Veterinary Technician: Ward Patient Care

About the role

Current Employees: If you are currently employed at any of the Universities of Wisconsin, log in to Workday to apply through the internal application process.

• Job Category: University Staff
• Employment Type: Regular
• Job Profile: Veterinary Technician I

Job Summary

UW Veterinary Care (UWVC) is excited to welcome a dedicated Certified Veterinary Technician (CVT) to our team! This essential role supports the care and monitoring of hospitalized patients during both day and overnight hours, ensuring animals receive attentive, compassionate care around the clock. As part of a collaborative veterinary healthcare team, you will provide skilled nursing care across the hospital's Emergency Room (ER), Critical Care Unit (CCU), Intermediate Care Ward (ICW), and Night Ward.

As Wisconsin's only veterinary teaching hospital, UWVC offers a unique opportunity to combine your passion for animal care with hands-on experience in a dynamic, team-oriented environment. You'll work alongside experienced veterinary professionals, specialists, and the veterinarians of tomorrow while making a meaningful difference in the lives of animals and their families.

Whether you're looking to expand your clinical skills, gain experience across multiple specialty services, or build a long-term career in veterinary medicine, UWVC provides a supportive environment where you can learn, grow, and make an impact.

Join our team and help provide exceptional patient care around the clock!

This position is expected to be 90- 100% FTE (36 - 40 hours a week).

The anticipated schedule is Monday and Friday, 3:00 PM-12:30 AM, and Saturday and Sunday, 2:00 PM-12:30 AM. Additional shifts may be scheduled in the Emergency Room (ER), Critical Care Unit (CCU), Intermediate Care Ward (ICW), or Night Ward based on operational needs. Work schedules will be finalized and communicated at least two weeks in advance. Participation in the hospital's on-call rotation is required as needed.

Key Job Responsibilities

• Monitors animal health status and records, notifies veterinarian when status changes, and ensures care plans are completed and recorded in the medical record (20%)
• Assists with the execution of more complex animal care procedures and affiliated activities (10%)
• Tracks supply inventory levels and places replenishment orders (10%)
• Maintains organization of and updates records related to medical procedures and billing (10%)
• Completes routine laboratory tests and collects specimen according to established medical orders and care plans (10%)
• Documents and disseminates results to the appropriate entities (10%)
• Serves as a point of contact for animal owners and stakeholders providing information and answering questions (10%)
• Prepares, completes, and documents basic technical animal care procedures, assessments, and medication administration according to established care plans and medical necessity (20%)
• Department: School of Veterinary Medicine
• UW Veterinary Care Hospital
• Night Ward Team

Compensation

The starting hourly rate for the position is $21.00 (but is negotiable based on experience and qualifications).

In addition to the base pay listed in this posting, earn an extra $3.00/hour for night shifts and $1.80/hour for weekends, creating a total shift incentive potential of nearly $4.80/ hour!

This position is eligible for a hiring bonus of 3% of base pay (prorated to FTE) which will be paid over the first year of employment!

Benefits Package

• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance through the UW-Madison employee benefits program.
• Generous paid leave benefits, including vacation, sick time, and personal holidays.
• Participation in the renowned Wisconsin Retirement System (WRS).
• Annual shoe allowance and hospital-provided uniform apparel.
• Financial support for Continuing Education (CE) and pursuit of Veterinary Technician Specialty (VTS in ECC) certification.

This position is being posted at Vet Tech levels 1, 2 and 3. Level and pay are commensurate with experience.

Required Qualifications

• Minimum of 1 year of clinical veterinary technician experience required.

Additional information

This position is posted at Vet Tech levels 1, 2 and 3. Level is determined by qualifications based on type of prior veterinary tech experience:

• To qualify for Level 1: Entry level, new CVT grad with minimal experience
• To qualify for Level 2: Generally, over 2 years of veterinary tech experience, may substitute years of experience for specialization
• To qualify for Level 3: Veterinary Tech Specialist (VTS), or highly qualified and specialized in a specific area, may have prior experience from another university hospital

Preferred Qualifications

• 3-4 years of professional experience in a veterinary clinic setting handling animals

Physical Demands

• Ability to lift a minimum of 50 pounds independently and maintain the physical dexterity required for fast-paced emergency procedures.

• Education: Certified Veterinary Technician (CVT) Required
• High School Diploma Required

Associates Degree Preferred

How to Apply

Ready to take your veterinary nursing skills to the next level while making a meaningful difference in the lives of hospitalized patients?

• Click the 'Apply' button to begin the online application.
• Please upload a current resume.
• You may also include a cover letter highlighting your clinical experience and interest in joining our team.

The deadline for assuring full consideration is November 23, 2026; however, the position will remain open, and applications may be considered until the position is filled.

Please note that successful applicants are responsible for ensuring their eligibility to work in the United States (i.e. a citizen or national of the United States, a lawful permanent resident, a foreign national authorized to work in the United States without need of employer sponsorship) on or before the effective date of appointment.

Institutional Statement on Diversity

Diversity is a source of strength, creativity, and innovation for UW-Madison. We value the contributions of each person and respect the profound ways their identity, culture, background, experience, status, abilities, and opinion enrich the university community. We commit ourselves to the pursuit of excellence in teaching, research, outreach, and diversity as inextricably linked goals.

• The University of Wisconsin-Madison fulfills its public mission by creating a welcoming and inclusive community for people from every background - people who as students, faculty, and staff serve Wisconsin and the world.
• The University of Wisconsin-Madison is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

We promote excellence by acknowledging skills and expertise from all backgrounds and encourage all qualified individuals to apply. For more information regarding applicant and employee rights and to view federal and state required postings, visit the Human Resources Workplace Poster website.

To request a disability or pregnancy-related accommodation for any step in the hiring process (e.g., application, interview, pre-employment testing, etc.), please contact the Divisional Disability Representative (DDR) in the division you are applying to. Please make your request as soon as possible to help the university respond most effectively to you.

• Employment may require a criminal background check. It may also require your references to answer questions regarding misconduct, including sexual violence and sexual harassment.
• The University of Wisconsin System will not reveal the identities of applicants who request confidentiality in writing, except that the identity of the successful candidate will be released. See Wis. Stat. sec. 19.36(7).

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