How to hire a veterinary laboratory technician

How to hire a veterinary laboratory technician, step by step

Here's a step-by-step veterinary laboratory technician hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a veterinary laboratory technician job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new veterinary laboratory technician
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your veterinary laboratory technician job, you should take the time to determine what type of worker your business needs. While certain jobs definitely require a full-time employee, it's sometimes better to find a veterinary laboratory technician for hire on a part-time basis or as a contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them a veterinary laboratory technician to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire a veterinary laboratory technician that fits the bill.

   The following list breaks down different types of veterinary laboratory technicians and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Veterinary Laboratory Technician	Description	Hourly rate
   Veterinary Laboratory Technician	Veterinary technologists and technicians perform medical tests under the supervision of a licensed veterinarian to assist in diagnosing the injuries and illnesses of animals.	$12-20
   Animal Health Technician	Animal health technicians work primarily in an animal diagnostics laboratory, where they test specimens according to a veterinarian's requests. The animal health technician must be capable of operating all of the necessary diagnostics equipment for animal care... Show more	$11-27
   Technician	Technicians are skilled professionals who primarily work with technology in different industries. They are knowledgeable about the technical aspects of the various items they work with... Show more	$11-27

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Animal Handling
   • Laboratory Procedures
   • Diagnostic Tests
   • Biomedical
   • Catheter
   • Laboratory Animals
   • Medical Procedures
   • SQ
   • IV
   • Radiographic Procedures
   • Genotyping
   • Radiology
   • Laboratory Results
   • Emergency Care

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage operational and administrative functions such as training/supervising new employees, issuing prescriptions, and documenting pet insurance applications and transactions.
   • Perform all animal technician functions for surgical and radiology procedures in compliance with pertinent regulations and guidelines as required by protocol.
   • Work closely with clients, other staff and Dr. Faulkner.

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your veterinary laboratory technician job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A veterinary laboratory technician salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, veterinary laboratory technicians' average salary in arkansas is 42% less than in alaska.
   • Seniority. Entry-level veterinary laboratory technicians earn 37% less than senior-level veterinary laboratory technicians.
   • Certifications. A veterinary laboratory technician with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in a veterinary laboratory technician's salary.

   Average veterinary laboratory technician salary

   $16.57hourly

   $34,460 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level veterinary laboratory technician salary

   $27,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 16, 2025

4. Writing a veterinary laboratory technician job description

   A veterinary laboratory technician job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. To help get you started, here's an example of a veterinary laboratory technician job description:

   Veterinary laboratory technician job description example

   JOB DESCRIPTION: Assists in performing diagnostic and interventional procedures in the cardiovascular and peripheral systems of patients to aid physician in diagnosis and treatment of heart and vascular disorders in the Cardiac Cath and EP Labs. Provides quality patient care to patients undergoing invasive procedures. Prepares patient for test and explains procedures. Assists in conducting tests to aid in diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular systems, using a variety of specialized electronic test equipment and recording devices. Processes all required paperwork, has knowledge of all supplies and the contents of each stockroom.
   
   MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: Licensed AEMT OR NRP OR graduate of accredited school of radiologic technology OR accredited school of cardiovascular technology OR academic program in health sciences. Registered as an ARRT with post primary category of cardiac interventional radiography or RCIS (Registered Cardiovascular Invasive Specialist). Certification in RCIS (Registered Cardiovascular Invasive Specialist) or post primary category of cardiac interventional radiography preferred prior to employment or obtained within 18 months of employment as a condition of continued employment. Able to wear lead aprons and stand for 80% of work time. BLS certification required.
   
   PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS (Medium): 20-50 lbs; 0-33% of the work day (occasionally); 11-25 lbs, 34-66% of the workday (frequently); 01-10 lbs, 67-100% of the workday (constantly); Lifting 50 lbs max; Carrying of objects up to 25 lbs; Occasional to frequent standing & walking, Occasional sitting, Close eye work (computers, typing, reading, writing), Physical demands may vary depending on assigned work area and work tasks.
   
   ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS: Factors affecting environment conditions may vary depending on the assigned work area and tasks. Environmental exposures include, but are not limited to: Blood-borne pathogen exposure Bio-hazardous waste Chemicals/gases/fumes/vapors Communicable diseases Electrical shock, Floor Surfaces, Hot/Cold Temperatures, Indoor/Outdoor conditions, Latex, Lighting, Patient care/handling injuries, Radiation, Shift work, Travel may be required. Use of personal protective equipment, including respirators, environmental conditions may vary depending on assigned work area and work tasks.
   **Connect With Us!**
   
   Connect with us for general consideration!
   
   **Division** _St. Joseph's Hospital_
   
   **Campus Location** _Atlanta, GA, 30342_
   
   **Campus Location** _US-GA-Atlanta_
   
   **Department** _SJH Cardiac Cath Lab_
   
   **Job Type** _Regular Full-Time_
   
   
   **Job Category** _Clinical & Nursing Support_
   
   **Schedule** _6:30a-5p_
   
   **Standard Hours** _40 Hours_
   
   Emory Healthcare is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer committed to providing equal opportunity in all of its employment practices and decisions. Emory Healthcare prohibits discrimination, harassment, and retaliation in employment based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, age (40 and over), disability, citizenship, genetic information, service in the uniformed services, veteran status or any other classification protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.

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5. Post your job

   To find the right veterinary laboratory technician for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with veterinary laboratory technicians they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit veterinary laboratory technicians who meet your education requirements.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your veterinary laboratory technician job on Zippia to find and recruit veterinary laboratory technician candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites such as healthcarejobsite, health jobs nationwide, hospitalcareers, medreps.com.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit veterinary laboratory technicians, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up interviews.

   You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new veterinary laboratory technician

   Once you have selected a candidate for the veterinary laboratory technician position, it is time to create an offer letter. In addition to salary, the offer letter should include details about benefits and perks that are available to the employee. Ensuring your offer is competitive is vital, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and it is important to be open to discussion and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. After the offer has been accepted, it is a good idea to formalize the agreement with a contract.

   It's also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

   To prepare for the new employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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