Veterinarian

VeterinarianNo weekendsFull-Time

Listed compensation

$95k-$145k

The week · per this posting · Monday – Friday4-day week · 4×10s

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

Posted 2mo ago · Verified live

Job Description

Veterinarian

Provide meaningful veterinary care without production pressure.

The Animal Rescue League of Iowa is seeking a compassionate and skilled Veterinarian to join our ARL Afford-a-Care Pet Clinics team.

This role is ideal for a veterinarian who wants to practice high-quality medicine in a collaborative, mission-driven clinic environment while helping expand access to veterinary care in the Des Moines metro.

At the ARL Afford-a-Care Pet Clinics, our veterinarians provide trusted care for pets and the people who love them without the stress of production-based compensation measures.

This position offers the opportunity to build client relationships, see a broad range of cases, work alongside experienced support staff, and make a visible difference in the community.

Schedule

  • Schedules are typically four 10-hour days
  • ARL Afford-a-Care Pet Clinics are open Monday through Friday
  • Rotating half-day Saturdays
  • No emergency or after-hours care

About the ARL Afford-a-Care PET Clinics

The ARL Afford-a-Care Pet Clinics are part of the Animal Rescue League of Iowa, Iowa’s largest nonprofit animal welfare organization. Through the clinics, the ARL extends its mission into the community by helping pet owners access trusted, affordable veterinary care for the animals they love.

There are two clinic locations that provide pets with quality, affordable, compassionate care. Services include preventative care, on-site blood work, radiographs, surgery, and other essential veterinary services at a more affordable rate to help pets stay in loving homes.

What You’LL Do

  • Provide high-quality veterinary care for owned pets through the ARL Afford-a-Care Pet Clinics.
  • Perform examinations, diagnose conditions, develop treatment plans, and prescribe medications.
  • Provide preventative care, wellness services, medical care, and client education.
  • Perform or support surgical and dental procedures based on experience, interest, and clinic needs.
  • Work collaboratively with veterinarians, technicians, assistants, and client service staff.
  • Build trusted relationships with clients while helping them understand treatment options and next steps.
  • Maintain accurate medical records and follow established medical protocols.
  • Contribute to a supportive, collaborative, and learning-focused clinic culture.

What We’RE Looking For

  • Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, DVM or equivalent, from an accredited veterinary school required.
  • Active Iowa veterinary license in good standing, or ability to obtain licensure prior to employment, required.
  • Strong medical judgment and commitment to high-quality patient care.
  • Interest in access-to-care veterinary medicine and community impact.
  • Strong communication skills and commitment to client education.
  • Ability to work effectively with clients, veterinarians, technicians, assistants, and support staff.
  • Experience in general practice, surgery, dentistry, shelter medicine, or community veterinary care preferred.
  • Experienced veterinarians are encouraged to apply.

Benefits for Full-Time Employees

The ARL is proud to offer competitive, market-driven compensation and a mission-focused culture. In addition, a variety of benefits are available to full-time employees including:

  • Medical, dental, and vision insurance
  • Employer-paid long-term disability and basic life insurance
  • Supplemental insurances, including short-term disability, supplemental life insurance, accident, and critical illness insurance
  • 401(k) retirement plan with an employer contribution
  • Veterinary benefits
  • Work-life balance through our expansive holiday and paid time off policies
  • Potential student loan reimbursement opportunities
  • Public Service Loan Forgiveness eligibility
  • Market-competitive compensation without the stress of production-based compensation measures.

Physical and Work Environment Requirements

This position works in a veterinary clinic environment and may require standing for extended periods, performing examinations and procedures, safely handling animals of varying sizes and temperaments, and moving throughout the clinic as needed.

The role may involve exposure to animals, animal dander, cleaning agents, anesthetic gases, moderate noise, zoonotic diseases, and other conditions common to veterinary practice while following established safety procedures.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the position.

Why Join the ARL?

