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Position Title:Veterinary Social Worker

Job Group:Professional & Scientific

Required Minimum Qualifications:Bachelor’s degree and 5 years of related experience

Preferred Qualifications:Degree related to Social Work

Experience in grief counseling, mental health support, or crisis intervention.

Experience with veterinary social work, the human-animal bond, and issues related to pet loss.

Experience designing, implementing, and evaluating wellness programs, workshops, and educational materials.

Experience creating and conducting structured training sessions for staff, students, or clients on topics such as communication, empathy, and coping strategies.

Job Description:

Are you passionate about supporting clients, students, and staff through the emotional challenges of veterinary care?

The College of Veterinary Medicine at Iowa State University is seeking a Veterinary Social Worker to join our team. This role is integral to promoting emotional well-being for clients, students, and staff within a fast-paced veterinary hospital environment. We’re looking for someone who is empathetic, collaborative, and committed to fostering resilience and wellness.

What You’ll Do

+ Provide direct clinical support to clients during difficult situations such as euthanasia or major medical interventions, and facilitate workshops and support groups on coping with pet illness and loss.

+ Develop and implement wellness programming for faculty, staff, and house officers, including crisis intervention, peer support programs, and wellness resources.

+ Offer instructional support for students and interns through counseling, mentorship, and wellness workshops; supervise practicum students and interns.

+ Maintain accurate documentation and create educational materials and resources for clients and staff on grief, mental health, and the human-animal bond.

+ Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams, Human Resources, and hospital leadership to enhance overall well-being and hospital functioning.

You’ll work closely with faculty, veterinary staff, house officers, students, and clients, serving as a vital resource for emotional support and wellness initiatives.

Position Details

+ Term: Full-time, on-site at the College of Veterinary Medicine in Ames, Iowa.

+ Residency: Must reside locally or be willing to relocate.

+ Schedule: Monday - Friday 8:00AM - 5:00PM

About the College of Veterinary Medicine

Iowa State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine is a leader in animal health, education, and research. Our mission is to advance veterinary medicine through excellence in clinical care, teaching, and innovation. We are committed to creating a supportive environment for our clients, students, and staff, recognizing the importance of mental health and wellness in veterinary practice.

Example of Duties• Offers comprehensive and complex programming to support long-term changes in nutrition and wellness.• Conducts needs assessment to identify and implement innovative ways to meet targeted under-served ad under-represented audiences.• Functions as an effective educator using innovative and creative approaches.• Establishes, organizes and facilitates networks and coalitions at the local and area level to build community capacity.• Secures resources to support identified needs at the county and area levels.Level Guidelines• Senior-level position possessing high-level professional and/or technical skills working independently under minimal supervision to support ISU’s mission and department or work unit goals• Applies senior-level professional knowledge and expertise to work requiring greater latitude• Solves moderately complex problems and regularly exercises judgment to determine appropriate action• Regularly exercises judgment to resolve problems and determine appropriate action on a broad set of issue and problems. May provide recommendations regarding problems/issues outside the bounds of defined procedures and practices• Responds to complicated inquiries, provides training, and provides direction to lower-level staff• May provide supervision for one to two other staff (i.e., leads a small work team)• May lead projects for which well-defined practices and procedures may not exist• Provides guidance to students

Appointment Type:Regular

Number of Months Employed Per Year:12 Month Work Period

Time Type:Full time

Pay Grade:PS809

Application Instructions:

To apply for this position, please click on “Apply” and complete the Employment Application. Please be prepared to enter or attach the following:1) Resume/Curriculum Vitae2) Letter of Application/Cover LetterIf you have questions regarding this application process, please email [email protected] or call 515-294-4800 or Toll Free: 1-877-477-7485.

Candidates must be legally authorized to work in the U.S. on an ongoing basis without sponsorship. Immigration sponsorship is not available for this position.

Why Choose ISU?Iowa State Employees enjoy comprehensive health and work-life benefits, including medical and dental; as well as:• Retirement benefits including defined benefit and defined contribution plans• Generous vacation, holiday and sick time and leave plans• Onsite childcare (Ames, Iowa)• Life insurance and long-term disability• Flexible Spending Accounts• Various voluntary benefits and discounts• Employee Assistance Program• Wellbeing program• Iowa State offers WorkFlex options for some positions. WorkFlex offers flexibility on when, where, and how you do your work. For more information, please speak with the Hiring Manager.

Original Posting Date: January 6, 2026

Posting Close Date:January 26, 2026

Job Requisition Number:R18419

By focusing on the future and providing the best student experience possible, Iowa State University (http://www.iastate.edu/) attracts students and faculty who want to make a difference. With a comprehensive land-grant mission of education, research, extension and outreach, we produce scholars whose ideas change the world. And through Innovate at Iowa State, we provide innovative and entrepreneurial opportunities for students of all backgrounds. Located just 30 minutes north of Des Moines, the city of Ames was recently named one of the Top 10 cities in the U.S. for campus life and career opportunities.

Iowa State University is a welcoming community of students, faculty, and staff. Campus community members have a wide range of backgrounds and experiences and are committed to engaging with each other respectfully as outlined in the university's Principles of Community (https://www.iastate.edu/principles-community) . Iowa State recognizes that diverse intellectual and philosophical perspectives are vital to innovation, critical thinking skills, and a dynamic academic community that fosters the land-grant ideals of putting science, technology, and human creativity to work.

All offers of employment, oral and written, are contingent upon the university’s verification of credentials and other information required by federal and state law, ISU policies/procedures, and may include the completion of a background check and/or a consumer credit check.

Iowa State University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, age, ethnicity, religion, national origin, pregnancy, sexual orientation, genetic information, sex, marital status, disability, or status as a U.S. Veteran. Inquiries regarding non-discrimination policies may be directed to Office of Equal Opportunity, 2680 Beardshear Hall, 515 Morrill Road, Ames, Iowa 50011, Tel. 515-294-7612, email [email protected].

If you have questions about the application process please email [email protected] or call 515-294-4800 or Toll-Free at 1-877-477-7485. Iowa State University provides reasonable accommodations to applicants and employees with disabilities. Applicants with questions about access or requiring a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process should email [email protected] or call (515) 294-4800 or Toll-Free: (877) 477-7485. TTY users are welcome to use the Iowa Relay Service number by dialing 7-1-1 or (800) 735-2942.

General ISU compensation information can be found on the University Human Resources (https://www.hr.iastate.edu/careers/compensation) website. Please note that this is only a list of ranges and individuals will be paid commensurate with qualifications.