Veterinary Careers

About Indian Hills Animal Clinic
Welcome to Indian Hills Animal Clinic, where we are dedicated to providing exceptional veterinary care and building lasting relationships with our clients and their beloved pets. Our team is the heart of our practice, and we are always looking for passionate, skilled individuals to join us in our mission.

Position Purpose
Reporting into the Practice Manager, the Groomer looks after the condition of the patient’s coat by providing services to keep the patient clean and well-cared for.  Working with a variety of patients (breeds and sizes), the Groomer is responsible for patient bathing, fur and teeth brushing, nail trimming and grinding.  The Groomer engages with clients to understand expectations, patient special needs, and desired outcomes.  The Groomer is also responsible to ensure grooming rooms or designated space is clean, sanitized, safe, and secure.

Pay for this position is commission-based. Uniforms and grooming supplies are provided.

Operating Hours: Monday-Friday 7:00 am-5:30 pm

Groomer Competencies

• Patience & Compassion: Remaining professional while still making Doctors, teammates, clients, and patients feel as comfortable as possible regardless of the situation or challenges presented.  Responding quickly and calmly to crisis while maintaining a high standard of patient care.
• Collaboration & Teamwork: Carefully coordinating actions with Doctors and practice team members.  Providing feedback appropriately and in a timely manner.  Quickly incorporating feedback to ensure positive results.  Sharing ideas and being open to other’s ideas.
• Communicating: Conveying instructions to clients and teammates to ensure successful pet services/care are provided.
• Active Listening: When listening to clients regarding service to pet listen for understanding and repeat back requests to ensure client expectations are met.  May need to communicate and actively listen to Doctors if a patient is at the practice for multiple service and treatments.
• Organization Skills: Following client instructions, maintain consistent workflow to ensure client commitments are met, and other job-related items while managing multiple pets and clients.
• Client Satisfaction: Ensuring all activities and interactions result in the highest level of client satisfaction.  Be client centric.

Essential Responsibilities

• Admits patients noting the client’s specific instructions to ensure a quality outcome including contact information and pick up time.
• Determines any veterinary services required during the client’s visit.  In accordance with hospital operating instructions, determines care required in agreement with the individual needs and circumstances of the patients.
• Observes patient appearance and activity for general physical condition, obvious signs of illness, disease and discontent. Parts patient’s hair to check for ticks, fleas, red, sore or inflamed areas and any lumps.  Reports signs of illness, disease, injury or unusual activity to veterinary technicians or veterinarians.
• Appropriately handles patients and as needed, properly restrains hard-to-control patients.
• Performs bathing services, including shampooing and drying.
• Performs grooming services, including brushing, clipping, hand scissoring, trimming and shaping the patient’s coat.  Appropriately shapes hair using knowledge of patient characteristic, grooming techniques, styles, and client’s instructions.
• Stays current and up to date on new techniques and trends that client are looking for as related to provided services.
• Provides medication (when instructed) and general cleansing, parasite control baths, pedicures, medicated dips (when instructed) and ear cleansing, as required for each patient.
• Applies technical knowledge of products and medications sold, including dietary products.  Explains and educates clients on products and answers questions regarding product purchase/use.
• Performs work according to established methods specified in practice procedure manual or following special instructions.
• Performs all general maintenance of grooming room and yard; cleans and disinfects cages, tubs, grooming tables, and yard at least once daily.  Vacuums and mops floor; empties trash; cleans clipper blades, scissors and brushes after use; performs monthly dryer and clipper maintenance.
• Delivers final groomed patient to client and ensures satisfaction.  Appropriately addresses concerns.
• Where applicable, trains, supervises, and assists the Grooming Assistant in their performance of a variety of service functions. Sets performance standards and monitor performance. Conducts timely performance evaluations.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Requirements / Qualifications

• Full-time
• Prior grooming experience is required
• Previous veterinary experience preferred
• Client satisfaction references preferred
• Ability to lift patients up to 25 pounds; ability to lift patients over 25 pounds with assistance
• Practices OSHA safety techniques including proper PPE

Benefits Offered

• Paid time off
• Health insurance; dental insurance; vision insurance
• Retirement benefits (401k, Roth k, and matching)
• Bonus incentive
• Flexible work schedules
• Career and professional development
• Employee Assistance Program
• Employee Referral Program

Apply here →

Our practice is excited to add another Kennel Assistant to our team! We are looking for an individual who is good at communicating, organization, and multi-tasking, and who is ready to work in a fast-paced environment. The ideal candidate has 1-2 years’ prior experience working with animals in a kennel setting.

