Veterinary Assistant III - Emergency and Critical Care

Position Summary

The mission of CSU VTH Small Animal Critical Care Services, the pinnacle of veterinary medicine and education, is to ensure the advancement of patient welfare through a vital system distinguished by: personal excellence; compassionate care; exemplary education; collaborative & transformative research; and mutual trust with our community.

Full Consideration Date

Monday, October 12, 2026, 11:59pm (MT). This position will remain open until filled.

Description of Work Unit

At the CSU Veterinary Health System, animals and the people who care for them are at the heart of everything we do. Every decision we make reflects our commitment to those who trust us with their animals' health. That focus inspires us to deliver expert veterinary services, support veterinary education and training, and advance groundbreaking research.

We show up every day with passion, eagerness to collaborate, and a drive to redefine what's possible. Our deep partnership with the College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences amplifies our impact, enabling us to boldly innovate and share knowledge widely.

Essential Job Duties

• Provide advanced emergency and critical care nursing support including triage, assessment, stabilization, treatment, monitoring, and restraint of high-risk and critically ill patients.
• Perform and support complex monitoring and treatment procedures under clinician direction, including advanced catheterization, ventilation support, CPR, emergency anesthesia, dialysis support, and specialty equipment operation and troubleshooting.
• Monitor severely compromised patients, identify critical changes in condition, recommend and implement adjustments to patient management, and advocate for patient safety and welfare.
• Collaborate with clinicians, students, interns, residents, referring veterinarians, and clients to support diagnosis, treatment planning, and ongoing patient care through assessment, diagnostics, and interpretation of results.
• Teach, mentor, and provide clinical instruction to veterinary students, technicians, interns, and residents, including advanced procedures, nursing care, and pathophysiology.
• Serve as a lead technical resource within Critical Care Services by guiding staff, assisting with training, supporting protocol adherence, and contributing to unit leadership and operational improvements.
• Communicate effectively with clients and hospital teams to provide triage, medical updates, coordination of care, and support during emotionally challenging situations.
• Support unit operations by prioritizing cases, documenting treatments, entering charges, maintaining equipment and supplies, enforcing policies and regulations, and providing after-hours emergency support.

Supervision: No formal supervisory authority.

Conditions of Employment

• Pre-employment Criminal Background Check (required for new hires).
• Essential Services Designation - must be willing and able to report to work as directed to perform essential and/or emergency services without delay or interruption.
• Shift Work - nights, weekends or holidays.
• On-call Status - potential for on-call status.
• Use, Handling, or Exposure to hazardous materials - and infectious diseases.
• The successful candidate must be legally authorized to work in the United States by the proposed start date; the department will not provide visa sponsorship for this position.

Minimum Education and Experience

HS Diploma or GED plus three (3) years of experience caring for animals or providing animal handling duties OR HS Diploma or GED and a combination of related education and/or relevant experience in an occupation related to the work assigned to this position equal to three (3) years.

Application Instructions

Interested applicants must submit a cover letter that addresses how professional experiences align with the required and preferred qualifications and a current resume. References will be requested from finalists and will not be contacted without prior notification of candidates.

CSU is committed to the full inclusion of qualified individuals. If you need assistance or accommodations with the search process, please reach out to the VHS HR staff at.

Salary Range $53,000 - $57,000

Required Application Documents

To apply, please upload the following applicant documents. Ensure your materials fully address the required and preferred job qualifications of the position. Please note, applicants may redact information from their application materials that identifies their age, date of birth, or dates of attendance at or graduation from an educational institution.

Cover Letter, Resume/CV

Employee Benefits

Colorado State University is not just a workplace; it's a thriving community that's transforming lives and improving the human condition through world-class teaching, research, and service. With a robust benefits package, collaborative atmosphere, and focus on work-life balance, CSU is where you can thrive, grow, and make a lasting impact.

• Review our detailed benefits information here.
• For the total value of CSU benefits in addition to wages, use our compensation calculator.
• Lastly, click here for more information about why Fort Collins is consistently ranked in the top cities to live in!

Background Check Policy Statement

• Colorado State University strives to provide a safe study, work, and living environment for its faculty, staff, volunteers and students.
• To support this environment and comply with applicable laws and regulations, CSU conducts background checks for the finalist before a final offer.
• Background checks will also be conducted when required by law or contract and when, in the discretion of the University, it is reasonable and prudent to do so.