VCA Animal Hospitals logo
VCA Animal Hospitals
La Quinta, California

Associate Veterinarian

VeterinarianNo weekendsFull-Time

Listed compensation

$80k-$180k

Listing transparency3 of 6 stated

Ask the employer about the work setting, call expectations and nights and shift pattern.

Employment & setting
Full-Time
Call expectations
Not specified
Weekends
No weekends
Posted 1mo ago

Job Description

Join us as a Veterinarian at VCA All Creatures Animal Hospital and you’ll quickly discover that you’re well supported by world-class medicine, technology, facilities and a talented team. You’ll be empowered to do your best work with a team you can count on. At VCA, the future of veterinary medicine is in our hands.

Why join the team

  • Digital Radiography, Digital Dental Radiography, Ultrasound (diagnostic), EMR, Cold or Therapeutic Lasers
  • Acupuncture and chiropractic services
  • Opportunity to see exotics

Schedule

  • Full-Time, Part-Time
  • Hospital open Monday – Friday 7:30am – 5pm and Saturday 8:30am – 5:00pm.
  • Cases
  • Dogs, cats, exotics (rabbits, guinea pigs, pocket pets, etc.), avian, reptiles and wildlife
  • Who we look for
  • People obsessed with pets and their care
  • Dedicated experts who want to provide world-class medicine
  • Collaborators who enjoy teaching others and working as a team
  • Curious lifelong learners who want to grow and thrive for a dynamic and fulfilling career
  • Empathetic partners who develop strong client and Associate relationships built on trust

Total Rewards

As a member of the VCA family, eligible full-time employees will be rewarded with a comprehensive package, including:

Compensation

  • The annual salary range for this position is $80,000 to $180,000.
  • Salary is negotiable based on experience, skills, knowledge, abilities and other relevant credentials.
  • Generous sign-on bonus and relocation available
  • This position may also be eligible for other variable pay programs.
  • Health & Well-being

Innovative Associate health and well-being department (Headspace app subscriptions, Fidelity financial wellness tool, and access to additional mental health resources)

  • 401k retirement savings plan with company match
  • Health/dental/vision insurance, infertility benefits, gender affirmation services
  • Paid parental, vacation and sick leave
  • Professional Development
  • Continuing Education Allowance and paid Continuing Education Days
  • WOOF University – offering abundant CE for Doctors and the care team
  • Opportunities to participate in a robust Clinical Studies program
  • Discover Additional Benefits Benefits | VCA (vcacareers.com)

Qualifications

  • A Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) degree, from an accredited university or equivalent
  • Licensure in good standing to practice in California, or the ability to obtain
  • A commitment to practicing the highest standard of medicine and upholding the veterinary code of ethics

About VCA

VCA is a leader in veterinary care and is committed to taking care of the future of veterinary medicine. With a network of 1,000 animal hospitals, we impact pets, people and our communities by delivering world-class medicine with hometown care to over 4.5 million pets annually.

Trusted and empowered, our 35,000 Associates collaborate and unleash their unique power to achieve the best outcomes. With access to endless resources, we continuously learn and share knowledge to build fulfilling careers, push our profession forward and make a lasting impact on our shared future.

VCA is part of the Mars Veterinary Health family of brands, working towards A Better World for Pets™. Learn more at www.vca.com or find us on social media.

Learn more about the hospital

If you are a current associate, you will need to apply through our internal career site. Please log into Workday and click on the Jobs Hub app or search for Browse Jobs.

Benefits: We offer competitive compensation along with a comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental, vision and paid vacation/sick days, 401(k), generous employee pet discounts and more!

The information in this position description indicates the general nature and level of work to be performed. It is not designed to be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities, and qualifications required of associates assigned to this job. Management reserves the right to revise the job description or require that other tasks be performed when the circumstances of the job change (for example, emergencies, change in personnel, workload, or technical development)

We are proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer - Veterans / Disabled. For a complete EEO statement please see our career page at vcacareers.com

Key Responsibilities

The Associate Veterinarian will practice world-class medicine utilizing advanced technology and facilities while collaborating with a talented team. Responsibilities include providing care for dogs, cats, exotics, avian, reptiles, and wildlife.

Qualifications

Education
Doctoral or professional degree (postgraduate degree)

Key Skills

Cold LaserExotics CareAvian CareReptile CareWildlife CareClient Relationship BuildingTeam Collaboration

Veterinary Medicine Career Context

In California, the Veterinary Medicine weighted monthly median benchmark on WeekdayDoc is ~$160k (64 salary observations; 201 listings), vs ~$140k nationally (412 salary observations; 2,587 listings). Monthly aggregates cover 2026-02-01 through 2026-09-01; these are not the modal's selected comparable-job medians.

Of the 40 active Veterinary Medicine listings this role was benchmarked against, 70% have no call, 60% require no weekends.

Veterinary Medicine pay on WeekdayDoc is down 20.0% vs. the prior quarter (through Aug 2026).

The cost-of-living index for California is 110.7 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)), so the posted ~$130k midpoint carries the purchasing power of roughly $117k in an average-cost state. 63.6% of California clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

Top Veterinarian Jobs

31 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution21 jobs · 20 employers

10
<$150k
2
$170k
4
$175k-200k
3
$200k-225k
2
$240k

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks21 jobs · 20 employers

401k / retirement match
95% this job
Sign-on bonus
90% this job
CME allowance
90% this job
Relocation assistance
57% this job
Loan repayment
14%

Share of similar jobs offering each benefit

#1

Feline-Only Veterinarian – Full-Time or Part-Time

Confidential Employer · New Orleans, Louisiana

$80k-$240k
#2

Feline-Only Veterinarian – Full-Time or Part-Time

Veterinary Practice Partners · New Orleans, Louisiana

$80k-$240k
#3

Veterinarian, Partner & Equity Owner

$120k-$220k
#4

Feline Veterinarian - Chico, CA

$150k-$200k
+ 29 more · ranked by pay

Work-life snapshot

3.9/ 10
Listing-based score
  • No weekends

Living in La Quinta

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$678k
Typical market rent
$3,568/mo
Residents’ average commute
26 min
Metro price indexU.S. average = 100
106.4
State income tax
Up to 13.3%
Sources & methodology

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

BEA 2024 · Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA metro prices. Housing figures are city-level.

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

VCA Animal Hospitals logo

About VCA Animal Hospitals

Veterinary Services
Los Angeles, CA
10,000+ employees

Benefits & Perks

Sign-on bonus
Relocation assistance
Health/dental/vision insurance
401k with company match
Paid parental, vacation, and sick leave
Continuing Education Allowance
Paid CE days
Headspace app subscription