Hours of operation: Monday-Friday 8:00 am-5:00 pm

Essential Functions:

• Provides great care for patients visiting the practice for grooming and / or boarding.
• Ensures patients are admitted noting the client’s specific instructions to ensure a quality outcome including contact information and pick up time.
• Accurately and legibly records information related to the patient such as feeding schedules, appearance, and behavior during practice visit.
• Observes patient’s appearance and activity for general physical condition, obvious signs of illness, disease and discontent.
• Appropriately handles patients and as needed, properly restrains hard-to-control patients.
• Walks patients several times a day to provide exercise and time for elimination of bowels and bladder.
• Applies knowledge of normal food and liquid requirements and as required, provides special food and liquids.
• Ensures patients are clean and fresh smelling and have been checked by a Technician / Doctor prior to discharge; ensures patient has all personal property upon exit.
• Ensures cages and patients are properly numbered and identified and that personal property (toys, treats, blankets, leashes) are stored in the proper areas and identified.
• Regularly cleans, disinfects and maintain kennels, cages, runs and stalls as often as is necessary to ensure no cages or kennels are soiled and odors are not apparent. Performs general cleaning in other areas of the hospital to control the spread of disease. Washes and sterilizes water and food bowls.

Essential Responsibilities continued

• Launders and dries towels and blankets.
• Walks hospital grounds regularly and cleans any trash and stool material; empties trash throughout the practice and grounds.
• In some practices and based on veterinary practice experiences and confidence: Assists with the administration of medications under the supervision of Doctors or Technicians; assists with the administration of medications, post-operative care or preparation of samples for laboratory examination, collect specimens, clean instruments, fill prescriptions as authorized.
• Provides bathing and grooming services.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Requirements/Qualifications

• Previous veterinary medicine experience is preferred
• High school diploma or equivalent
• Ability to lift patients and carry equipment up to 40 pounds; ability to lift patients or carry equipment over 40 pounds with assistance
• Practice OSHA safety techniques including proper PPE
• Computer skills, MS office applications, etc.

Job Type: Part-time

Pay: $11.50 per hour

Expected hours: 15 – 20 per week

Benefits:

• Employee discount
• Flexible schedule
• Uniform allowance

Day range:

• Holidays
• Monday to Friday
• Weekends as needed

Supplemental pay types:

• Bonus opportunities

Work setting:

• In-person

Experience:

• Kennel: 1 year (Preferred)

Ability to Commute:

• Tuscaloosa, AL 35406 (Required)

Work Location: In person

Apply now →

• Patience & Compassion: Remaining professional while still making teammates, clients, and patients feel as comfortable as possible regardless of the situation or challenges presented. Responding quickly and calmly to crisis while maintaining a high standard of patient care.
• Collaboration & Teamwork: Carefully coordinating actions with veterinarians and practice team members. Providing feedback appropriately and in a timely manner. Quickly incorporating feedback to ensure positive results. Sharing ideas and being open to other’s ideas.
• Communicating: Conveying instructions to clients and teammates to ensure successful patient care.
• Active Listening: Following the instructions of veterinarians and sometimes patient owners. Picking up the needs of veterinarians and teammates based on prior experiences and feedback.
• Organization Skills: Clear tracking of lab specimens, medications, patient instructions, workflow, and other job-related items while managing multiple patients and clients.
• Client Satisfaction: Ensuring all activities and interactions result in the highest level of client satisfaction.

• Assist veterinarians in the practice of veterinary medicine and surgery and other tasks as needed.
• Assist veterinarians in outpatient exams by taking histories, vital signs, and weights, as well as providing client education.
• Prepare patients for surgery and monitor vital signs of the patient during surgery.
• Obtain blood, stool, and other samples; perform in-hospital laboratory testing and prepare specimens for outside laboratories.
• Take, develop, and maintain radiographs following proper safety procedures.
• Provide basic animal handling and restrain animals during exams.
• Administer and monitor medications, anesthesia, vaccines, and treatments at the discretion of the veterinarian.
• Clean and straighten exam rooms, treatment, and lab areas; restock exam rooms with supplies. Assist other team members to keep the public areas of the practice clean; clean and maintain all medical equipment.
• Demonstrate warmth, courtesy and professionalism in all interactions with clients; exercise compassion and care in all interactions with patients.
• Communicate with veterinarians and practice team members including client discussions, patient plans, client concerns, etc.
• Any other duties as assigned.

• Previous veterinary experience preferred
• Ability to lift patients and carry equipment up to 25 pounds; ability to lift patients or carry equipment over 25 pounds with assistance
• Practice OSHA safety techniques including proper PPE
• Basic math and the ability to calculate medication dosages
• Basic computer skills, familiarity with MS office applications, etc.
• Strong communication skills to ensure patient safety

• Paid time off
• Health, dental, and vision insurance
• Retirement benefits (401k, Roth k and matching)
• Bonus incentive
• Career and professional development opportunities
• State licensing fee reimbursement for credentialed technicians
• VTNE support
• Employee Assistance Program
• Employee Referral Program
• Scrub allowance
• Flexible schedule