Veterinary Technician

The Born Free USA Primate Sanctuary seeks a veterinary technician to work as part of our sanctuary’s vet team. This is an exciting opportunity to work at one of the world’s best primate sanctuaries and care for macaques, baboons, and vervets alongside an incredibly talented, compassionate, and dedicated team.  

The Veterinary Technician will provide vital support to the staff veterinarian in all aspects of animal healthcare as part of the sanctuary’s preventative and curative veterinary program. This role reports directly to the Programs Director and works closely with the wider caregiving team.  

Primary Responsibilities 

·       Triaging patients and assisting Veterinarian with examinations, procedures, recovery, and development of treatment plans. 

·       Maintaining medical records in database and carrying out data entry for relevant information, including clinic visit records, external testing results, medical histories, and related information. 

·       Administering medication to patients and supporting caregiving staff in medication preparation and administration. 

·       Maintaining the clinic in good working order, including stocking of supplies, equipment maintenance, and general housekeeping. 

·       Inventory and stocking of medications and nutritional supplements.  

·       Collecting, preparing, and shipping laboratory samples and performing in-house diagnostics as prescribed by Veterinarian. 

·       Maintaining proper controlled substance records in line with federal requirements. 

·       Managing sharps and controlled substance disposal systems in line with federal requirements.  

·       Standing in as first-point of call for veterinary-related issues and emergencies in the absence of the Veterinarian. 

 Essential Qualifications 

·       Veterinarian Technician certification and/or four years equivalent experience in a veterinary clinic in the role of Veterinary Technician. 

·       Experience in record keeping, blood collection and processing, anesthetic monitoring, parasite screening, urinalysis, care of surgical instruments, fluid and drug administration to anesthetized patients, anesthetic equipment maintenance, hematology equipment maintenance.  

Desired Qualifications

·       Experience working with wild animals in a sanctuary setting, ideally with primates. 

·       Experience in cytology, chemical immobilization (darting), dental cleaning, assistance during surgeries and necropsies. 

The successful candidate will have a demonstrated commitment to Born Free USA’s mission and values. They will be able to perform calmly under pressure and in medical emergencies. They will be a team player with the ability to interact positively with people from different backgrounds, cultures, and personalities. 

 Salary and Benefits  

·       Starting wage is $14-16 per hour dependent on experience. 

·       Compensation also includes free onsite housing including utilities (valued at approximately $10,000 per year).

·       Born Free USA offers a full benefits package including health insurance, paid time off, and a 401(K) plan with employer matching.

Hours and Location 

 Regular work hours are 7am-4pm depending on the seasons and needs of the sanctuary. The vet tech will work 5 days/week with 2 consecutive days off each week. The sanctuary operates 365 days a year, and the vet tech will be expected to work holidays and/or weekends dependent on scheduling.

The sanctuary is located 90 miles south of San Antonio Candidates must be comfortable living in a rural area with limited amenities. They must also be able to work outside in all weather conditions, including daily temperatures in the 90s or higher in the summer months. 

About Born Free USA  

The Born Free Primate Sanctuary's aim is to provide nonhuman primates a lifelong home and a high standard of care without being needlessly intrusive. The 175-acre sanctuary located 90 miles south of San Antonio, Texas, is home to around 260 monkeys, many of whom were rescued from abusive or exploitative situations. The focus of animal care is to provide conditions in which the captive populations of macaques, baboons, and vervets are allowed to live out the remainder of their lives with extensive freedom of movement, choice of food, and choice of companions, in accordance with their social nature. The sanctuary is not open to the public and we do not display animals for educational or entertainment purposes. 
 
Born Free's mission is to end the suffering of wild animals in captivity, rescue individual animals in need, protect wildlife - including endangered species - in their natural habitats, and encourage compassionate conservation globally. Inspired by the iconic film Born Free, we work locally, nationally, and internationally to end wild animal cruelty and suffering, protect threatened wildlife, and keep wildlife in the wild where they rightfully belong.