Description

Lead ER Veterinary Technician - Overnight

Department: Veterinary Technicians

Employment Type: Full Time

Location: Hickory, North Carolina

Compensation: $24.00 - $28.00 / hour

Description

Lead Emergency & ICU Operations When Pets Need You Most

Are you an experienced Emergency Veterinary Technician, ER Lead Tech, or seasoned Veterinary Assistant ready to step into a high-impact overnight leadership role within a fast-paced specialty and emergency hospital?

Carolina Animal Specialty & Emergency Hospital (CASE) is seeking a Full-Time Overnight ER Lead Technician to support our 3rd Shift Emergency & ICU operations in Hickory, North Carolina.

This is not just a technical role - this is a hands-on clinical leadership opportunity designed for someone who thrives in:

• Emergency & Critical Care Veterinary Medicine
• Overnight hospital operations
• Team leadership and mentorship
• Client communication and de-escalation
• Real-time problem solving and workflow management

As the overnight clinical leader on the floor, you will help guide hospital operations during the absence of daytime leadership while serving as a trusted resource for technicians, assistants, doctors, and clients alike.

CASE is a 24/7 Emergency & Specialty Veterinary Referral Hospital providing advanced emergency, critical care, surgical, and specialty services across Western North Carolina.

Our hospital includes:

• 24-Hour Emergency & Critical Care
• Internal Medicine
• Advanced Surgery
• Anesthesia & Analgesia
• Rehabilitation & Sports Medicine
• Behavioral Medicine
• Advanced Diagnostic Imaging
• ICU & Oxygen Therapy Support

This is a hospital built for veterinary professionals who want to practice advanced medicine while working within a collaborative, high-performing team culture.

Overnight emergency medicine requires a unique type of veterinary professional:

• Calm under pressure
• Technically skilled
• Emotionally intelligent
• Operationally aware
• Comfortable leading in real time

As the Overnight ER Lead Technician, you will serve as:

• A clinical and operational leader on the floor
• A mentor and support resource for overnight staff
• A point of escalation for workflow and client service concerns
• A collaborative partner to overnight veterinarians
• A dependable leader helping ensure continuity of care and hospital efficiency overnight

This role is ideal for:

• Experienced Registered Veterinary Technicians (RVT/LVT/CVT)
• Senior Emergency Veterinary Technicians
• Strong Veterinary Assistants with advanced ER/ICU experience and leadership capability

Key Responsibilities - Overnight ER Lead Technician

Emergency & ICU Patient Care

• Provide advanced nursing care for hospitalized ER and ICU patients
• Monitor critical patients and respond to changes in condition
• Perform:
• IV catheter placement
• Venipuncture
• Medication administration (IV, SQ, oral)
• Oxygen therapy support
• Diagnostic sample collection
• CPR and emergency stabilization support
• Assist with anesthesia monitoring and emergency procedures
• Support radiographic and diagnostic imaging procedures

Overnight Hospital Operations Leadership

• Act as the primary overnight leadership presence on the floor
• Support hospital operations in the absence of daytime leadership teams
• Help coordinate workflow, triage, staffing support, and patient flow
• Step into clinical responsibilities as needed to support the team during high-volume periods or call-outs
• Assist with maintaining operational efficiency and overnight accountability

Team Development & Coaching

• Mentor Veterinary Technicians and Veterinary Assistants during overnight operations
• Provide real-time coaching and workflow guidance from the floor
• Support onboarding and training of overnight team members
• Foster a collaborative, accountable, and supportive overnight culture
• Help identify growth opportunities for support staff development

Client Communication & De-Escalation

• Support difficult client conversations with professionalism and empathy
• Assist with client service escalations and emotional de-escalation situations
• Educate clients regarding treatment plans, estimates, discharge instructions, and overnight care expectations
• Maintain compassionate communication during emotionally charged situations

What We're Looking For

Required Qualifications

• Strong background in:

1. Emergency Veterinary Medicine
2. ICU/critical care nursing
3. High-volume veterinary environments

• Ability to confidently support overnight ER operations independently
• Strong technical veterinary skills and clinical judgment
• Leadership mindset with strong communication abilities
• Comfortable leading from the floor in a fast-paced emergency setting
• Ability to multitask and prioritize during high-acuity caseloads

Preferred Qualifications

• Registered Veterinary Technician (RVT/LVT/CVT) strongly preferred
• Previous leadership or supervisory experience in veterinary medicine preferred
• Advanced ER/ICU experience highly preferred
• Experience mentoring or coaching veterinary support staff
• Strong Veterinary Assistants with advanced ER experience encouraged to apply

Why Join CASE?

