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Modern Animal
Irvine, California

Lead Veterinarian - Irvine, CA

VeterinarianFull-Time

Listed compensation

$170k-$200k

The week · per this posting · weekdays assumed

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

Posted 1h ago · Verified live

Job Description

Prefer to watch instead of read? Check out “Inside Modern Animal” for a glimpse into what makes Modern Animal different.

With a technology-forward approach and a deep commitment to our people, Modern Animal is building the next generation of general practice veterinary care—one that balances the needs of practitioners just as much as pet owners and their animals. Our veterinarians are equipped with the tools, structure and support they need to practice the highest quality of medicine, without compromising on the boundaries between work and life.

What You Can Expect at Modern Animal

  • Warm, modern clinic environments that put you, the client, and the pet at ease
  • A 24/7 virtual care team there for your patients as an added layer of support
  • A dedicated in-clinic support team empowered to be involved more deeply in care

Structured schedules that give you time to catch your breath—you’ll work a single flow per shift (exam, urgent, or procedure)

Grow your skills and career path how you want with mentorship programs, support for CE, and clear career growth paths

  • A growth oriented organization ever evolving to build a better place for all
  • Thoughtful onboarding and training that’s customizable for your individual needs

An in-house technology platform built to reduce the time you spend on admin tasks and take the headache out of record-keeping

A vibrant, supportive, blame-free culture made up of people who are all here to change veterinary medicine for the better

  • What does a Modern Animal Lead Veterinarian do?
  • Lead a team of veterinarians by modeling excellent medical practice
  • Mentor associate doctors regarding the improvement of individual performance with respect to client satisfaction, teamwork, medical quality, record keeping, and efficiency
  • Empower the care team to deliver an unparalleled client experience

Collaborate with the clinic manager to drive the clinic’s overall performance as it relates to medical quality, member experience, and employee engagement while fostering an environment of continuous learning and development

Embody and encourage the Modern Animal culture of self-compassion and a blame- and judgment-free work environment

Lead and participate in initiatives that support the well-being of the clinical team by making the veterinary profession both joyful and sustainable

To Help You Live Well

  • Guaranteed salaries
  • Sign-on bonus
  • Equity in Modern Animal
  • No non-competes
  • Annual CE allowance and paid CE days
  • Paid time off, paid sick time, paid parental leave, and paid holidays
  • Stellar benefits package including health, dental, vision, and 401K with a company match
  • Access to Spring Health for behavioral and mental health support
  • Free membership to Modern Animal and discount services for your pets

To Apply, You Must Have

Prefer at least 1 year of experience managing & leading teams of Veterinarians and 5+ years of experience as a Veterinarian

  • Graduate of an AVMA-accredited veterinary school or completed requirements 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

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

$170,000—$200,000 USD

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

Lead a team of veterinarians by modeling excellent medical practice and mentoring associate doctors to improve performance and client satisfaction. Collaborate with the clinic manager to drive overall clinic performance while fostering a supportive and blame-free work environment.

Requirements

Requires a graduate degree from an AVMA-accredited veterinary school and an active, good-standing license to practice in California. Candidates must have at least 5 years of experience as a veterinarian and at least 1 year of experience managing and leading teams.

Qualifications

Education
Master's degree (postgraduate degree)

Key Skills

Team leadershipClinical managementMedical quality assuranceStaff developmentConflict resolutionUrgent careSurgical procedures

Veterinary Medicine Career Context

The cost-of-living index for California is 110.7 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)), so the posted ~$185k midpoint carries the purchasing power of roughly $167k in an average-cost state. 63.6% of California clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

Of the 42 active Veterinary Medicine listings this role was benchmarked against, 74% have no call, 45% require no weekends.

What does the Veterinary Medicine market look like in California?
MeasureThis jobMarket
Listed pay$170k–$200kVeterinary Medicine median $159k (middle half $145k–$180k)63 comparable listings, Nov 2026
Cost-of-living adjusted pay~$167k in purchasing powerCalifornia index 110.7 (US = 100)BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)
Veterinary Medicine listings in California263 active3,191 nationallylive on WeekdayDoc, Nov 2026
Work settingon-sitepeers: 74% no call · 45% no weekends42 benchmarked listings
Sign-on & loan repaymentnot statedCalifornia healthcare professional listings: 37% state a sign-on bonus (median $38k) · 15% offer loan repayment388 active listings, Nov 2026
New Veterinary Medicine listings1,004 in the last 30 days502 the 30 days before (+100%)U.S., first seen on WeekdayDoc, Nov 2026
Veterinary Medicine pay trend+3.7% vs prior quarter—through Oct 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.

Top Veterinarian Jobs

24 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution

24 jobs · 17 employers
5
<$145k
4
$145k-170k
5
$170k-195k
6
$195k-220k
4
$220k+

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks

23 jobs · 17 employers
401k / retirement match
91% this job
CME allowance
87% this job
Sign-on bonus
74% this job
Relocation assistance
65%
Loan repayment
4%

Share of similar jobs offering each benefit

#1

Veterinarian Medical Leader

PETCO Animal Supplies Stores · Folsom, California

$140k-$224k
#2

Hospital Medical Leader - Veterinarian

PETCO Animal Supplies Stores · Los Angeles, California

$140k-$224k
#3

Hospital Veterinarian

$104k-$220k
#4

Senior Veterinarian

$120k-$220k
+ 22 more · ranked by pay

Work-life snapshot

median 6.0this job 1.5
Below most Veterinary Medicine listings for work-life

Listing-based score, 0–10, across 3,156 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

Guaranteed salaries
Sign-on bonus
Equity in Modern Animal
No non-competes
Annual CE allowance and paid CE days
Paid time off
Paid sick time
Paid parental leave

Living in Irvine

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$1.36M≈ 8.0× annual pay
Typical market rent
$3,604/mo≈ 25% of gross pay
Residents’ average commute
25 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.