Description

Veterinary Technician - Anesthesia

Westford, MA

Westford Veterinary Emergency & Referral Center is looking for an experienced Anesthesia Veterinary Technician who thrives in advanced medicine, takes pride in vigilant patient monitoring, and wants the opportunity to work directly alongside Amanda Crawford, DVM, DACVAA, a board-certified veterinary anesthesiologist.

This is an exciting opportunity for a technician who loves anesthesia and wants to continue developing their skills with the support and guidance of a dedicated specialist. You won't be expected to run an anesthesia department on your own. Instead, you'll partner closely with Dr. Crawford to provide individualized anesthesia and pain-management plans for a diverse and often complex specialty and emergency caseload.

Whether you're already highly experienced in anesthesia or hoping to continue building toward advanced expertise or a VTS in Anesthesia & Analgesia, you'll have the opportunity to learn, collaborate, and practice high-level anesthesia every day.

Westford Veterinary Emergency & Referral Center is a 24/7 emergency and specialty hospital providing advanced care for dogs and cats throughout Westford and the surrounding communities. Our collaborative team brings together experienced technicians, emergency clinicians, and specialists who are committed to compassionate care, clinical excellence, and exceptional patient outcomes.

With specialty services including anesthesia and pain management, surgery, internal medicine, cardiology, ophthalmology, and emergency and critical care, you'll support a wide variety of patients and procedures-from routine anesthetic cases to medically complex and high-risk patients. Our hospital also offers advanced capabilities including MRI, CT, endoscopy, ultrasound, echocardiography, and a fully equipped intensive care unit.

Learn more about our hospital at: https://westfordveterinary.com/

Anesthesia Veterinary Technician - Full Time

Westford Veterinary Emergency & Referral Center | Westford, MA

$30.00-$38.00/hr depending on experience, licensure, and advanced credentials

WHAT YOU'LL DO

Anesthesia & Patient Care

• Work directly with Dr. Amanda Crawford, DVM, DACVAA, and our specialty and surgical teams to carry out individualized anesthetic and pain-management plans
• Prepare patients for anesthesia, including reviewing medical records, obtaining baseline vital signs, placing intravenous catheters, and completing pre-anesthetic diagnostics
• Calculate, prepare, and administer anesthetic and analgesic medications under veterinarian direction
• Assist with anesthetic induction, intubation, positioning, maintenance, and recovery
• Continuously monitor cardiovascular, respiratory, neurologic, and temperature parameters throughout procedures
• Operate and interpret advanced monitoring equipment, including ECG, pulse oximetry, capnography, invasive and noninvasive blood pressure monitoring, and temperature monitoring
• Recognize subtle changes in patient status and communicate and respond quickly under the direction of the anesthesiologist or attending veterinarian
• Provide attentive post-anesthetic monitoring and pain assessment through recovery
• Maintain accurate, detailed anesthesia records and clearly communicate patient status to the medical team

Advanced Procedures & Pain Management

• Support anesthesia for soft tissue and orthopedic surgery, advanced imaging, endoscopy, ophthalmic procedures, and other specialty services
• Work alongside a boarded veterinary anesthesiologist in the management of patients with complex medical conditions, emergency presentations, or elevated anesthetic risk
• Assist with multimodal pain-management plans, including continuous-rate infusions and local or regional anesthetic techniques
• Gain hands-on exposure to regional anesthesia, mechanical ventilation, invasive monitoring, advanced airway management, and other advanced anesthesia techniques
• Prepare and maintain equipment used for advanced anesthetic procedures and monitoring
• Collaborate with specialists and technicians across departments to promote continuity of care before, during, and after anesthesia
• Advocate for patient comfort, safety, and appropriate pain control throughout hospitalization

Equipment, Medications & Safety

• Perform anesthesia machine checks and ensure equipment is functional and ready before each procedure
• Set up, operate, clean, and maintain anesthesia machines, ventilators, monitoring devices, infusion pumps, and related equipment
• Maintain anesthesia carts and emergency supplies, ensuring medications and equipment are organized, stocked, and within expiration dates
• Follow hospital protocols for controlled substances, medication documentation, oxygen safety, waste-gas management, and equipment maintenance
• Identify equipment concerns and communicate repair or replacement needs promptly
• Maintain a clean, organized, and procedure-ready anesthesia workspace

