Veterinarian | up to $50,000 sign-on bonus | Ideal Veterinary Hospital | Oak Ridge, TN
Listed compensation
USD $100,000.00 - USD $120,000.00 /Yr.
Listing transparency4 of 6 stated
Ask the employer about weekend coverage and nights and shift pattern.
- Employment & setting
- Full-Time · on-site
- Call expectations
- Includes call
- Weekends
- Not specified
Job Description
Practice
At Ideal Veterinary Hospital, we strive to treat you and your pet in the same way we treat our pets: with compassion, understanding, and love. We are lways looking for better ways to treat your furry friend when they need tender love and care.
Position Purpose
Ideal Veterinary Hospital in Oak Ridge, TN, is seeking a compassionate and skilled Associate Veterinarian to join our team. We are a well-established small animal practice dedicated to providing high-quality medical and surgical care to the pets and families in our community. About Ideal Veterinary Hospital:
Our team: You will join an experienced team that values a collaborative approach to veterinary medicine. Our 3-doctor team brings a wide level of experience to support you, whether you're a seasoned veterinarian or just getting started in your career.
Our clients: We're known for our compassionate approach and for building close relationships with pet owners, offering clear communication and tailored treatment plans.
Our facilities: You won't believe how big and beautiful our surgery suite is! With 2 surgery tables, lots of natural light, and well-trained surgery technicians, you'll be ready for any procedure.
About Oak Ridge: Located just west of Knoxville, Oak Ridge was built under a cloak of secrecy by the US government during World War II as a major site of the Manhattan Project. Today it boasts a safe community with low crime, top-rated schools, parks, greenways and athletic fields, and is in close proximity to national parks. It's the perfect place to call home!
Essential Responsibilities
- Examine and treat companion animals to detect and determine the nature of disease or injuries.
- Operate diagnostic equipment and collect diagnostic samples as well as interpret results.
- Advise pet owners on preventative care and treatment options.
- Perform surgery and prescribe medication as needed.
- Provide counsel around pet end of life care.
- Maintain patients’ medical records.
- Ensures compliance with veterinary ethics and relevant statues, policies, and procedures.
Requirements/Qualifications
- DVM/VMD degree from an accredited AVMA institution.
- Appropriate state licensure.
- Eligibility to obtain DEA/BNDD.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
- Demonstrates professional and courteous presentation consistently with staff and clients.
- Ability to lift patients and carry equipment up to 25 pounds; ability to lift patients or carry equipment over 25 pounds with assistance.
- Benefits Offered
- Unlimited personal time off (PTO)
- Bonus incentives
- Health insurance; dental insurance; vision insurance
- Retirement benefits (401(k) or Roth(k) with match)
- CE and licensure reimbursement
- Flexible work schedules
- Managing career path development
- Employee Assistance Program
- DVM Referral Program
- Sign-on bonus and Relocation assistance available
Pay Range
USD $100,000.00 - USD $120,000.00 /Yr.
Key Responsibilities
Examine and treat companion animals to diagnose diseases and injuries while performing necessary surgeries and prescribing medications. Provide preventative care advice to pet owners and maintain accurate medical records in compliance with veterinary ethics.
Requirements
Candidates must hold a DVM/VMD degree from an AVMA-accredited institution and possess appropriate state licensure. Eligibility for DEA/BNDD and strong professional communication skills are also required.
Qualifications
- Education
- Doctoral or professional degree (postgraduate degree)
Certifications
Key Skills
Veterinary Medicine Career Context
Of the 40 active Veterinarian listings this role was benchmarked against, 3% are remote, 78% have no call, 60% require no weekends.
The cost-of-living index for Tennessee is 91.9 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)), so the posted ~$110k midpoint carries the purchasing power of roughly $120k in an average-cost state. 58.6% of Tennessee clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).
Location & Logistics
Tennessee has no state income tax, which can significantly increase take-home pay compared to high-tax states. At the posted ~$110k midpoint, that is roughly $4k–$8k a year versus a typical 4–7% state rate.
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Listing-based score
- On-site
- Includes call
Living in Oak Ridge
Rent affordability
20% of gross payMarket rent compared with this listing’s advertised pay.
Purchasing power
$108,028–$129,633/yrAt national-average prices · Before taxes
- Typical 3-bedroom home value
- $328k≈ 3.3× annual pay
- Typical market rent
- $1,679/mo
- Residents’ average commute
- 22 min
- Metro price indexU.S. average = 100
- 92.6
- State income tax
- None
Sources & methodology
Sources: Zillow home values (Aug 2026), Zillow market rents (Aug 2026), U.S. Census ACS 2024 five-year.
BEA 2024 · Knoxville, TN metro prices. Housing figures are city-level.
Ratios use the advertised annual pay range’s lower bound, before taxes. Regional prices are not a personal budget.
Peer group: veterinarian · veterinary medicine · Full-time · hours not stated · Pay composition not stated. National listings with usable annual USD pay and local data, posted within 180 days of the 2026-09-22 snapshot. Rankings use lower pay bounds; higher percentiles mean more favorable comparisons. Only the same rent observation month is compared.
Ratings need at least 30 other listings, five employers and three locations; no employer may contribute over 35%. Strong: top quarter; Typical: middle half; Weaker: bottom quarter. Missing ratings mean insufficient comparable data, not a poor offer. These are offer comparisons, not city grades.