District Vet

Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development NSW; Broken Hill; Hybrid; AUD 135,000 - 165,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

5 weeks annual leave

AVA membership and District Veterinary

Job summary

Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development NSW – Broken Hill NSW is seeking a District Vet to safeguard animal health and regional livelihoods. You will work across surveillance, disease investigation and welfare, with autonomy and a connected network of labs and biosecurity teams.

You will engage with producers, private vets and government partners, applying epidemiology and biosecurity knowledge to protect livestock industries.

Qualifications

• Experience in large animal medicine, welfare and husbandry; epidemiological response to diseases.
• Knowledge of animal biosecurity and welfare risks; ability to advise producers and manage risk.
• Ability to translate technical information into practical on-farm advice; collaborate with industry partners.

Responsibilities

• Practise veterinary science at a system-wide scale to safeguard animal health and food safety.
• Identify and respond to biosecurity threats, support surveillance and disease investigations.
• Coordinate response with stakeholders, provide evidence-based advice, and support compliance programs.

Skills

Large animal medicine

Biosecurity knowledge

Stakeholder communication

Judgement & integrity

Collaborative teamwork

Regional travel

Education

Degree in Veterinary Science

NSW Veterinary Practitioners Board registration

Current NSW Driver Licence

Job description

Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development NSW – Broken Hill NSW

• Location -Preferred location Broken Hill or Hillston (other locations within Western LLS region will be considered)
• Salary up to $149,806pa + super and leave loading (dependent on experience)
• 5 weeks annual leave as standard holidays
• Our work is visible and close to home. We see its impact in the places we live
• Annual AVA and Special Interest Groups membership and annual District Veterinary Conference attendance paid for

About The Role

As a District Vet with Local Land Services, you will practise veterinary science at a system-wide scale. You will help safeguard animal health, food safety, livestock industries and regional communities through prevention, surveillance, disease investigation, welfare support and emergency response.

Your work will contribute to the systems that keep NSW livestock industries strong and resilient. You will identify and respond to emerging biosecurity threats, provide evidence-based advice to producers and land managers, support compliance programs and help ensure risks are managed before they escal. What happens in the field can influence outcomes well beyond the farm gate, from producer confidence and animal welfare to market access and broader industry resilience.

No two weeks feel the same. One day you may be on a property talking through animal health concerns with a producer, the next reviewing surveillance data, working through an investigation or coordinating a response with stakeholders across industry. You are trusted with autonomy, with the space to think, investigate deeply and apply your professional judgement where the answer is not always obvious. Over time, you build credibility as a trusted advisor, someone the community turns to when decisions matter. Through it all, you are backed by a connected District Vet network, with colleagues, laboratories, diagnostic services and biosecurity teams, giving you confidence as you plan the response.

Why Local Land Services

At LLS, a District Vet career can grow in more than one direction. You can build deep technical expertise, become a trusted regional adviser, contribute to statewide animal health and welfare programs, or move into leadership, policy, emergency response or coordination.

This is a pathway for vets who want to keep practising veterinary science while expanding what their expertise can influence. Your career is shaped through experience, credibility and the trust you build with producers, colleagues, industry and government partners. As your judgement strengthens, so do the opportunities around you. You can deepen your specialty, broaden your role across programs or regions, and build a career that continues to feel connected to animals, communities and the public value of veterinary science.

For more information about working at LLS please visit Work with Us.

If your partner is an essential worker, then we have a free service to support you and your family in your move! To find out more visit The Welcome Experience | NSW Government.

About You

To be successful in this, you will bring:

• Experience in large animal medicine, welfare and husbandry, with the ability to apply epidemiological principles to detect, investigate and respond to notifiable herd and flock diseases.
• Sound knowledge of animal biosecurity and welfare risks, including how these affect producers, livestock industries, regional communities and the broader environment.
• The ability to work confidently with livestock owners, private veterinarians, industry stakeholders and government partners, translating technical information into clear, practical advice that supports improved on-farm practice.
• Strong judgement and integrity when working through complex animal health and welfare matters, including the ability to support compliance, safe stock movement and coordinated response activity when required.
• A collaborative and organised approach, with the ability to maintain accurate disease information, support traceability and certification requirements, and contribute to state and national animal biosecurity and welfare outcomes.
• A practical, resilient and community-minded approach to working in regional environments, with the ability to build trust, communicate clearly and respond effectively when priorities shift.
• A degree in Veterinary Science registrable in NSW, are (or can be) registered with the NSW Veterinary Practitioners Board, and
• A current NSW Driver Licence, with the capacity and willingness to travel throughout the region as required.

What We Offer

• Professional development that supports your registration and growth, including AVA membership, CPD support, supported study leave and the annual District Veterinarians Conference.
• Opportunities to deepen your technical expertise across areas such as surveillance, pathology, epidemiology, production animal health, welfare, disease investigation and emergency response.
• A connected statewide District Vet network, backed by a long history of regional veterinary presence, shared expertise and peer support across NSW.
• Access to diagnostic and technical support, including laboratory services, subject matter experts, policy authorities and systems that support surveillance, investigation and coordinated response.
• Structured career pathways that can grow with your interests, including opportunities to move across regions, programs, agencies and departments as your expertise and credibility develop.
• Flexible working arrangements where the role allows, recognising that the work can be steady when it can be and responsive when it needs to be. This may include flexible hours, working from home, working from different locations, part-time, or job share arrangements.
• Wellbeing supports to help sustain you over time, including access to wellbeing and lifestyle benefits, EAP and telehealth services.

For further information about the role please contact Alex Tyson via email at **********@lls.nsw.gov.au or on 0429 777 ***. You can also view therole description.

Recruitment Adjustments

If you require adjustments in completing your application, interviewing, completing any pre- employment testing, require information in an alternative format, or otherwise participating in the recruitment process, please let us know so we can assist. Send an email to ***************@dpird.nsw.gov.au or contact the hiring manager listed for a confidential discussion.

About Us: Together, we are DPIRD

The New South Wales Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) protects, supports and develops primary industries and regional economies.

Collectively we support strong and sustainable agriculture, forestry, fishing and mining industries, and regional economies. We actively manage our natural assets: our lands and soils, minerals, waterways and oceans, vegetation and forests.

The department brings together:

• Local Land Services
• NSW Resources
• Agriculture and Biosecurity
• Fisheries and Forestry
• Regional Development and Delivery.

With the majority of the DPIRD team living and working in regional NSW, we are embedded in the regions we serve.

Diversity and inclusion are core DPIRD values. Everyone has the right to contribute and participate to their full potential. We are committed to supporting a diverse and inclusive culture that is respectful, welcoming and flexible – a workplace where our people feel supported, valued, and part of our collective success.

Learn more about the benefits of joining our diverse and talented DPIRD team.

Additional Information

A recruitment pool may be created for ongoing and temporary roles of the same role or role type that may become available for filling over the next eighteen months.

The successful applicant in this role may be required to undergo a police check, health assessment and/or other assessments as required.