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Job description
Ask About Our Sign-On Bonus or Relocation Assistance!!
Are you seeking a practice passionate about serving pets and having a personal quality of life? Consider our WellHaven Pet Health Hazel Dell Practice! We are seeking a Principal Veterinarian to join our growing team! Located just north of Downtown Vancouver, WA. The city of Vancouver is in the heart of the beautiful Pacific Northwest.
We are built on the inspiration of helping and healing. WellHaven Pet Health Hazel Dell is a clean, bright, and new hospital designed to accommodate the wellness of pets and our medical team. We are proud to be AAHA-accredited and fear-free .
Our multi-doctor hospital is a full-service small animal veterinary hospital that provides comprehensive medical care, including surgery, dentistry (with Dental Radiography), internal medicine, emergency, and critical care. We also emphasize preventative health care, which includes puppy and kitten wellness, annual examinations, and dental awareness. The WellHaven team is a group of dedicated professionals who ensure each day is productive and fun!
What makes WellHaven unique:
Full-time benefits at just 30 hours/week
Quarterly production bonuses with no negative accrual
No non-competes—your future stays in your hands
Leadership opportunities
Up to 200 hours of PTO (including holidays, CE, and sick time)
Comprehensive health coverage + generous HSA contribution
A CE allowance that flexes with your interests
Pet Wellness plans and scrub allowance
And so much more!
Salary Range:
$135,000 - $160,000 + Production
Job Summary
The Principal Doctor is responsible for comprehensive oversight and accountability across all facets of the hospital. This role is dedicated to ensuring the delivery of top‑notch veterinary care, exceptional client service, the well‑being and productivity of the veterinary medical team, and the overall effectiveness and efficiency of the hospital.
Key Responsibilities
Main Accountabilities:
High-Quality Care and Service: Ensure consistent, high-quality care, safe and exceptional service to maintain a positive hospital environment, uphold medical standards, and support business performance
Partner with the Practice Manager (PM) to support hospital operations:
Take an active role in or lead hospital team meetings
Develop annual plans, budgets, and hospital productivity levels
Lead talent acquisition, training, development, coaching, and mentoring of employees
Implement effective communication strategies to foster employee engagement
Maximize hospital efficiency, profitability, and productivity
Effectively resolve client and employee conflicts
Ensure current licensures for all applicable employees
Leadership for Associate Doctor(s):
Support and mentor Associate Doctors to reach their professional potential and career goals
Guide Associate Doctors in delivering exceptional medical care, client service, and business results
Develop plans to achieve individual/hospital goals and priorities
Ensure proficiency in anesthesia, surgery, dentistry, and current medical practices
Scheduling Management: Guide the Practice Manager to create and maintain veterinarian’s and para staff schedules to meet client needs, following WellHaven guidelines, while proactively planning personal and continuing education time off
Employee Training: Oversee effective training of employees by:
Demonstrate exceptional client service
Adhere to WellHaven protocols and practices as outlined in the state-specific WellHaven Guidebook
Achieve practice priorities
Compliance: Practice veterinary medicine in compliance with:
State Veterinary Practice Act
Federal and/or State Controlled Substance laws
WellHaven Code of Ethics and company policies
Maintain thorough and accurate medical charts, consistently meeting hospital quality control standards
OSHA and DEA regulations and safety standards
Integrity and Ethics: Demonstrate unwavering integrity and ethical conduct in all actions and behaviors
Community Outreach and Marketing: Take responsibility for community outreach, events, and external marketing efforts to promote the hospital
Customer Service Delivery:
Consistently provide professional, efficient, and exceptional service
Demonstrate excellent communication and organizational skills when interacting with the veterinary team and clients
Strong Customer Service Focus while effectively adapting to individual clients and their needs
Effectively resolve customer complaints as appropriate
Other:
Lead and guide the team to ensure the hospital meets safety standards and regulations set by the DEA and OSHA. Meet all OSHA standards and regulations as outlined in company policies
Ability to perform other job duties as assigned
Required Skills and Knowledge
Demonstrated ability to:
Uphold integrity and ethics in all actions and behaviors
Develop direct reports by guiding, coaching, and mentoring to help them reach their full potential, achieve their professional goals, and contribute effectively to the success of the organization
Stay current with the latest advancements in veterinary medicine through ongoing professional development and continuing education to maintain certification and improve knowledge and skills
Identify, address, and resolve conflicts effectively and professionally
Drive for results by demonstrating motivation and determination to achieve goals and deliver high-quality outcomes
Provide consistent, high‑quality care, safe and exceptional medical services
Remain action‑oriented and effectively set priorities
Work well in an extremely fast‑paced work environment, remaining calm and resilient
Learn new computer software systems (EMR, Scheduling, etc.)
