OPT Licensed Veterinary Technician Jobs
Licensed Veterinary Technician jobs on OPT are available at private clinics, animal hospitals, and university veterinary programs across the U.S. Your STEM OPT extension doesn't apply here, so the standard 12-month authorization window matters. Employers typically require an active LVT license for the state where you'll be working.
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INTRODUCTION
Want to help pets live their best lives? We’re proud to be where the pets go and where the pet people go. If you want to make a real difference, create an exciting career path, feel welcome to be your whole self and nurture your wellbeing, Petco is the place for you. Our core values capture that spirit as we work to improve lives by doing what’s right for pets and people.
Pet First – Protect & Empower. All pets should Live their Best Life. We put the needs of pets and pet parents at the center of everything we do.
Foster the Fun – Connect & Bond. Our Passion for pets brings us together! We celebrate the journey of pet parenthood through district experiences, products, and services.
Let’s Go! Own & Commit. We are stronger as One Petco team.* We bring our unique superpowers and champion authenticity in everyone to drive success.
ABOUT PETCO
We’re proud to be "where the pets go" to find everything they need to live their best lives for more than 60 years — from their favorite meals and toys, to trusted supplies and expert support from people who get it, because we live it. We believe in the universal truths of pet parenthood — the boundless boops, missing slippers, late night zoomies and everything in between. And we’re here for it. Every tail wag, every vet visit, every step of the way. We are 29,000+ strong and together we nurture the pet-human bond in more than 1,500 Petco stores across the U.S., Mexico and Puerto Rico, 250+ Vetco Total Care hospitals, hundreds of preventive care clinics and eight distribution centers. In 1999, we founded Petco Love. Together, we support thousands of local animal welfare groups nationwide and have helped find homes for approximately 7 million animals through in-store adoption events.
POSITION PURPOSE:
The purpose of this Veterinarian Technician position inherently involves providing excellent veterinary care to our Vetco Total Care full-service hospital patients and phenomenal customer care to their owners. The Veterinary Technician represents the mission and values to all clients and partners. Our Veterinary Technicians set the tone for the technical and customer support team in the hospital, and are responsible, like all team members, for fostering cohesion and motivation within the hospital partners. All hospital partners are responsible for performing duties in a way that creates an environment in which:
The patient’s needs always come first.
Every team member understands that they have the power to do what it takes to create an exceptional customer and patient experience.
Contentious issues are dealt with and resolved as they occur when possible, or as soon as is possible.
Exceptional teamwork and commitment to shared goals benefits the entire organization.
ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:
The incumbent must be able to perform all the following duties and responsibilities with or without reasonable accommodation:
Greet clients and patients arriving for appointments or walk-ins and escort into an exam room, obtain weight and vital signs (temperature, pulse, respirations, pain score, body condition score), record all in the electronic medical record, and begin documentation of the patient visit in the electronic medical record by obtaining and recording a thorough patient history.
Assist veterinarian with appointments (routine and emergency), surgery, dentistry, and euthanasia's, taking direct supervision from the veterinarian(s) and the Hospital Office Manager or Hospital Leader on Duty.
Perform patient restraint, obtain and process laboratory samples, handle and dispense medications at the direction of the veterinarian, and maintain the electronic medical record.
Schedule appointments, communicate with and educate clients, relay test results to doctor and clients, maintain and update inventory as well as client/patient records, and manage accounts receivable.
Prepare patients for surgical and dental procedures, safely support induction and monitoring of anesthetized patients including checking and recording vital parameters (under direction of the veterinarian), monitor patients during recovery, and prepare them for discharge to owner or transfer to an overnight care facility as needed.
Provide in-hospital treatments for sick patients including giving injectable and oral medications as well as intravenous therapies; keep patients clean, watered, and fed (when indicated and directed by veterinarian), and safely walk canine patients when necessary for elimination.
Participate in the training of new staff members and general dissemination of knowledge as required.
Keep hospital environment neat and clean; perform regular cleaning of environment based on necessity as well as based on a pre-determined maintenance schedule.
OTHER DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
Perform additional duties as assigned.
Provide backup phone and front desk support as needed.
NATURE OF SUPERVISION:
In all activities related to the care of patients, the Veterinary Technician will take direct supervision from the veterinarians as well as the Hospital Office Manager or Hospital Leader on Duty. For purposes of overall supervision, the Veterinary Technician takes direction from the Hospital Office Manager.
PLANNING AND PROBLEM SOLVING:
Like all team members, the Veterinary Technician plays a crucial role in ensuring that day-to-day operation of the hospital is efficient and provides an optimal experience for our patients and clients.
IMPACT:
This position will impact the organization by contributing to the growth of a productive practice while focusing on a high-quality standard of care. From an overall hospital organizational standpoint, this position is critical to ensuring that we have a cohesive, well-trained, and motivated technical team. The desired result is the creation of an optimal environment that ensures employee retention, patient well-being, and customer satisfaction.
SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITY:
This position has no immediate supervisory duties.
EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE:
College or college-equivalent education (completed) as required in becoming a Credentialed Veterinary Technician in the state in which the hospital is located.
Must have at least 1-year previous experience as a Veterinary Technician or working in a veterinary practice.
Must have excellent written and verbal communication skills.
Must be compassionate and sympathetic and be able to maintain a professional attitude and demeanor during emotional and stressful situations.
Must have telephone and computer skills.
Must be a team player willing to learn new techniques and treatments, offer creative ideas, and accept change.
WORK ENVIRONMENT:
The majority of job duties are conducted in the Vetco Total Care full-service hospital. Position requires bending, kneeling, lifting (up to 30 pounds, as necessary) and standing for long periods of time. A large amount of this partner’s time will be spent in direct contact with clients and their pets.
CONTACTS:
This position will regularly communicate with clients, veterinary specialists, and companies that provide products and/or services that the practice utilizes.
LOCATION:
8108 Abercorn Street, Savannah, GA 31406 United States
For a more detailed overview of Petco Total Rewards, including health and financial benefits, 401K, incentives, and PTO - see https://careers.petco.com/us/en/key-benefits
Petco Animal Supplies, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, protected veteran status, or any other protected classification.
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Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding OPT Sponsorship as a Licensed Veterinary Technician
Verify your state license transfers
LVT licensing requirements vary by state. Before applying, confirm your credentials are recognized or transferable in your target state. Some states require additional exams or supervised hours, which can affect your start date and OPT timeline.
Apply to multi-location veterinary groups
Corporate veterinary groups like Banfield, VCA, and BluePearl operate across dozens of states and have dedicated HR teams familiar with work authorization. They're more likely to have processes in place for hiring OPT candidates than independent single-location clinics.
Lead with your license status upfront
Veterinary employers screen heavily on credentials. State your active LVT license and OPT work authorization clearly in your cover letter and resume summary. Removing ambiguity early keeps your application moving through hiring processes faster.
Target university veterinary teaching hospitals
Academic veterinary hospitals at institutions like UC Davis, Cornell, and Ohio State regularly hire LVTs and have experience with international staff. As institutions, they often have immigration compliance offices that make OPT hiring less intimidating for HR teams.
Emphasize specialization if you have it
Technicians with training in dentistry, anesthesia, emergency care, or exotic animals are in shorter supply. Highlighting a specialty area strengthens your application and can make employers more motivated to work through OPT paperwork to hire you.
Start your H-1B sponsorship conversation early
The H-1B lottery opens in March for an October start. If you want employer sponsorship before your OPT expires, raise the conversation within your first few months on the job, not the month before your authorization ends.
Licensed Veterinary Technician OPT: Frequently Asked Questions
Do Licensed Veterinary Technician jobs qualify for the STEM OPT extension?
No. Veterinary Technology programs are classified under CIP code 51.0808 and are not on the STEM Designated Degree Program List maintained by ICE. That means LVTs on OPT are limited to the standard 12-month authorization window. If you want to continue working past that point, you'll need an employer willing to sponsor an H-1B or another visa category.
Can I work as an LVT on OPT without a state license?
In most states, no. Practicing as a Licensed Veterinary Technician without an active state license is illegal, regardless of your immigration status. You'll need to pass the VTNE and meet your target state's specific licensing requirements before starting work. Factor exam scheduling and processing time into your OPT start date planning, since you can't legally perform LVT duties while unlicensed.
What visa options exist after OPT expires for veterinary technicians?
The H-1B is the most common path, but it requires your employer to sponsor the petition and you to clear the annual lottery. If your employer is a university or nonprofit research institution, they may qualify as cap-exempt, which removes the lottery requirement. Some LVTs also explore the TN visa if they're Canadian or Mexican citizens, as veterinary technologist is a qualifying TN occupation.
Where can I find Licensed Veterinary Technician jobs that are open to OPT candidates?
Migrate Mate is built specifically for F-1 OPT students and filters job listings for positions where employers are open to work authorization. Rather than sifting through general job boards and manually checking each employer's sponsorship policy, Migrate Mate surfaces roles relevant to your OPT status directly. It's a practical starting point if you want to avoid wasting applications on employers who won't hire OPT candidates.
Does working part-time as an LVT on OPT affect my authorization?
OPT requires you to work at least 20 hours per week in a role directly related to your field of study to maintain valid status. Part-time work above that threshold is allowed and counts toward the requirement. Working fewer than 20 hours, or in an unrelated role, can trigger an unemployment period that counts against your 90-day unemployment limit and risks terminating your OPT authorization.