About this role

This is a true emergency medicine position with a genuinely diverse caseload drawn from an approximately 100-mile radius. You will see it all, from trauma and toxicities to rattlesnake envenomations, acute abdomens, and complex internal medicine presentations. The surgical scope is equally broad, with doctors performing soft tissue emergency procedures including:

• GDV correction and hemoabdomen stabilization, where speed and precision directly impact survival.
• C-sections and pyometra surgeries, managing reproductive emergencies with confidence.
• GI foreign body removal, cystotomy, and enucleation, providing definitive intervention when patients need it most.
• Trauma stabilization and surgical repair, seeing cases through from the initial assessment to recovery.

You will work as the sole doctor on shift, which means genuine clinical autonomy and the satisfaction of owning your cases from triage to discharge. That said, you are never truly alone. The team culture here means a colleague is always a phone call away when you want a second opinion or an extra set of hands in surgery.

About you

You are an emergency veterinarian who thrives on the variety and intensity of a high-acuity caseload. You find real satisfaction in the problem-solving side of emergency medicine, and you’re confident making independent clinical decisions while remaining open to collaboration when a case calls for it.

Compassion runs through everything you do, not just with patients but with every client who walks through the door in crisis. You communicate complex conditions and difficult prognoses with clarity and genuine empathy, understanding that a few well-chosen words can make an enormous difference in a stressful moment. You bring strong soft tissue surgical skills and are comfortable managing the breadth of emergency presentations that come with a diverse regional caseload.

You respect your colleagues and understand that emergency medicine is a team effort, especially during long or demanding shifts. You show up for the people around you, not just the patients.

A Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) degree or equivalent is required, along with an active veterinary license or eligibility for licensure in the practicing state.

Our location

Bakersfield is in the Central Valley of California where a large volume of the nation’s fresh fruit and nuts are grown. It is central to many different natural places to visit to enjoy what nature has to offer, such as the Sierras, giant Sequoias, the Mojave Desert, 2 hours to many beaches, and the entertainment-rich Southern California area. It is an easy 4-hour drive to Mammoth or Tahoe, 2 hours from Big Bear or Mountain High. The Pacific Crest Trail is nearby in several places, including only a few hours from the John Muir Wilderness and Yosemite. Bakersfield just completed its 36-mile-long bike path along the Kern River through the town and out through beautiful almond orchards. It is home to the Bakersfield Marathon, a qualifier for the Boston Marathon. The Kern River provides lots of recreational opportunities, including fishing, both fly and bait, white water rafting, and kayaking. It has up to class 5 rapids along its length. Because of the good near year-round weather for outdoor sports, there are excellent venues for tennis, golf, and swimming.

There is an increasing millennial population that is transforming the downtown to walkable access to excellent dining, arts, and entertainment. There are local Farmer’s Markets every weekend downtown. All kinds of new things happening in the town and region.

Our offer

Full-time at AEUC means 2 to 3 shifts per week across day and night rotations, giving you a schedule that allows for real recovery time between shifts.

• Annual salary ranging from $170,000 to $280,000.
• Medical and dental insurance.
• Matching IRA retirement plan.
• Continuing education allowance to support your clinical growth.
• 3 weeks of paid vacation.
• Licenses and professional memberships covered.
• VIN membership for ongoing clinical support and peer consultation.
• Malpractice insurance provided.
• Additional perks including Costco membership.

We are also happy to discuss alternative remuneration structures or additional benefits that may better suit your individual needs and priorities.