Associate Veterinarian-Part Time
Compensation
Pay not listed
The week · per this posting
Ask the employer about the work setting, weekend coverage, nights and shift pattern and time off.
Job Description
Santa Fe Animal Shelter is seeking an Associate Veterinarian in our shelter clinic. Our Associate Veterinarians are responsible for performing high-quality surgical procedures and other routine veterinary services in a fast-paced shelter setting. Flexibility of doing minimal to no surgery is also an option.
Our shelter veterinarians also focus on shelter rounds and foster appointments. Come be part of the solution and join our new leadership team in their mission to make Santa Fe Animal Shelter the premier shelter in the southwest.
SFAS’s shelter program serve canines, felines, rabbits, and other small animals such as guinea pigs and birds. There is one part-time role available.
Requirements
DVM Duties and Responsibilities
- Perform daily shelter rounds
- Maintain clinic controlled substance log in conjunction with veterinary technicians/assistants
- Supervise, support, and train Licensed Veterinary Technicians and Veterinary Assistants as needed in cooperation with the Medical Director.
- In cooperation with the Medical Director, ensure the veterinary team and the facilities comply with all applicable Federal, State, and Local laws, regulations, and ordinances, including the New Mexico Board of Veterinary Medicine, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency, and OSHA
- Participate in continuing education programs in accordance with state requirements
- Perform spay, neuter, dental, and other surgical and animal medical procedures (depending on experience and desires of applicant)
- No on-call or after-hours emergencies
Other Duties
- Work cooperatively with all staff and volunteers to promote the SFAS mission
- Perform other duties as necessary
Skills and Educational Requirements
- Degree in veterinary medicine from an accredited university of veterinary medicine
- License to practice as a veterinarian in the state of New Mexico, or ability to obtain
- Drug Enforcement Agency controlled-substance registration
- Licensed with the New Mexico pharmacy board or ability to obtain
- Certified to perform intrastate health certificates
- Ability to make sound decisions with regard to patient care and clinic operations
- Confidence using computer systems and learning new software
- Strong interpersonal skills, including the ability to communicate with and relate to people of all age groups across a wide spectrum of the community
- Strong written and oral communication skills including the ability to educate effectively in English
- Preferably, experience in shelter medicine and in high volume spay/neuter clinics
- Willingness to discuss euthanasia, open-admission sheltering, and surrender of pets in a non-judgmental, non-confrontational, fact-based manner
- Ability to express organizational standpoints when serving as a SFAS representative
- Ability to handle confidential or sensitive information with discretion
- Ability to function well independently and as a team member
- Ability to mediate and problem-solve in the moment
- Excellent attention to detail; organization skills and ability to multitask
Physical and Time Demands
- Ability to work two 10-hour days
- Ability to work in a fast-paced setting with distractions
- Ability to work in the presence of animals, strong odors, and cleaning solutions
- Ability to stand, walk, bend, and lift and carry materials up to 40 lbs with assistance
- Ability to handle stress
- Valid driver’s license, clean driving record, and reliable personal transportation
Salary and Benefits
- Public Service Loan Forgiveness eligible
- Competitive salary, based on experience (full-time salary starting at: $150,000++ doe)
- 30 hour average per week is considered eligible for benefits
- 401K
- Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance (full-time)
- Access to mental health resources
- Life insurance
- Paid Holidays (full-time)
- Personal Time-off (full-time)
- Flexible scheduling while meeting the needs of the shelter
- Work under a dedicated Veterinarian Medical Director that is supportive, approachable, and flexible
- Paid annual Continuing Education requirements
- Paid professional licensing fees
- Paid liability insurance
- Discounted clinic services
- Relocation assistance considered for out-of-state applicants
Key Responsibilities
The Associate Veterinarian is responsible for performing high-quality surgical procedures and routine veterinary services within a shelter environment. They will also conduct daily shelter rounds, supervise veterinary staff, and ensure compliance with all medical and legal regulations.
Qualifications
- Education
- Doctoral or professional degree (postgraduate degree)
- Experience
- 2+ years of experience
Key Skills
Work-Life Balance Analysis
WeekdayDoc's proprietary algorithm rates Associate Veterinarian-Part Time at Santa Fe Animal Shelter a 7.5 out of 10 for work-life balance — classified as very good. This places the position in the top 25% in Veterinary — ranked against 4,356 active Veterinary listings on WeekdayDoc. Contributing factors include no on-call duties.
Shelter Medicine Career Context
Of the 40 active Veterinarian listings this role was benchmarked against, 83% have no call, 68% require no weekends.
Veterinarian pay on WeekdayDoc is down 6.7% vs. the prior quarter (through Sep 2026).
| Measure | This job | Market |
|---|---|---|
| Work-life score | 7.5 / 10 · top 25% in veterinary | ranked against 4,356 Veterinary listingslisting-based score, 0–10 |
| Listed pay | not listed | Veterinarian median $140k (middle half $130k–$163k)414 comparable listings, Oct 2026 |
| Cost of living | New Mexico index 92.2 | US average = 100BEA Regional Price Parities (2024) |
| Veterinarian listings in New Mexico | 28 active | 4,466 nationallylive on WeekdayDoc, Oct 2026 |
| Work setting | on-site | peers: 83% no call · 68% no weekends40 benchmarked listings |
| Veterinarian pay trend | −6.7% vs prior quarter | —through Sep 2026 |
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