VCA Animal Hospitals logo
VCA Animal Hospitals
Elk Grove, California

Associate Veterinarian

Veterinarian Above average in Veterinary MedicineNo weekendsFull-Time

Listed compensation

$67k-$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 an Associate Veterinarian at VCA Elk Grove 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

  • Modern facilities with a renovated lobby and exam rooms (2018) and a double-table surgery suite
  • Hands-free radiology (70% YTD 2024)
  • Fear-Free accredited
  • AAHA accredited

Exceptional team longevity: 75% of the staff have over 5 years with VCA; half have 10+ years, including members with 20–30 years of experience

Now Offering VCA Scribe!

Schedule

  • Full-Time preferred; Part-Time and rotating options considered
  • Hours: Mon-Fri 7:30 am–6:00 pm, Sat 9:00 am–5:00 pm, Closed Sun
  • Cases
  • Primarily small animals, with minimal exotics (one DVM sees rabbits, guinea pigs, and turtles)
  • 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 $66,560 - $180K.

Salary is negotiable based on experience, skills, knowledge, abilities and other relevant credentials. Salary range listed is based on a 40 hour work week.

  • 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 CA, 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 [Link to hospital website]

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 modern facilities and technology, supported by a talented and experienced team. Responsibilities include providing care primarily for small animals, with minimal exposure to exotics like rabbits, guinea pigs, and turtles.

Qualifications

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

Key Skills

Small Animal CareExotic Animal CareFear-Free PracticesClient Relationship BuildingTeam CollaborationClinical Studies Participation

Work-Life Balance Analysis

WeekdayDoc's proprietary algorithm rates Associate Veterinarian at VCA Animal Hospitals a 7.0 out of 10 for work-life balance — classified as very good. This places the position in the Above average in Veterinary Medicine — ranked against 2,953 active Veterinary Medicine listings on WeekdayDoc. Contributing factors include no weekend requirements.

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 ~$123k midpoint carries the purchasing power of roughly $111k 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%
CME allowance
90% this job
Relocation assistance
57%
Loan repayment
14%

Share of similar jobs offering each benefit

#1

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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

7.0/ 10
Listing-based score

Above average in Veterinary Medicine

  • No weekends

Living in Elk Grove

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$548k
Typical market rent
$2,716/mo
Residents’ average commute
31 min
Metro price indexU.S. average = 100
106.7
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 · Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, 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

401k retirement savings plan with company match
Health/dental/vision insurance
Paid parental, vacation and sick leave
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
Headspace app subscriptions
Fidelity financial wellness tool