Veterinarian
Listed compensation
$130k-$150k
The week · per this posting · Monday – Friday
Ask the employer about the work setting, nights and shift pattern and time off.
Job Description
Salary: $130,000-$150,000 base salary + production
Location: 8100B Arlington Blvd, Falls Church, VA 22042 (Merrifield)
Hospital hours: Monday-Friday 7:30am-8:00pm, Saturday 8:00am-4:00pm, Sunday closed. We work with you to build a schedule that fits your life, with no on-call duties!
Caring Hands Animal Hospital of Merrifield is hiring a full time Veterinarian. Practice the kind of medicine you trained for! Here you'll see the full range of small animal medicine: wellness and puppy and kitten care, dentistry, surgery, imaging, internal medicine, pain management, senior care, intensive care and urgent cases. You'll do it alongside a deep bench of doctors who share cases, trade ideas and want you to grow.
Why Choose Caring Hands in Merrifield?
Real case variety. Our service list goes well beyond routine wellness, so you can work up complex cases, follow them through, and keep building your clinical skills.
A deep bench of doctors. Six veterinarians practice here, including our co-owners who still see patients every day. There is always a colleague to consult, and a second opinion is a few steps away.
Accredited, low-stress medicine. We are AAHA-accredited and committed to Fear Free handling, with separate spaces for dogs and cats, so you can practice good medicine on calm patients.
Time to practice well. We explain the "why" behind every recommendation and build care plans around each pet's history and each family's goals, which keeps clients loyal and your days rewarding.
A location that works for your life. Merrifield sits in Fairfax County near the Mosaic District and the Dunn Loring-Merrifield Metro station, with Washington, DC a short drive or train ride away.
Growth and Support
Mentorship built around you. New graduates and experienced doctors alike can work with our Medical Director on a plan matched to their experience and learning style, from case support in your first weeks to long-term career goals.
Choose your clinical focus. Surgery and dentistry are strengths of our team, but you can shape your caseload around the areas you enjoy most.
A team behind you. Licensed technicians, assistants and client care staff work side by side with our doctors, and new team members at every level are welcomed into a supportive culture.
Ownership path. Through Veterinary Practice Partners (VPP), more than 200 partners co-own practices across 170+ locations, so a future as a practice partner is a real option.
What We're Looking For
- DVM or VMD degree from an accredited university
- Licensure in good standing to practice in Virginia
- A kind, compassionate approach that helps us keep our positive culture
About Caring Hands
Caring Hands Animal Hospital, we believe in building strong relationships with both pets and their owners. Through open communication, honesty, and compassionate care, we ensure every pet receives the highest standard of treatment in a safe, comfortable and loving environment.
We believe that we can create a better world for animals and the people who love them. We think deeply about what a veterinary practice can be and mean for pets and people. We think differently about how to build it. Relationships can only work on a strong foundation of trust.
That's why we have built the most open and transparent veterinary experience in the region. Open treatment areas, windows into the surgical suites, and an open door policy. Our care runs from wellness and dentistry through internal medicine, surgery and intensive care.
Location
Merrifield sits in the middle of Northern Virginia, where you get the energy of the city without living on top of it.
The Mosaic District is a short drive away with its walkable streets of restaurants, shops and a movie theater, and the Dunn Loring-Merrifield Metro station puts the Orange Line, and downtown DC, within easy reach.
Tysons is minutes up the road, Vienna’s Church Street has the independent restaurants and coffee shops, and Wolf Trap brings concerts and theater to the area all summer. When you want green space, the trails and parks of Fairfax County are close, and the Blue Ridge is about an hour west. You get a short commute, a lot to do, and room to build a life.
Key Responsibilities
Provide comprehensive small animal medical care including wellness exams, surgery, dentistry, and intensive care. Collaborate with a team of veterinarians to manage complex cases and develop personalized care plans for patients.
Requirements
Must hold a DVM or VMD degree from an accredited university. Must possess a valid license to practice veterinary medicine in the state of Virginia.
Qualifications
- Education
- Doctoral or professional degree (postgraduate degree)
Key Skills
Veterinary Medicine Career Context
The cost-of-living index for Virginia is 101.1 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)), so the posted ~$140k midpoint carries the purchasing power of roughly $138k in an average-cost state. 61.1% of Virginia clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).
Of the 45 active Veterinary Medicine listings this role was benchmarked against, 73% have no call, 47% require no weekends.
| Measure | This job | Market |
|---|---|---|
| Work-life score | 7.1 / 10 · above average in veterinary medicine | ranked against 3,026 Veterinary Medicine listingslisting-based score, 0–10 |
| Listed pay | $130k–$150k | Veterinary Medicine median $140k (middle half $129k–$165k)15 comparable listings, Oct 2026 |
| Cost-of-living adjusted pay | ~$138k in purchasing power | Virginia index 101.1 (US = 100)BEA Regional Price Parities (2024) |
| Veterinary Medicine listings in Virginia | 102 active | 3,066 nationallylive on WeekdayDoc, Oct 2026 |
| Work setting | on-site | peers: 73% no call · 47% no weekends45 benchmarked listings |
| Sign-on & loan repayment | not stated | Virginia healthcare professional listings: 38% state a sign-on bonus (median $60k) · 13% offer loan repayment165 active listings, Oct 2026 |
Work-Life Balance Analysis
WeekdayDoc's proprietary algorithm rates Veterinarian at Caring Hands Animal Hospital - Merrifield a 7.1 out of 10 for work-life balance — classified as very good. This places the position in the Above average in Veterinary Medicine — ranked against 3,026 active Veterinary Medicine listings on WeekdayDoc. Contributing factors include no on-call duties, no weekend requirements.
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