Medical Assistant / Veterinary Research Technician
Quick facts
- Pay
- $25.00 – $30.00 / hour
- Type
- Full-time
- Location
- San Diego, CA
- Background
- MD / physician
- Skills
- Medical
- Industry
- Research and Science — 82 open jobs
- Visa in listing
- H-1B, OPT
- Apply
- Free to apply — never pay anyone for a job offer or visa sponsorship
Job description
Job Description
Job Announcement: Medical Assistant / Veterinary Research Technician
Company: California Medical Innovations Institute (CalMI2)
Location: San Diego, CA
Job Type: Full-time
Pay Rate: $25.00 – $30.00 / hour (commensurate with experience)
Start Date: Immediate start available / Available to start as soon as possible
Work authorization requirements:
Applicants with CPT/OPT are welcome, and H-1B visa support is available for eligible non-
U.S. candidates.
Green card (permanent residency) sponsorship may be o ered after three years of
employment if performance is outstanding.
About Us
California Medical Innovations Institute (CalMI) is a non-profit medical research
organization dedicated to translational research and medical device innovation across
multiple biological systems, including cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, lymphatic, and
endocrine systems. We are seeking a motivated Medical Assistant / Veterinary Research
Technician to join our research team.
Key Responsibilities
1. Surgical & Interventional Procedure Support
Assist medical doctors, veterinarians, and principal investigators during acute and
chronic surgical, interventional, and catheterization procedures on large and small
animal models, including pigs, dogs, rabbits, rats, and mice.
Prepare operating rooms, organize surgical trays, and ensure sterile fields and
appropriate instrumentation for cardiovascular, GI, lymphatic, and endocrine
studies.
Assist in animal positioning, physiological monitoring (ECG, blood pressure, airway
dynamics), and anesthesia logging under veterinary oversight.
2. Pre- and Post-Operative Care Manage pre-procedure preparation, including fasting schedules, pre-medication
administration, and surgical site clipping/cleansing.
Monitor animals during post-operative recovery, including vital sign tracking, pain
assessment, and administration of prescribed medications/treatments.
Maintain clear and accurate surgical logs, recovery records, and medical progress
notes.
3. Daily Animal Care & Husbandry
Perform daily animal husbandry, feeding, health checks, and behavioral observation
for research models in compliance with facility standards.
Collect blood, tissue, and biological fluid samples following study protocols and
Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) principles.
Support animal acclimation, handling, and habituation to minimize stress and
ensure study compliance.
4. Technical Support & Laboratory Maintenance
Maintain, clean, sterilize, and inventory surgical tools, anesthesia machines,
monitoring equipment, and lab consumables.
Ensure procedure rooms and holding facilities are sanitized and prepared in
accordance with institutional guidelines.
Assist with specimen processing, tissue harvesting, and preliminary lab
testing/storage.
5. Compliance & Teamwork
Strictly adhere to IACUC protocols, Institutional Safety Guidelines, USDA
regulations, and GLP standards.
Collaborate closely with multidisciplinary teams including scientists, surgeons,
veterinarians, and laboratory personnel.
Demonstrate flexibility in adopting new experimental procedures, handling various
species, and fulfilling additional operational duties as assigned.
Qualifications & Requirements
Education: Bachelor’s degree in Biology, Animal Science, Health Sciences, or a
related field. Availability & Schedule: Available for an immediate start. Weekend and holiday
work is required.
Experience: Open to recent graduates as well as experienced candidates. Prior
hands-on lab or animal care experience is a plus, but comprehensive training will be
provided.
Key Traits: Adaptable, eager to learn new technical skills, strong work ethic, and
attention to detail.
Physical Demands & Work Environment
Exposure to animal allergens and repetitive motion.
Ability to stand, walk, bend, lift up to 50 lbs individually, and team-lift up to 250 lbs.
Required immunizations/screenings based on species exposure (e.g., Tetanus,
Rabies, TB, MMR, Hepatitis B).
Benefits & Growth
Comprehensive Training: Extensive hands-on professional training provided.
Benefits & Perks:
o Competitive compensation
o Medical, dental, and vision insurance
o Accidental Death & Dismemberment (AD&D) insurance
o 401(k) retirement plan
o Paid time o (PTO) and paid holidays
Visa & Permanent Residency Support:
o H-1B visa sponsorship available for qualified non-U.S. candidates.
o Green Card (permanent residency) sponsorship available after 3 years of
employment, contingent upon outstanding work performance.
How to Apply
Interested candidates please email your resume/CV and a brief cover letter to
MWang@CalMI2.org. Please indicate your Work Authorization type and the earliest available start date in your application.
Pay: $25.00 - $30.00 per hour
Benefits:
- 401(k)
- Dental insurance
- Health insurance
- Life insurance
- Paid time off
- Retirement plan
- Vision insurance
Work Location: In person
Visa sponsorship record: The California Medical Innovations institute Inc.
Sponsors occasionally| Fiscal year | H-1B LCAs | USCIS approvals | USCIS denials | PERM |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2025 | 1 | 2 | 0 | — |
| FY2024 | 2 | 2 | 0 | — |
This exact kind of role (Veterinarians) isn't among the roles The California Medical Innovations institute Inc. sponsored most often.
Roles they sponsor most
- software developer3 LCAs · median $110k
Full sponsorship history of The California Medical Innovations institute Inc. →
Which visas can work for this job
Occupation: Veterinarians (SOC 29-1131) — estimated from the job title.
- Mentioned in the listing
H-1B, OPT
- H-1B cap-exempt employer
Regular cap-subject employer — a new H-1B needs to win the lottery in March (unless you already hold cap-counted H-1B status).
- TN (citizens of Canada and Mexico)
This kind of role may fit the USMCA profession “Veterinarian” — it depends on the actual duties. No lottery, no cap; you need the matching degree or license.
- E-3 (Australia) and H-1B1 (Chile, Singapore)
Same degree requirement as H-1B, but no lottery and a separate quota that is rarely filled.
- O-1 (extraordinary ability)
For candidates with awards, publications, press, a high salary or critical roles at distinguished organizations. No cap, no lottery; the employer files a petition.
Salary vs prevailing wage
Below Level IVeterinarians · San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA. Annual prevailing wages set by the Department of Labor (OFLC).
| Level | Prevailing wage | H-1B lottery odds* |
|---|---|---|
| Level I | $90,293 | ~15% |
| Level II | $126,506 | ~31% |
| Level III | $162,698 | ~46% |
| Level IV | $198,910 | ~61% |
This job pays $52,000–$62,400 a year (converted from an hourly rate, 2,080 hours) — below the Level I prevailing wage. For H-1B the employer must pay at least the prevailing wage, so the offer would have to go up.
* Odds are DHS projections for the FY2027 wage-weighted lottery (actual results vary by year and employer). Since the FY2027 cap season the H-1B lottery is weighted by wage level: Level I = 1 entry, II = 2, III = 3, IV = 4. The level is set by the offered wage against the prevailing wage for the occupation and worksite. Separately, a $100,000 fee for new H-1B petitions for workers outside the US was announced in 2025; as of September 2026 a federal court ruling keeps it unenforceable while appeals continue — check the current status.
Sources: U.S. Department of Labor OFLC disclosure data (H-1B/H-1B1/E-3 LCA, PERM), OFLC prevailing wage data, USCIS H-1B Employer Data Hub, E-Verify participating employers. Data loaded: LCA FY2024–FY2026, PERM, USCIS Data Hub, OFLC wages; updated 2026-10-03. Employers are matched by name, so records of companies with similar names can occasionally be mixed up. This is general information, not legal advice — talk to an immigration attorney about your case.