Modern Animal logo
Modern Animal
Los Angeles, California

Area Medical Director - Los Angeles

Veterinary MedicineFull-Time

Listed compensation

$166k-$265k

The week · per this posting · weekdays assumed

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

Posted 6m ago · Verified live

Job Description

At Modern Animal, we’re redefining veterinary care with a technology-forward approach and a deep commitment to our people. We equip our clinics with the tools, resources, and support needed to deliver exceptional care to pets and their owners. If you’re a thoughtful, results-driven leader excited by the opportunity to develop doctors, support high-performing teams, and elevate clinical standards across multiple clinics, we’d love to meet you.

Want a closer look at what makes Modern Animal different? Watch “Inside Modern Animal” for a behind-the-scenes glimpse.

The Opportunity

As an Area Medical Director, you’ll oversee the medical leadership and clinical development of the Los Angeles Area. You’ll directly manage a team of Lead Doctors and partner closely with the Regional Medical Director and cross-functional leaders to uphold the highest standards of care.

Reporting to the Regional Medical Director, you’ll coach, develop, and inspire veterinary leaders while helping Modern Animal grow responsibly. This is a field-based role — expect to spend ~80% of your time in-clinic, supporting teams and practicing medicine as needed.

What You’ll Do

Medical Leadership

  • Lead and inspire a team of veterinarians, providing mentorship, coaching, and professional development
  • Foster a culture of curiosity, integrity, clinical excellence, and accountability
  • Champion high standards of care across all medical services and procedures
  • Conduct routine clinical observations and chart reviews to provide feedback and ensure consistent quality
  • Serve as a medical resource for complex cases or escalated care concerns

Clinic Support & Team Development

Partner with the Area Clinic Manager to co-lead clinic teams and ensure alignment across medical and operational priorities

Participate in hiring, onboarding, and development of new doctors, including mentorship for new graduates or new leaders

  • Guide doctors on time management, case efficiency, and client communication
  • Lead performance management processes and support clinics through change and growth
  • Support a psychologically safe environment where doctors and teams can thrive

Clinical Operations & Growth

  • Collaborate with Regional and Support Teams to develop and implement programs that elevate patient care and client experience
  • Partner with cross-functional teams to implement new medical tools, systems, or workflows
  • Contribute to hiring strategy and workforce planning across your region
  • Monitor clinical performance metrics and use insights to coach and improve outcomes
  • Partner with field leaders to support clinic workflows, schedules, and DVM staffing needs
  • Assist with new clinic openings, including staffing, training, and establishing a culture of excellence from day one
  • Why You’ll Love Working at Modern Animal
  • Guaranteed, competitive base salary (no negative accrual)
  • Sign-on bonus
  • No non-compete agreements
  • Annual CE allowance and paid CE days
  • Generous paid time off, including sick leave, parental leave, and holidays
  • Stellar benefits package, including health, dental, and vision coverage with multiple plan option
  • 401(k) with company match
  • Access to Spring Health for behavioral and mental health support
  • Free Modern Animal membership for your own pets, plus discounts on services
  • A vibrant, supportive, blame-free culture made up of people committed to changing veterinary medicine for the better
  • Qualifications & Requirements
  • 10+ years of veterinary experience, ideally 5+ in a multi-unit operations or leadership role
  • Graduate of an AVMA-accredited veterinary school or equivalent program, with eligibility to practice in the United States
  • Active license to practice veterinary medicine in California required at the start of employment
  • License must be in good standing with no malpractice or disciplinary actions
  • Willingness to travel (up to 80%) to our clinics in the San Francisco Bay Area, in addition to occasional travel out-of-state for company meetings, events, and training
  • Must reside in, or be willing to relocate to, the San Francisco Bay Area

The pay range for this position is $166,000- $265,000 annually; however, base pay offered may vary depending on job-related knowledge, skills, and experience.

A sign-on bonus and equity grant units may be provided as part of the compensation package, in addition to a full range of medical, financial, and/or other benefits, dependent on the position offered. This information is provided per the California Pay Transparency Act. Base pay information is based on geographic location.

The pay range for this position is listed below; however, base pay offered may vary depending on job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. A sign-on bonus and equity grant units may be provided as part of the compensation package, in addition to a full range of medical, financial, and/or other benefits, dependent on the position offered. This information is provided per the California Pay Transparency Act. Base pay information is based on geographic location.

Salary Range

  • $166,000—$265,000 USD
  • To access the Company’s California CPRA Job Applicant Privacy Policy, please click here.

We believe an equitable and inclusive work environment and a diverse, empowered team are key to achieving our mission. We’re not looking for candidates who are “culture fits.” We’re looking for candidates who can expand our culture and challenge business as usual. We strive to foster an environment where all staff can bring their whole selves to work, by their own definition, and we strive to provide all candidates with an equitable and accessible recruitment process.

We provide equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran status, or genetics.

In addition to federal law requirements, we comply with applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment in every location in which the company has facilities.

This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.

If we can offer accommodations for you in the recruitment process, or if you have feedback on how to make our recruiting more equitable or accessible, please let us know!

Key Responsibilities

The Area Medical Director oversees medical leadership and clinical development across multiple clinics in the Los Angeles area. This role involves managing lead doctors, fostering clinical excellence, and partnering with operational teams to ensure high standards of care.

Requirements

Candidates must have 10+ years of veterinary experience and an active license to practice in California. A background in multi-unit operations or leadership is highly preferred.

Qualifications

Experience
10+ years of experience

Key Skills

Clinical leadershipTeam managementWorkflow optimizationStrategic planning

Veterinary Medicine — Physician Career Context

The cost-of-living index for California is 110.7 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)), so the posted ~$216k midpoint carries the purchasing power of roughly $195k in an average-cost state. 63.6% of California clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

Veterinary Medicine by the numbers
MeasureThis jobMarket
Listed pay$166k–$265kVeterinary Medicine median $190k (middle half $180k–$200k)41 comparable listings, Nov 2026
Cost-of-living adjusted pay~$195k in purchasing powerCalifornia index 110.7 (US = 100)BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)
Veterinary Medicine listings in California7 active46 nationallylive on WeekdayDoc, Nov 2026
Sign-on & loan repaymentnot statedCalifornia Physician listings: 33% state a sign-on bonus (median $100k) · 30% offer loan repayment1,000 active listings, Nov 2026
New Veterinary Medicine listings948 in the last 30 days550 the 30 days before (+72%)U.S., first seen on WeekdayDoc, Nov 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.

Work-life snapshot

median 2.8this job 1.5
Below most Veterinary Medicine listings for work-life

Listing-based score, 0–10, across 45 comparable listings. Shaded area = the share scoring below this one.

Modern Animal logo

About Modern Animal

Veterinary Services
Culver City, California
201-500 employees

Benefits & Perks

Sign-on bonus
No non-compete agreements
Annual CE allowance and paid CE days
Generous paid time off
Parental leave
Health, dental, and vision coverage
401(k) with company match
Spring Health behavioral and mental health support

Living in Los Angeles

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$922k≈ 5.6× annual pay
Typical market rent
$2,772/mo≈ 20% of gross pay
Residents’ average commute
31 min
Metro price indexU.S. average = 100
113.6
State income tax
Up to 13.3%
Sources & methodology

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

BEA 2024 · Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA metro prices. Housing figures are city-level.

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