Clinic Orthopedic Veterinarian

Provide specialized orthopedic care while helping local pets regain comfort, mobility, and quality of life.

In this role, your primary focus will be evaluating and treating orthopedic conditions in privately owned pets through the ARL Afford-a-Care Pet Clinics. You will perform orthopedic procedures, develop treatment plans, and work alongside an experienced veterinary support team to help make specialized surgical care more accessible to families in the Des Moines community.

This position offers the opportunity to focus on orthopedic medicine and surgery in a collaborative, mission-driven clinic environment without emergency, overnight, or on-call responsibilities.

Schedule

• Schedules are typically four 10-hour days.
• The ARL Afford-a-Care Pet Clinics are open Monday through Friday.
• Veterinarians participate in rotating half-day Saturdays.
• No emergency, overnight, or after-hours care is required.

What You'll Do

• Perform orthopedic surgical procedures based on experience, training, and clinic capabilities.
• Conduct pre-operative examinations and determine whether patients are appropriate surgical candidates.
• Interpret radiographs and other diagnostic findings to develop individualized treatment recommendations.
• Develop surgical and nonsurgical treatment plans for orthopedic conditions.
• Maintain high standards for anesthesia, patient monitoring, surgical safety, infection prevention, and medical documentation.
• Partner with veterinary technicians and assistants to maintain safe, organized, and efficient surgical schedules.
• Communicate clearly and compassionately with clients regarding diagnoses, treatment options, surgical risks, expected outcomes, aftercare, and follow-up needs.
• Provide general surgery, wellness, preventive, or medical care when needed to support clinic operations.
• Support a respectful, collaborative, and learning-focused clinic culture.
• Help expand access to orthopedic veterinary care within the Des Moines community.

What We're Looking For

• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, DVM, or equivalent degree from an accredited veterinary school.
• Active Iowa veterinary license in good standing or the ability to obtain licensure before beginning employment.
• Advanced training, demonstrated experience, or a strong professional focus in orthopedic surgery.
• Experience diagnosing and treating orthopedic injuries and musculoskeletal conditions.
• Experience performing orthopedic surgical procedures appropriate to the veterinarian's training and skill level.
• Strong understanding of diagnostic imaging, anesthesia, pain management, surgical planning, and post-operative rehabilitation.
• Ability to perform multiple procedures while maintaining thoughtful medical judgment and strong patient outcomes.
• Confidence making independent medical decisions while working collaboratively with a veterinary support team.
• Strong communication skills and a commitment to providing clients with clear, respectful education.
• A community-minded approach to veterinary medicine and an understanding of the financial barriers some families face when seeking specialized care.

Veterinarians with significant orthopedic experience, advanced surgical training, or an interest in helping build and expand orthopedic services within a community clinic setting are encouraged to apply.

Benefits for Full-Time Employees

The ARL offers competitive, market-driven compensation without production-based compensation requirements. Full-time employees may also be eligible for:

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• Employer-paid long-term disability and basic life insurance
• Supplemental insurance options, including short-term disability, supplemental life, accident, and critical illness coverage
• A 401(k) retirement plan with an employer contribution
• Veterinary benefits
• Generous paid time off and paid holidays
• Potential student loan reimbursement opportunities
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness eligibility
• A predictable schedule that supports work-life balance
• A mission-focused workplace where medical decisions are centered on patients and the community

Physical and Work Environment Requirements

This position works in a veterinary clinic and surgical environment. It may require standing for extended periods, performing repetitive surgical procedures, positioning patients, and safely handling animals of varying sizes, health conditions, mobility levels, and temperaments.

The role may involve exposure to animals, animal dander, cleaning and disinfecting products, anesthetic gases, radiographic equipment, moderate noise, zoonotic diseases, and other conditions commonly found in veterinary practice. Employees are expected to follow established medical, radiation, surgical, and workplace safety procedures.

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