As a Veterinarian with the ARL Afford-a-Care Pet Clinics, your work helps families access trusted veterinary care while supporting the health and wellbeing of pets in our community. You will practice quality medicine in a collaborative environment where your judgment, compassion, and contributions are valued.

If you are looking for a clinic role where you can provide meaningful care, work with a supportive team, and make a visible difference for pets and the people who love them, we would love to connect.

Employment in this position is at-will, meaning either the employee or the ARL may end the employment relationship at any time, with or without cause or notice, as permitted by law.

The Animal Rescue League of Iowa is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and applicable state law. Applicants and employees are encouraged to discuss potential accommodations as needed.

Key Responsibilities

Provide high-quality veterinary care, including examinations, diagnoses, and treatment plans for owned pets. Perform surgical and dental procedures while building trusted relationships with clients through education and support.

Requirements

Requires a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) degree and an active Iowa veterinary license. Candidates should possess strong medical judgment and a commitment to community-based access-to-care medicine.

Qualifications

Education
Doctoral or professional degree (postgraduate degree)
Experience
2+ years of experience

Key Skills

DiagnosisTreatment PlanningMedical Record MaintenanceCollaborationAnimal Handling

Veterinary Medicine Career Context

The cost-of-living index for Iowa is 87.8 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)), so the posted ~$120k midpoint carries the purchasing power of roughly $137k in an average-cost state. 59.8% of Iowa clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

Of the 40 active Veterinary Medicine listings this role was benchmarked against, 75% have no call, 68% require no weekends.

What does the Veterinary Medicine market look like in Iowa?
MeasureThis jobMarket
Work-life score3.9 / 10 · above average in veterinaryranked against 4,308 Veterinary listingslisting-based score, 0–10
Listed pay$95k–$145kVeterinary Medicine median $140k (middle half $130k–$163k)415 comparable listings, Oct 2026
Cost-of-living adjusted pay~$137k in purchasing powerIowa index 87.8 (US = 100)BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)
Veterinary Medicine listings in Iowa21 active3,016 nationallylive on WeekdayDoc, Oct 2026
Work settingon-sitepeers: 75% no call · 68% no weekends40 benchmarked listings
Sources: WeekdayDoc live listing index (4,308 Veterinary listings), BEA Regional Price Parities (2024); as of Oct 2026. Same values as the Weekday Verdict and Market Insights on this page.

Top Veterinarian Jobs

17 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution

13 jobs · 10 employers
3
<$115k
4
$115k-140k
3
$140k-165k
3
$165k-190k

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks

13 jobs · 10 employers
401k / retirement match
85% this job
CME allowance
77%
Sign-on bonus
62%
Relocation assistance
46%
Loan repayment
23% this job

Share of similar jobs offering each benefit

#1

Veterinarian

Pure Paws Veterinary Care · New York, New York

$160k-$180k
#2

Veterinarian

Veterinary Practice Partners · New York, New York

$160k-$180k
#3

Veterinarian - Port Orchard, WA

$130k-$170k
#4

Clinical Veterinarian

$120k-$160k
+ 15 more · ranked by pay

Work-life snapshot

median 5.7this job 3.9
Better work-life than 30% of Veterinary Medicine listings

Listing-based score, 0–10, across 3,002 comparable listings. Shaded area = the share scoring below this one.

  • No weekends
Animal Rescue League Of Iowa logo

About Animal Rescue League Of Iowa

Non-profit Organizations
Des Moines, IA
51-200 employees

Benefits & Perks

Medical, dental, and vision insurance
Employer-paid long-term disability and basic life insurance
Supplemental insurances
401(k) retirement plan with employer contribution
Veterinary benefits
Expansive holiday and paid time off policies
Potential student loan reimbursement
Public Service Loan Forgiveness eligibility

Living in Des Moines

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$227k≈ 2.4× annual pay
Typical market rent
$1,126/mo≈ 14% of gross pay
Residents’ average commute
20 min
Metro price indexU.S. average = 100
91.7
State income tax
Up to 6%
Sources & methodology

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

BEA 2024 · Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA metro prices. Housing figures are city-level.

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