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Colorado State University
Fort Collins, Colorado

Veterinary Clinical Pathologist (Full Time)

VeterinarianIncludes callIncludes weekendsFull-Time

Listed compensation

$130K - $140K

Listing transparency4 of 6 stated

Ask the employer about the work setting and nights and shift pattern.

Employment & setting
Full-Time
Call expectations
Includes call
Weekends
Includes weekends
Posted 1mo ago

Job Description

Position Summary:

The mission of the Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratories (VDL) is to provide timely, accurate and pertinent animal disease diagnostic services and educational outreach to veterinarians, animal industries and animal interests. The Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory will strive to meet the goals the College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences and the University through research to develop new approaches to disease identification, investigation, prevention and through education of professional veterinary medical, graduate, and post-doctoral students.

This is an Administrative Professional Veterinary Clinical Pathologist position at the Colorado State University Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory (CSUVDL) in Fort Collins, Colorado.

This is a full-time position, and the candidate will be scheduled for service on a daily basis, excluding time off for leave, professional development and other general duties. This position will include teaching and training duties for veterinary students and residents.

Both remote working and in-person candidates will be evaluated; however, it is highly preferred that this position works in-person and preference will be given to those candidates.

The position is full-time with a schedule based on section needs. This position may require after-hours and weekend work, based on caseload and urgent testing or laboratory needs.

This is an essential position, and the employee may be required to report to work, without delay, on some weather closure days and various holidays throughout the year.

This position will be required to report to work for emergency disease response requests and may be required to work significant hours (exceeding 40 hours per week) during a disease outbreak detection and response effort or other important diagnostic effort.

Full Consideration Date

Sunday, August 16th, 11:59pm (MT). This position will remain open until filled.

Description of Work Unit

At the CSU Veterinary Health System, animals and the people who care for them are at the heart of everything we do. Every decision we make reflects our commitment to those who trust us with their animals’ health.

That focus inspires us to deliver expert veterinary services, support veterinary education and training, and advance groundbreaking research. We show up every day with passion, eagerness to collaborate, and a drive to redefine what’s possible.

Our deep partnership with the College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences amplifies our impact, enabling us to boldly innovate and share knowledge widely.

Essential Job Duties

Provide service as a Clinical Pathologist, focusing on cytopathology service. This work includes, but is not limited to, interpretation of cytologic samples; interpretation of hematology specimens (including CBC data, blood smear review, bone marrow aspirates and core biopsies); interpretation of protein electrophoresis and immunofixation; and evaluation of biochemistry, urinalysis, and coagulation panel results.

Provide accurate and timely veterinary pathology diagnoses for multiple species, which requires attention to detail, organization, and excellent analytical, problem solving and communication skills (written and oral).

  • Provide exceptional service to VDL clients and meet all stated turnaround times.
  • Effectively communicate with clients in a timely manner.

Positively interact with the faculty and staff of the VDL and all internal and external stakeholders and advance the reputation of the Clinical Pathology section and the VDL.

Participate in the Quality Management System. Duties include reading and training on standard operating procedures, participating in audits and proficiency testing and completing quality control documents.

This position will be expected to detect any case, testing or equipment issues and troubleshoot problems independently. This position will resolve any non-compliant equipment or assay issues and notify the appropriate personnel of any threats to testing or laboratory quality.

Conditions of Employment

Pre-employment Criminal Background Check (required for new hires).

Valid Driver’s License - Must possess or obtain a valid driver’s license by the employment start date and maintain such in good standing for duration of active employment.

Essential Services Designation - Required to report without delay or interruption to provide essential or emergency services to ensure health, safety, and welfare.

The CSU Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory does not follow standard University Holiday Schedule due to the nature of the business. After hours and weekend work may be required.

On-Call Status - In the event of an emergency declared by the Veterinary Diagnostic Lab Director, overtime work or work outside normal operating hours will be required.

Handling of and exposure to zoonotic and hazardous materials – This position will handle formalin and formalin-fixed tissues. This position handles samples that may contain infectious agents and must follow PPE guidelines and appropriate standard operating procedures.

Special Requirements/Other - Must safely lift and carry items that weigh up to 50lbs.

May be required to be rabies vaccinated upon hire and maintain protective titers (blood drawn on a schedule determined by CSU Occupational Health to evaluate status).

Supervision

None

Minimum Qualifications

  • Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree (or equivalent).
  • Board certified by the American College of Veterinary Pathologists (ACVP).
  • Candidates must have or be eligible for a Colorado academic veterinary license.
  • A minimum of 5 years of experience working in veterinary medicine as a diagnostic clinical pathologist.

Ability to read cytology caseload accurately and in a timely manner, at a minimum of 30-35 cytology cases per day in an 8 hour period.

Salary Range

$130,000 – 140,000, commensurate with experience

Required Application Documents

To apply, please upload the following applicant documents. Ensure your materials fully address the required and preferred job qualifications of the position. Please note, applicants may redact information from their application materials that identifies their age, date of birth, or dates of attendance at or graduation from an educational institution.

Cover Letter, Resume/CV

Employee Benefits

Colorado State University is not just a workplace; it’s a thriving community that’s transforming lives and improving the human condition through world-class teaching, research, and service. With a robust benefits package, collaborative atmosphere, and focus on work-life balance, CSU is where you can thrive, grow, and make a lasting impact.

  • Review our detailed benefits information here.
  • Explore the additional perks of working at CSU here.
  • For the total value of CSU benefits in addition to wages, use our compensation calculator.
  • Lastly, click here for more information about why Fort Collins is consistently ranked in the top cities to live in!

Background Check Policy Statement

Colorado State University strives to provide a safe study, work, and living environment for its faculty, staff, volunteers and students. To support this environment and comply with applicable laws and regulations, CSU conducts background checks for the finalist before a final offer.

The type of background check conducted varies by position and can include, but is not limited to, criminal history, sex offender registry, motor vehicle history, financial history, and/or education verification.

Background checks will also be conducted when required by law or contract and when, in the discretion of the University, it is reasonable and prudent to do so.

EEO

Colorado State University (CSU) provides equal employment opportunities to all applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

Key Responsibilities

Provide expert clinical pathology services, focusing on cytopathology and hematology specimen interpretation for various species. Participate in teaching and training veterinary students and residents while maintaining high-quality diagnostic standards.

Requirements

Requires a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree and board certification by the American College of Veterinary Pathologists. Candidates must have at least 5 years of experience in veterinary diagnostic clinical pathology.

Qualifications

Education
Professional certificate or licensure
Experience
5+ years of experience

Key Skills

Analytical SkillsLaboratory Quality Control

Pathology Career Context

The cost-of-living index for Colorado is 103.1 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)), so the posted ~$135k midpoint carries the purchasing power of roughly $131k in an average-cost state. 60.9% of Colorado clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

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Annual compensation range

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Work-life snapshot

3.0/ 10
Listing-based score
  • Includes call
  • Includes weekends

Living in Fort Collins

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$531k
Typical market rent
$1,960/mo
Residents’ average commute
20 min
State income tax
Up to 4.4%
Sources & methodology

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

City-level figures. Not a cost-of-living guarantee.

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About Colorado State University

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Fort Collins, CO
11-50 employees

Benefits & Perks

Health Insurance
Dental
Vision
Retirement Plan
Professional Development
Work-Life Balance