At CASE, we believe overnight teams deserve:

• Strong leadership support
• Respect for technical skill and experience
• Opportunities for growth and advancement
• A collaborative specialty hospital culture
• The ability to practice high-level medicine with autonomy and trust

This role offers the opportunity to become a key operational and clinical leader within our Emergency & ICU team.



Full-Time Benefits & Incentives

We believe exceptional veterinary professionals deserve exceptional support.

Compensation & Financial Incentives

• Competitive compensation based on experience, technical skillset, and leadership background
• Overnight / 3rd Shift Pay Differential for hours worked between 12:00 AM - 8:00 AM
• This position is eligible for Lead Shift Differential, paid in addition to the base hourly rate listed, for shifts worked in the ER Floor Lead role.
• 401(k) with 2% company match
• Headstart Student loan support opportunities for eligible RVT candidates.
• Paid training and leadership development opportunities

Health & Wellness Benefits

• Medical insurance
• Dental insurance
• Vision insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid parental leave
• Access to BetterHelp mental well-being platform
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

Professional Growth & RVT Support

• Generous Continuing Education (CE) allowance
• 2 CE-specific PTO days
• Paid state licensure fees and renewals
• Growth and mentorship opportunities within CASE and Innovetive Petcare
• Support for technicians pursuing advanced specialty growth pathways

HeadStart Student Loan Support Program

Eligible RVTs who:

• Graduated from an AVMA-accredited Veterinary Technology Program
• Successfully passed the VTNE within the past 3 years

...may qualify for Innovetive Petcare's HeadStart Program, designed to support newly credentialed technicians as they transition into advanced clinical practice.

Additional Benefits

• Flexible scheduling support
• Paid Time Off (PTO)
• Employee pet care discounts
• Collaborative specialty & emergency hospital environment

Why Hickory, North Carolina?

Enjoy the perfect balance of career growth and quality of life:

• Affordable cost of living
• Access to Charlotte & Asheville
• Outdoor recreation & Blue Ridge Mountain access
• Thriving veterinary referral community
• Strong specialty and emergency caseload exposure

Ready to Lead Overnight Emergency Operations at CASE?

If you are an experienced:

• Emergency Veterinary Technician
• ER Lead Tech
• RVT/LVT/CVT
• Veterinary Assistant with advanced ER/ICU experience

...who is ready to help lead a high-performing overnight emergency team, we want to hear from you.

Apply today and join Carolina Animal Specialty & Emergency Hospital (CASE) - where leadership, emergency medicine, and advanced patient care come together overnight.

About Carolina Animal Specialty and Emergency Hospital

Carolina Animal Specialty and Emergency Hospital is a multi-specialty practice with specialists in internal medicine, surgery, behavior, rehabilitation and 24-hour emergency and critical care housed in a beautiful newly built 12,000-square-foot hospital in Hickory, NC.

We have a spacious hospital with a fully staffed ICU with DVM and highly skilled 24 hr support team to manage a high volume patient case load with 12 exam rooms. In hospital we have comprehensive in house laboratory equipment that includes chemistry, cbc, epoc, blood gas, sedivue, fecal imagyst, telecytometry, ability to have consultation and recommendation from boarded radiologist and clinical pathologist for best in the moment patient care, oxygen therapy (multiple snyder icu cages and high flow). We have the ability to provide superior specialty care with computed tomography, fluoroscopy, digital radiology, color-flow doppler ultrasound, endoscopy, minimally invasive surgical equipment, and comprehensive surgical instrumentation. We are able to provide radioactive iodine therapy for cats with hyperthyroidism and have a fully equipped rehabilitation suite with k- laser, e-stim, oasis underwater treadmill as well as exercise treadmill for assisting patients with pre and post op recovery.

We have a team of highly skilled board-certified specialists, emergency clinicians, veterinary technicians, and support staff that believe in compassionate care, always being prepared, supportive, excellence and quality in everything we do for our patients and encourage individuals who embrace a fast-paced atmosphere with honesty, positive attitude and transparency.

Hear more about working with us from the team at Carolina Animal Specialty and Emergency Hospital!

Equal Opportunity Employer Policy



Carolina Animal Specialty and Emergency is an Equal Opportunity Employer and a member of E-Verify. We are proudly committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse and inclusive workforce. We do not discriminate based on age, race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, national origin, disability, or any other non-merit factor. All qualified applicants, including minorities, women, protected veterans, and individuals with disabilities are encouraged to apply.