas, carts, and supplies. Assist in training veterinary students and new staff on hospital protocols, including biosecurity and infection prevention procedures. 

10%-Participate in holiday, weekend, and on-call emergency coverage as required.

5%-Other duties as assigned.

Minimum Requirements:

Bachelor's degree; OR associate's degree in veterinary technology OR credentials as a vet tech or equivalent OR 3 years of experience in a working environment with similar duties.  

Veterinary Assistant 2:

30%-Perform the day-to-day operations of the Food Animal Department and  Large Animal Hospital, including assisting faculty clinicians, house officers, and veterinary students with appointments, emergency cases, medical procedures, and inpatient treatments. Provide proper patient handling, restraint, inpatient monitoring, hourly patient assessments, and treatment administration. Safely unload, load, admit, transfer, and discharge large animal patients, and prepare examination and treatment areas before and after procedures by setting up, cleaning, disinfecting, and restocking equipment and supplies. Complete all duties with minimal supervision while adhering to established hospital policies, safety procedures, and biosecurity protocols.

20%-Perform client communication, ensuring effective communication and accurate collection of patient information. Monitor patients throughout the hospital; assist with treatments as prescribed by clinicians; maintain accurate and complete medical records; and enter and track charges for large animal inpatients and outpatients. Support veterinary students and student workers with clinical procedures and treatments while promoting proper techniques and quality patient care.

20%-Participate in clinical teaching and training of veterinary students and newly hired  veterinary technicians, assistants, and student workers. Support clinical veterinary students, house officers, and faculty clinicians with diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, including bandaging, sample collection, blood transfusions, ultrasonography, joint injections, intravenous catheter placement, and other clinical treatments.

15%-Perform the routine maintenance and cleaning of technical equipment, including endoscopes, ultrasound machines, ECG equipment, oxygen tanks, and other clinical instruments. Maintain hospital readiness by stocking and cleaning examination rooms, treatment areas, carts, and supplies. Support the training of veterinary students and new staff on hospital protocols, including biosecurity and infection prevention procedures. 

10%-Participate in holiday, weekend, and on-call emergency coverage as required.

5%-Other duties as assigned.

Minimum Requirements:

Bachelor's degree; OR associate's degree in veterinary technology with 2 years' experience OR credentials as a vet tech or equivalent with 2 years' experience OR 5 years of experience in a working environment with similar duties.  

Veterinary Assistant 3:

30%-Perform and teach the day-to-day operations of the Food Animal Department and  Large Animal Hospital, including assisting faculty clinicians, house officers, and veterinary students with appointments, emergency cases, medical procedures, and inpatient treatments. Provide proper patient handling, restraint, inpatient monitoring, hourly patient assessments, and treatment administration. Safely unload, load, admit, transfer, and discharge large animal patients, and prepare examination and treatment areas before and after procedures by setting up, cleaning, disinfecting, and restocking equipment and supplies. Complete all duties with minimal supervision while adhering to established hospital policies, safety procedures, and biosecurity protocols.

20%-Perform and teach client communication, ensuring effective communication and accurate collection of patient information. Monitor patients throughout the hospital; assist with treatments as prescribed by clinicians; maintain accurate and complete medical records; and enter and track charges for large animal inpatients and outpatients. Instruct and support veterinary students and student workers with clinical procedures and treatments while promoting proper techniques and quality patient care.

20%-Instruct and participate in clinical teaching and training of veterinary students and newly hired  veterinary technicians, assistants, and student workers. Teach and support clinical veterinary students, house officers, and faculty clinicians with diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, including bandaging, sample collection, blood transfusions, ultrasonography, joint injections, intravenous catheter placement, and other clinical treatments.

15%-Perform and teach the routine maintenance and cleaning of technical equipment, including endoscopes, ultrasound machines, ECG equipment, oxygen tanks, and other clinical instruments. Maintain hospital readiness by stocking and cleaning examination rooms, treatment areas, carts, and supplies. Instruct veterinary students and new staff on hospital protocols, including biosecurity and infection prevention procedures. 

10%-Participate in holiday, weekend, and on-call emergency coverage as required.

5%-Other duties as assigned.

Minimum Requirements:

Bachelor's degree; OR associate's degree in veterinary technology with 4 years' experience OR credentials as a vet tech or equivalent with 4 years' experience OR 7 years of experience in a working environment with similar duties.  

Job Skills Needed for All Levels:

Is comfortable working around and safely handling cattle, swine, and small ruminants

Math skills; including drug calculations (dosage & conversions) 

Has a working knowledge of large animal husbandry

Has working knowledge of common large animal disease processes, injuries, and ailments.

Is able to read and understand patient treatment flow sheets and carry out orders.

Is able to work in the large animal hospital to carry out treatments with minimum supervision

Knowledge of medical terminology, basic anatomy, and abbreviations

Proper administration of oral, sub-cutaneous, intramuscular, and intra venous medications

Basic computer skills, problem-solving and communication skills  

 Knowledge of proper medical record keeping (paper and electronic)

Additional Job Description:

Required to work a variety of shifts including nights, weekends, holidays, on-call, and emergency response. 

Safety and Security Sensitive Job - Safety and security-sensitive positions are defined as those positions where any form of substance abuse may affect University activities through unsafe work behavior/performance or error in judgment; or where substance abuse could jeopardize the safety and well-being of employees, other personnel, or the general public, or cause significant damage to University property. This includes positions requiring firearms, access to controlled substances, handling hazardous material, operating heavy equipment or machinery, etc. These positions are subject to drug screens per PS-67/FASOP HR-04.

Essential Personnel - This position may be required to report to campus in times of emergency and/or closure per PS-18.

Physical Demands- This position requires frequent and constant physical activities such as: standing, sitting, walking, bending, reach above and below shoulders, twisting, pushing/pulling, grasping, squatting, and ability to lift >50+lbs.

Special Instructions:

A copy of your transcript(s) may be attached to your application (if applicable).

Please provide your resume and three professional references including name, title, phone number and e-mail address.

Questions can be directed to Dawn Kelley, [email protected].

Skills Needed:

Preferred Skills:

Posting Date:

September 3, 2026

Closing Date (Open Until Filled if No Date Specified):

December 2, 2026

Additional Position Information:

Background Check - An offer of employment is contingent on a satisfactory pre-employment background check.

Benefits - LSU offers outstanding benefits to eligible employees and their dependents including health, life, dental, and vision insurance; flexible spending accounts; retirement options; various leave options; paid holidays; wellness benefits; tuition exemption for qualified positions; training and development opportunities; employee discounts; and more!

Positions approved to work outside the State of Louisiana shall be employed through Louisiana State University’s partner, nextSource Workforce Solutions, for Employer of Record Services including but not limited to employment, benefits, payroll, and tax compliance. Positions employed through Employer of Record Services will be offered benefits and retirement as applicable through their provider and will not be eligible for State of Louisiana benefits and retirement.

Essential Position (Y/N):

LSU is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

All candidates must have valid U.S. work authorization at the time of hire and maintain that valid work authorization throughout employment. Changes in laws, regulations, or government policies may impact the university’s ability to employ individuals in certain positions.

HCM Contact Information: