Career Center

Do you love shelter medicine and teaching?  The Dumb Friends League in Denver, Colorado is looking for an experienced veterinarian with a passion for teaching to join our team!  This is a leadership position within the League’s veterinary team. The League provides our veterinarians a competitive salary, a four 10's schedule, and amazing benefits including student loan assistance and annual support for continuing education. 

Purpose of Position: Serve as the League’s lead shelter medical and surgical staff member. Establish appropriate veterinary policies for all shelter operations. 

Responsibilities

• Develop, implement, and monitor medical programs that improve the standard of animal and veterinary care for all League shelters.
• Collaborate with the shelter leadership team to ensure the League’s operations are conducted using appropriate and up-to-date medical practices.
• Manage and develop an effective staff: providing effective communication, leadership, guidance, and resources.
• Establish and monitor staff safety and regulatory compliance.
• Supervise, coach and mentor staff Veterinarians and Veterinary interns.
• Create training programs for staff Veterinarians and Veterinary interns.
• Provide outstanding veterinary care to homeless and stray pets including physical exams, diagnostics, treatment plans, preventative medicine, case management, surgery, euthanasia, and necropsies. 
• Perform surgical procedures including high quality, high volume spay/neuter, dentistry, and various soft tissue and orthopedic procedures.
• Practice, teach and direct incremental medicine, using critical thinking and decision-making skills within the League’s scope of care.
• Participate in euthanasia decision making. Create and oversee the euthanasia training program to ensure it meets state regulations.
• Create and provide trainings, maintain licenses, and monitor DEA compliance. Certify staff to perform euthanasia procedures. Collaborate with shelter leadership on euthanasia training and SOP development.
• Work with other departments to coordinate care and quarantine of infectious disease animals.
• Work with cruelty investigations staff for evaluation, documentation, and testimony about the condition of animals involved in investigation cases.
• Consult with and assist patrons and external veterinarians regarding animals at or adopted from the League.
• Serve as a liaison promoting the League’s philosophy and goals to veterinarians, vendors, the public, and other animal welfare related organizations.
• Deliver animal welfare related continuing education presentations for partner organizations and in the community.
• Develop SOPs and ensure they are updated and practiced with staff and volunteers.
• Work with the veterinary services manager to understand and implement the annual budget.
• Work in collaboration with the Development and Communications teams to support fundraising efforts and campaigns, such as providing impact stories and reports resulting in financial support. 
• Participate in donor events, meetings, and tours.
• Ensure program grant compliance, and quality of services and evaluations.

Supervisory or Managerial Responsibility

• Lead Veterinarian
• Veterinarians
• Interns 
• Volunteers

Travel -This position may require travel to different work sites

Full Time Benefits include medical, dental and vision insurance, flexible spending accounts, League-paid Life and Short-Term Disability Insurance, Paid Time Off (PTO), Holiday Pay, 401(k) with matching, Veterinarians are eligible for student loan reimbursement (SLURP), and more!

Compensation: $115,000 - $145,000 annually (starting pay commensurate with market, experience, and equity)

Required Position Qualifications

• Experience in shelter medicine and/or HQ/HV setting
• Ability to effectively lead a team
• Demonstrated excellent surgical skills
• Strong interpersonal communication skills
• High emotional intelligence
• Ability to effectively communicate in writing
• Effective time management skills with the ability to triage cases and workload
• Ability to work well within a fast-paced environment
• High attention to detail
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office programs
• Education: Doctoral degree in veterinary medicine 
• Work Experience: Three years of experience practicing veterinary medicine in a full service, high surgical volume environment
• Special Training, Certification or Licensure:  Current Colorado veterinary license with clean practice record; Current DEA license or ability to obtain DEA license.

Desired

• Experience performing orthopedic surgeries 
• Leadership or management experience in clinic, hospital, or shelter environment