Night Vet Surgeon - Small Animal

Inspiring Vet Care; Axminster; On-site; GBP 62,000 - 76,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Private medical insurance

Enhanced family leave and pay

BVA membership, VDS cover & RCVS fees

Cycle to Work and Green Car schemes

Retail discounts and cashback offers

Reduced-cost veterinary care for your

Salary up to £69,000 DOE FTE

Job summary

Inspiring Vet Care in Axminster, Devon, seeks an experienced Veterinary Surgeon to join our nocturnal emergency service at Coombefield Three Counties Veterinary Emergencies. You’ll manage overnight caseloads, supported by an on-site RVN, ensuring high-quality care for cats, dogs, and other small animals.

The role offers a two-night rotation every three weeks (7pm–8am), with no weekend on-call, a clear development pathway, and a generous package including relocation and welcome bonuses.

Qualifications

• Experienced Veterinary Surgeon to join our emerging night service.

Responsibilities

• Manage emergency consultations, surgery and inpatients overnight.
• Work sole charge with dedicated RVN on site for nursing support.
• Two nights every three weeks, shifts 7pm–8am, with no weekend on-call requirements.

Job description

Night Veterinary Surgeon - Small Animal

Coombefield Three Counties Veterinary Emergencies - Axminster, Devon

Salary up to £69,000 DOE FTE, up to £5,000 welcome bonus and relocation allowance up to £5,000

At inspiring vet care, our people are at the heart of everything we do. As the UK’s number one vet care provider, we're trusted with the care of over 2 million animals, delivering our purpose of healthier animals and happier owners.

Coombefield Three Counties Veterinary Emergencies, part of ivc, are looking for an experienced Veterinary Surgeon to join our emerging night service at our longstanding small animal hospital in Axminster, Devon.

This is a fantastic opportunity for a vet who enjoys the challenge of emergency and critical care and wants to develop their skills in a supportive environment. Working alongside a dedicated night RVN, you’ll have the opportunity to manage a varied and interesting caseload while providing a high-quality overnight service to our surrounding practices and clients.

ECC Without the Daytime Pressure

The caseload is predominantly cats, dogs and rabbits, with the occasional exotic or wildlife patient adding a little extra variety. You’ll manage emergency consultations, surgery and inpatients throughout the night, with the time and space to properly work up your cases without the pressure of a full daytime consult and surgery list.

The shift starts and finishes with a handover from the day team, helping to provide excellent continuity of care for our patients.

You’ll work sole charge overnight, but with a dedicated RVN on site throughout your shift, so you’ll have experienced nursing support alongside you.

A Team That Wants You to Grow

You’ll become part of a team of 15 Veterinary Surgeons, supported by a large nursing, reception and administration team. Many of our colleagues have been with us for years, creating a friendly and supportive environment where people genuinely enjoy working together.

We have certificate holders in ECC, Ophthalmology and Feline Medicine, alongside vets working towards further qualifications, and a visiting Orthopaedic Specialist. We’re committed to supporting professional development, so if you’re keen to gain further experience or work towards a certificate, we’ll encourage you every step of the way.

A Hospital Equipped for Emergencies

You’ll be based at our purpose-built small animal hospital, with everything you need to manage your overnight caseload. We have two operating theatres, a dedicated dental room, imaging suite, in-house laboratory including an EPOC machine, cattery, kennels, isolation unit and pharmacy, alongside external laboratory support when required.

A Night Pattern That Gives You Your Days Back

This is a part-time night role, working two nights every three weeks, currently Thursday and Friday, although there is some flexibility around the days. Shifts are 7pm-8am.

And importantly, there are no weekends and no on-call requirements, giving you a predictable working pattern and plenty of time to enjoy life outside the practice.

Thinking of Moving to Devon?

Axminster sits right on the Devon and Dorset border, surrounded by beautiful countryside and within easy reach of the Jurassic Coast. You’re close to Lyme Regis and the coast, while Exeter is around 30 miles away, making the area a great option if you’re looking for a quieter pace of life without being too far from a city. With charming towns, countryside walks, beaches and plenty of opportunities to enjoy the outdoors.

How We’ll Support You

At inspiring vet care, we’re committed to supporting your ongoing development and wellbeing. When you join us, you’ll benefit from:

• Clear career pathways with progression opportunities across primary care, referral, leadership, and specialist roles


• Funded learning and development including CPD allowance and access to IVC academy training centres & role-relevant courses


• £1,250 annual Care Fund for every vet


• Access to mentors, regional clinical coaches, and peer networks


• Support to develop clinical interests and expand your capabilities


• A collaborative, values-led culture focused on care, community, and continuous improvement

What We Offer Our Team

• 6.6 weeks’ holiday including bank holidays


• Private medical insurance


• Enhanced family leave and pay across maternity, paternity, adoption and surrogacy


• BVA membership, VDS cover & RCVS fees


• Cycle to Work and Green Car schemes (eligibility applies)


• Retail discounts and cashback offers


• Reduced-cost veterinary care for your own pets

We’re committed to supporting our people through career development opportunities, wellbeing initiatives and access to world-class learning resources.

Whether you’re just starting out or looking to take the next step in your career, inspiring vet care offers the support, opportunity and community to help you grow.

We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses and identifying potential inconsistencies or verification signals in application materials based on available information. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.

Salary up to £69,000 DOE FTE