Provide a high level of accountability
Education and Experience
Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM/VMD) or equivalent degree required
State Veterinary Board License
On the first day of employment, must be in good standing with the state(s) employed to work for WellHaven
Current USDA Accreditation a plus
A valid DEA License will be required upon hire
Previous owner of a hospital, practice, or equivalent management experience
5+ years practicing as a DVM in a hospital setting
Prior experience training associate doctors and paraprofessional staff
Work Location, Environment, and Physical Requirements
The Principal Doctor position is performed onsite at our hospital or an approved offsite event location. Remote work is not available for this position
Hospital environment includes limited space, smells from pet waste, and noise (barking, etc.)
Position requires 40+ hours per week to complete essential duties of this job to meet client needs and work volume. Schedules may include 10+ hour shifts, Saturdays, evenings, and holidays
Able to stand, walk, stoop, kneel, crouch, and climb
Good hand-eye coordination, arm‑hand‑finger dexterity with the ability to reach and grasp, and visual acuity to use a keyboard, operate equipment, and read information
Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus
Ability to lift 50+ pounds
May routinely be exposed to pets that may bite or scratch, biological hazards, anesthesia medications (smells), radiation if near Xray machine, prescription medications, including controlled substances
Additional Information
Our hospital is part of the WellHaven Pet Health (“WellHaven”) network of hospitals. This allows us to have a more extensive and stronger support system, connecting with other hospitals in the area while remaining autonomous.
WellHaven helps veterinarians, and their teams succeed both personally and professionally. We value our medical teams and strive to support each team member each and every day. Our focus on personal growth, practice support, and life balance frame the relationship we want to have with our hospital teams. This people‑first approach has made a considerable difference in the lives of our teams, clients, pets, our communities, and the health of our hospitals.
We’ve been recognized in Inc. Magazine for making a difference in our community and in Forbes for being named one of America’s Best Startup Employers. It is an exciting time to be part of the WellHaven team and an excellent time for you to consider joining us!
Please learn more about WellHaven at
WellHaven Benefits
WellHaven offers competitive pay and an excellent benefits package.
Please review our benefits package at:
Commitment to Diversity
WellHaven is an Equal Opportunity Employer. WellHaven is committed to complying with all applicable federal, state, and/or local laws prohibiting discrimination based on race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex (including transgender status), marital status, familial status, status with regard to public assistance, disability, genetic information, sexual orientation, age, military or veteran status, membership or activity in a local human rights commission, or any other status protected by law.
In accordance with federal, state, and local law, WellHaven may provide reasonable accommodation to known physical or mental limitations of applicants during the hiring process unless the accommodation would impose an undue hardship on WellHaven. For more information, please contact WellHaven HR at
Pay Transparency Disclaimer
WellHaven Pet Health provides wage range information in accordance with applicable pay transparency laws. Third‑party job boards and recruiting platforms may omit or misrepresent this information when reposting our job requisitions. WellHaven Pet Health is not responsible for any discrepancies in such postings. For the authoritative and most up-to-date wage range information for all positions and locations, please refer exclusively to our official careers page:
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Worksite address
vancouver, WA, 98662, US
Who can apply
Review the original listing for work authorization, qualifications and employer requirements.