Teamwork, Learning & Clinical Standards

• Collaborate closely with Dr. Crawford, surgeons, emergency clinicians, specialists, technicians, and assistants
• Communicate changes in patient condition promptly and contribute to effective case handoffs
• Participate in technician and assistant education surrounding anesthesia preparation, monitoring, recovery, and patient-safety practices
• Contribute to the continued development and implementation of anesthesia protocols, checklists, and standard operating procedures
• Take advantage of opportunities for ongoing learning, mentorship, and professional development in anesthesia and analgesia
• Share your own knowledge and experience while contributing to a collaborative, learning-focused environment
• Uphold OSHA, DEA, radiation-safety, infection-control, and hospital compliance standards

OUR COMPREHENSIVE BENEFITS PACKAGE INCLUDES

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• 401(k) with a total company match up to 4% after 6 months of employment
• Generous paid time off and flexible scheduling
• Continuing education allowance and professional development support
• Mental health resources
• Company-paid bonding leave or applicable state-provided bonding leave

PERKS FOR YOUR PETS TOO!

Because we know how much your pets mean to you, we offer special benefits designed just for them:

• Pet Care: Discounts on veterinary services and products
• Diagnostics: Savings on reference lab testing
• Nutrition: Discounts on Purina pet foods
• Insurance: Preferred rates with our pet insurance partner

REQUIREMENTS

• At least two years of veterinary technician experience, with significant hands-on anesthesia experience strongly preferred
• Strong experience monitoring patients throughout general anesthesia and recovery
• Strong understanding of anesthetic medications, analgesia, patient physiology, ventilation, and potential anesthetic complications
• Ability to recognize subtle changes in patient status, communicate concerns quickly, and respond calmly and appropriately
• Experience with specialty, emergency, critical care, surgery, or high-risk anesthesia strongly preferred
• Credentialed Veterinary Technician in Massachusetts or eligible to obtain certification preferred
• Veterinary Technician Specialist credential in Anesthesia & Analgesia - or an interest in pursuing a VTS with continued mentorship and professional development - is highly valued
• Strong mathematical skills and confidence calculating drug dosages, fluid rates, and continuous-rate infusions
• Excellent communication, organization, and medical-record documentation skills
• Ability to manage competing priorities and maintain composure during complex or high-acuity cases
• Commitment to compassionate patient care, continuous learning, and collaborative medicine
• Ability to meet the physical requirements of the role, including patient restraint and positioning, lifting, standing for extended periods, and potential exposure to anesthetic gases, radiation, medications, and other hazardous materials; appropriate PPE is provided and required

Rarebreed Veterinary Partners is a purpose-driven team that places talent first by supporting professionals to thrive in our industry and empowering hospital teams to provide exceptional care for pets and their owners. We pride ourselves on going the extra mile to create exceptional work experiences for our hospital teams. We focus on providing our hospitals with the best culture, tools, and support so our teams can focus on what they love most: caring for our animal companions.

Joining our fun and team-first atmosphere comes with a level of support that is hard to find anywhere else. Everything we do is with purpose-down to the way we invest in our people and create long-overdue change in the industry. We're hyper-focused on supporting our professionals so they can focus on bringing the gold standard of medicine to our patients and their families.

Employment will require the successful completion of references and a background check.

FOR MASSACHUSETTS APPLICANTS: IT IS UNLAWFUL IN MASSACHUSETTS TO REQUIRE OR ADMINISTER A LIE DETECTOR TEST AS A CONDITION OF EMPLOYMENT OR CONTINUED EMPLOYMENT. AN EMPLOYER WHO VIOLATES THIS LAW SHALL BE SUBJECT TO CRIMINAL PENALTIES AND CIVIL LIABILITY. RAREBREED VETERINARY PARTNERS AND ANY OF ITS AFFILIATED COMPANIES DOES NOT USE LIE DETECTOR TESTS AS PART OF THE APPLICATION PROCESS.

Rarebreed Veterinary Partners provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, mental or physical disability, medical condition, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, genetic information, ancestry, marital status, national origin, protected veteran status, or any other characteristics or classifications protected by applicable federal, state, and local laws.

Learn more about our career opportunities at: https://rarebreedvet.com/careers/

Where uncommon support partners with joy.