Lead Veterinarian

Who we are:

Flatbush Cats is a Brooklyn-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit working to reduce overcrowded animal shelters in New York City and prevent more cats from ending up on the street in the first place. What began as a grassroots rescue effort has grown into a citywide organization addressing the root causes through affordable veterinary care, access to spay/neuter services, and community outreach.

As an independent nonprofit—not backed by venture capital, private equity, or a corporate veterinary network—we make decisions based on our mission. We recruit team members who are passionate about expanding access to veterinary care and measure success by how many pets and families we can help, not production targets.

At the heart of our work is Flatbush Veterinary Clinic, a high-volume nonprofit clinic serving low-income pet owners, rescue organizations, and Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) volunteers throughout Brooklyn. Each year, the clinic performs more than 7,500 spay/neuter surgeries—a number that continues to grow—while providing affordable wellness and dental care to thousands of pets.

By combining high-quality veterinary care with a commitment to accessibility, we're helping keep pets with their families while creating a city where more people and pets can receive the support they need.

What you’ll do:

As Lead Veterinarian, you'll provide high-quality care across HQHVSN, wellness, dental, and community cat programs while helping expand access to veterinary care for underserved populations. 

This hands-on leadership role combines clinical practice with training and mentorship, supporting the development of veterinarians and maintaining strong medical standards across the organization. You'll work across service lines, contribute to mission-driven programs, and help shape the future of our veterinary services as we continue to grow. As new locations and programs emerge, you'll play a key role in ensuring our care, culture, and standards grow with them.

Work Schedule and Location: 

This is a full-time position with a four-day workweek.

The Lead Veterinarian will work one of the following schedules:

  • Monday–Thursday

  • Tuesday–Friday

Specific schedule assignments will be determined based on clinic needs and candidate availability.

What you’ll get:

Compensation

  • The target hiring range for this role is $170,000–$175,000 annually.

  • Starting pay will depend on a variety of factors, including experience, training, education, internal equity, and organizational needs. The hiring range reflects the anticipated range for new hires; compensation may increase over time based on performance and role growth, and the range may be adjusted as needed.

Sign-On Bonus

  • This role is eligible for a $20,000 sign-on bonus, with:

    • $10,000 paid upon hire, and

    • $10,000 paid after one year of employment, contingent upon satisfactory performance and continued employment in good standing.

Benefits

  • Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance with 100% employer-paid premiums

  • Health Reimbursement Arrangement (HRA) fully funded to cover the plan deductible, with funding levels based on coverage tier (employee-only, employee + spouse, or family)

  • Flexible Spending Account (FSA) with optional employee enrollment

    • $500 annual employer contribution to the FSA, provided regardless of enrollment, plus an additional employer match of up to $500 for employees who enroll

  • 401(k) retirement plan with employer match: 100% match on the first 3% of contributions, plus 50% match on contributions up to 5%

  • Transit and parking benefit: $60 monthly employer contribution, applicable to either transit or parking at the employee’s discretion

  • 3 weeks paid time off (accrual basis) 

  • 5 days paid sick time (accrual basis) 

  • 8 paid holidays 

Responsibilities:

Clinical Care & Community

  • Maintain proficiency and independently provide all veterinary services offered by Flatbush Veterinary Clinic, including high-quality, high-volume spay/neuter (HQHVSN), dentistry, wellness care, and community cat medicine.

  • Perform pre-surgical examinations, including visual examinations of community cats, and determine patient suitability for anesthesia and surgery in accordance with clinic protocols.

  • Identify conditions that may preclude safe anesthesia or surgery and defer patients as appropriate.

  • Perform spay/neuter surgeries, dental procedures, and other services within the clinic's scope of practice.

  • Independently manage surgical, anesthetic, and post-operative complications while providing clinical leadership during medical emergencies.

  • Monitor patient recovery and ensure high standards of patient safety, quality care, and medical recordkeeping.

  • Provide compassionate, high-quality preventive and wellness care, including client education on treatment plans, preventive medicine, and follow-up recommendations.

  • Support and participate in community cat and Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) initiatives, the organization's no-cost Community Clinic, and other mission-driven programs.

  • Triage and refer cases that fall outside the clinic's scope of care.

Leadership & Training

  • Serve as a clinical leader and mentor for veterinarians, technicians, assistants, and support staff.

  • Train, onboard, and support veterinarians in HQHVSN surgery, dentistry, wellness care, community cat medicine, and clinical protocols.

  • Provide ongoing coaching, feedback, and professional development opportunities to veterinary team members.

  • Support the development, implementation, and continuous improvement of clinical training programs.

  • Uphold and advance clinic SOPs, medical standards, and evidence-based best practices.

  • Promote a culture of collaboration, learning, accountability, and high-quality patient care.

Operations & Organizational Support

  • Collaborate with clinic leadership to support efficient daily operations across all service lines.

  • Support staffing, scheduling, recruitment, and workforce planning as needed.

  • Foster effective communication and collaboration among clinic staff.

  • Support continuous improvement initiatives that expand access to affordable veterinary care.

  • Maintain flexibility to provide clinical leadership and support across services and future clinic locations as organizational needs evolve.

Physical Requirements

  • Ability to perform veterinary medical and surgical duties, including standing for extended periods, lifting, bending, kneeling, and safely handling animals.

  • Reasonable accommodations will be provided in accordance with applicable law and organizational policy.

Qualifications:

  • Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) degree or equivalent from an AVMA-accredited institution

  • Current New York State veterinary license, or ability to obtain prior to start date

  • Active DEA license, or ability to obtain prior to start date

  • Professional liability insurance (PLIT or equivalent)

  • Minimum of 3 years of experience in high-quality, high-volume spay/neuter (HQHVSN) surgery, with demonstrated ability to independently perform procedures on both dogs and cats

  • Minimum of 3 years of experience in shelter medicine and/or access-to-care veterinary practice

  • 3–5+ years of overall veterinary clinical experience preferred

  • Demonstrated leadership experience, including mentoring, training, and developing veterinarians and veterinary support staff, with the ability to teach HQHVSN techniques and surgical best practices

  • Experience with preventive and wellness care within a high-volume or access-to-care setting

  • Strong clinical judgment with the ability to balance medical quality, efficiency, and patient safety in a fast-paced environment

  • Commitment to building and sustaining a collaborative, supportive, mission-driven workplace culture

  • Adaptability, professionalism, and resilience in an evolving clinical and organizational environment

Language:

  • English (Required)

  • Bilingual (Spanish) Strongly Preferred