Description

Veterinary Triage Assistant

Department: Veterinary Assistants

Employment Type: Full Time

Location: Chattanooga, Tennessee

Compensation: $16.50 - $18.00 / hour

Description

Animal Emergency & Specialty Center of Chattanooga (AESC Chattanooga) is expanding and seeking a Daytime Triage Veterinary Assistant to support our Emergency & Specialty services during weekday morning and daytime hours.

This role is ideal for veterinary professionals who excel at patient intake, triage support, and client communication in a fast-paced medical environment. Prior emergency, specialty, or high-volume general practice experience is strongly preferred.

At AESC, we believe great medicine starts with a strong, supported team — and we're committed to helping experienced assistants continue to grow.

AESC Chattanooga is East Tennessee's premier provider of 24-hour emergency and specialty veterinary care, offering:

• Emergency & Critical Care
• Surgery
• Oncology
• Internal Medicine

Our modern, state-of-the-art hospital is supported by a compassionate, highly skilled team focused on exceptional patient outcomes and empathetic client care.

As a Triage Veterinary Assistant, you will serve as a critical first point of contact for incoming emergency and urgent-care patients during daytime hours. You'll support veterinarians and credentialed technicians by ensuring efficient patient flow, accurate information gathering, and safe handling — helping the medical team deliver timely, high-quality care.

This position closely collaborates with outpatient, emergency, and specialty teams to support continuity of care throughout the hospital.

Key Responsibilities

As an Emergency Veterinary Triage Assistant, you will play a critical role in patient care and client support by:

• Triage and intake of incoming emergency and urgent-care patients
• Obtain accurate patient histories, vitals, and presenting concerns
• Perform safe, effective patient restraint and handling
• Assist veterinarians and technicians with diagnostics and treatments
• Support basic diagnostic procedures as directed
• Administer or dispense medications as prescribed
• Maintain cleanliness, organization, and restocking of triage and treatment areas
• Provide compassionate, professional client communication during stressful situations
• Demonstrate emotional intelligence, empathy, and professionalism with clients and team members
• Support patient flow and communication between emergency, outpatient, and specialty services

Skills, Knowledge & Expertise

• Prior Veterinary Assistant, Animal Care, or clinical veterinary experience strongly preferred
• Emergency, specialty, or high-volume general practice experience a plus
• Ability to remain calm, focused, and efficient in high-pressure situations
• Strong communication and teamwork skills
• High level of reliability, organization, and attention to detail
• Comfortable interacting with distressed clients with empathy and professionalism
• Passion for emergency medicine and patient advocacy

This role is not intended to be entry-level; candidates should be comfortable in a clinical environment and able to adapt quickly in an emergency setting.

• Full-Time
• Monday-Thursday | 7:00 AM-5:00 PM
• Daytime coverage supporting emergency intake and specialty patient flow

Job Benefits

We believe in supporting the people who support our patients.

• Competitive hourly pay based on experience
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• 401(k) with company match
• Continuing education and paid training opportunities
• ⏰ Paid Time Off (PTO)
• Health and wellness benefits (including Calm Health and more)
• Supportive leadership, mentorship, and collaborative culture
• Opportunity to work alongside leading emergency and specialty veterinarians
• Modern facility with state-of-the-art equipment

If you're an experienced Veterinary Assistant who enjoys the pace and purpose of emergency medicine — and you're looking for a weekday daytime schedule — we'd love to connect.

Apply today to join Animal Emergency & Specialty Center of Chattanooga, where compassion, teamwork, and quality care come together.