Alliance Animal Health logo
Alliance Animal Health
Carbondale, Illinois

Associate Veterinarian | Mentorship Opportunities

VeterinarianFull-Time

Listed compensation

$110k-$140k

The week · per this posting · weekdays assumed

Ask the employer about the work setting, call expectations, weekend coverage and time off.

Posted 25m ago · Verified live

Job Description

Company Description

Full Time Associate Veterinarian | Signing Bonus up to $100K | $110,000 Starting Salary | Mentorship Opportunities

You’re a Veterinarian looking for medical autonomy, collaborative colleagues, and tools that support your clinical decisions. At Lakeside Spears Animal Hospital, join a three-doctor team in a full-time daytime role with mentorship opportunities and a signing bonus up to $100,000. A DVM or equivalent and an active veterinary state license are required. Experienced veterinarians and new graduates seeking mentorship are encouraged to apply.

Who We Are

Lakeside Spears Animal Hospital is a well-established veterinary hospital in Carbondale, Illinois, providing wellness care, urgent care, surgery, dentistry, and diagnostic services. Our approach to veterinary medicine centers on compassion, integrity, service, and strong connections with pets and their families.

Our team values collaboration and a culture where colleagues care about one another and the community. The hospital partners with nearby humane societies and participates in local events.

Our veterinary diagnostic resources include CT, ultrasound, X-ray, and in-house laboratory testing, including chemistry, hematology, and blood gases.

Learn More About Our Hospital!

Job Description

As an Associate Veterinarian, you will:

  • Practice general veterinary medicine and surgery across a diverse caseload.
  • Use the hospital’s imaging and laboratory resources to support clinical decisions.
  • Work alongside fellow DVMs and a collaborative hospital team.
  • Communicate compassionately with clients about their pets’ care.
  • Exercise medical autonomy while contributing to the hospital’s commitment to quality care.

This daytime position is suited to a Veterinarian who values teamwork, communicates clearly, and is proficient in general medicine and surgery. Experience is preferred; new graduates seeking mentorship are encouraged to apply.

What We Offer Veterinarians

  • Published annual salary range: S110,000–S140,000; advertised starting salary: S110,000.
  • Signing bonus up to S100,000.
  • Relocation assistance and student loan aid.
  • Medical autonomy and flexible scheduling.
  • DVM Mentor Network for continued professional development.
  • Paid continuing education allowance and professional dues.
  • Paid time off; health, dental, vision, and life insurance.
  • 401K and pet care discounts.
  • Support from a network named one of Inc.’s Best Workplaces 2025.

Life in Carbondale, Illinois

Build your veterinary career in a community offering outdoor activities, local festivals, a college-town atmosphere, and close community connections. Carbondale combines small-town character with opportunities to explore new interests outside work.

Located at 2001 Sweets Dr, the hospital is approximately two hours from St. Louis, three hours from Nashville, and three and a half hours from Louisville.

Qualifications

  • Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) degree, or equivalent, from an accredited university
  • Current DEA License or obtained upon hire
  • Active Veterinary State License
  • USDA Accreditation or obtained upon hire

Additional Information

Total compensation is individualized based on experience, schedule (full-time or part-time), location, and production. Compensation may include base salary, production incentives, sign-on bonus, relocation assistance, and other applicable benefits and incentives. Total compensation package for the first year might range from $110,000-$180,000+.

We Are a DRUG-Free & Equal Opportunity Employer.

Company Policy Forbids Discrimination Because of Age, Color, Race, Religion, Sex, Disability, Marital Status, Sexual Orientation or National Origin

For additional details including our full equal opportunity statement, texting/outreach communication authorization, physical requirements of the job and more, please visit allianceanimal.com.

Compensation: USD 110000 - USD 140000 - yearly

Key Responsibilities

The Associate Veterinarian will practice general medicine and surgery while utilizing hospital imaging and laboratory resources to support clinical decisions. They will also communicate compassionately with clients and collaborate with a team of fellow DVMs.

Qualifications

Education
Doctoral or professional degree (postgraduate degree)

Key Skills

Clinical decision makingClient communicationCT imaging

Veterinary Medicine Career Context

The cost-of-living index for Illinois is 100.0 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)), so the posted ~$125k midpoint carries the purchasing power of roughly $125k in an average-cost state. 62.6% of Illinois clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

Of the 47 active Veterinary Medicine listings this role was benchmarked against, 89% have no call, 77% require no weekends.

What does the Veterinary Medicine market look like in Illinois?
MeasureThis jobMarket
Listed pay$110k–$140kVeterinary Medicine median $135k (middle half $123k–$170k)16 comparable listings, Nov 2026
Cost-of-living adjusted pay~$125k in purchasing powerIllinois index 100.0 (US = 100)BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)
Veterinary Medicine listings in Illinois157 active3,101 nationallylive on WeekdayDoc, Nov 2026
Work settingon-sitepeers: 89% no call · 77% no weekends47 benchmarked listings
Sign-on & loan repayment$100k sign-on · loan repaymentIllinois healthcare professional listings: 38% state a sign-on bonus (median $50k) · 14% offer loan repayment209 active listings, Nov 2026
New Veterinary Medicine listings962 in the last 30 days517 the 30 days before (+86%)U.S., first seen on WeekdayDoc, Nov 2026
Veterinary Medicine pay trend+3.7% vs prior quarter—through Oct 2026
Sources: WeekdayDoc live listing index, BEA Regional Price Parities (2024); as of Nov 2026. Same values as the Weekday Verdict and Market Insights on this page.

Top Veterinarian Jobs

6 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution

6 jobs · 5 employers
1
$120k
1
$140k
0
$160k-180k
2
$180k
2
$200k

Annual compensation range

Work-Life Balance Distribution

6 jobs · 5 employers
0
1-2
0
3-4
0
5-6
3
7-8
3
9-10

Higher = better work-life balance

#1

Associate Veterinarian (Part-Time)- Bayside Animal Hospital

Dvm Launch · Granite Bay, California

$140k-$200k
#2

Associate Veterinarian- GP/ Urgent Care- Lombard Veterinary Hospital

Dvm Launch · Lombard, Illinois

$140k-$200k
#3

Veterinarian

$160k-$180k
#4

Veterinarian

$160k-$180k
+ 4 more · ranked by pay

Work-life snapshot

median 6.1this job 2.8
Better work-life than 20% of Veterinary Medicine listings

Listing-based score, 0–10, across 3,072 comparable listings. Shaded area = the share scoring below this one.

  • On-site
Alliance Animal Health logo

About Alliance Animal Health

Veterinary Services
Rye Brook, New York
201-500 employees

Benefits & Perks

Signing bonus up to $100,000
Relocation assistance
Student loan aid
Flexible scheduling
DVM Mentor Network
Paid continuing education allowance
Paid professional dues
Paid time off

Living in Carbondale

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$156k≈ 1.4× annual pay
Typical market rent
$673/mo≈ 7% of gross pay
Residents’ average commute
16 min
State income tax
Up to 5%
Sources & methodology

Sources: Zillow home values (Sep 2026), Zillow market rents (Sep 2026), U.S. Census ACS 2024 five-year.

Ratios use this listing’s gross annual pay. Not a cost-of-living guarantee.