Veterinary Surgeon

MARS Veterinary; Colchester; On-site; GBP 54,000 - 66,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

5 weeks holiday + bank holidays

RCVS fees paid

VDS fees paid

External CPD funded

Linnaeus CPD program

Career progression opportunities

Staff discount schemes

Life Assurance

Enhanced sickness pay

Enhanced family leave

E-car salary sacrifice scheme

Employer contribution pension scheme

Wellness program eg: EAP and Eyecare

Job summary

Mars Veterinary Health invites applications for a Veterinary Surgeon at Colne Valley, Colchester. Work four days (40 hours) with a fixed day off, handling a varied consulting and surgical caseload in a supportive Linnaeus-colocated environment.

You will enjoy clinical autonomy with experienced colleagues available for case discussions, and opportunities to pursue interests or qualifications while maintaining work‑life balance.

Qualifications

• 3+ years experience, including UK work
• Confidence managing a varied first-opinion caseload and taking ownership
• Interest in both consulting and surgery, with high quality patient care
• Collaborative but able to work independently and seek second opinions when needed
• Desire to learn and develop clinically; further qualifications encouraged

Responsibilities

• Manage a varied consulting and surgical caseload with clinical autonomy
• Take ownership of cases and make clinical decisions with support from colleagues
• Work a four-day week (40 hours) with a fixed day off to support life outside work
• Collaborate with nursing staff and specialists to provide high standards of patient care

Skills

First-opinion caseload

Surgical skills

Clinical autonomy

Team collaboration

Lifelong learning

Job description

Veterinary Surgeon
Location: Colchester, Essex
Hours: Full-time, 40 hours over 4 days
Practice: Colne Valley, part of Linnaeus
Salary: £60,000 per annum DOE £5000 welcome bonus for direct applicants.

Good medicine, genuine clinical autonomy and a team you can lean on without sacrificing your life outside work. At Colne Valley, you'll enjoy a varied consulting and surgical caseload, colleagues to learn from and a four-day working week that puts work-life balance first.

Why join us?

A four-day week that works for you. Work 40 hours over four days, with a fixed day off to help you plan life outside work. The weekend rota is one in six, usually Saturday mornings from 8:30am to 1pm, with an additional Friday off after your weekend rota.

A genuinely varied caseload. Typically split your week between two consulting days and two theatre days, giving you the opportunity to enjoy both sides of first-opinion practice.

Clinical autonomy, with support when you need it. Take ownership of your cases and clinical decisions, knowing you have experienced colleagues around you to discuss cases and share ideas.

Room to develop your interests. Whether you're considering a certificate or keen to build your confidence in a particular area, we'll encourage your ambitions and support your ongoing development.

You don't need a specialism or bias to join us. The equipment and people to support good medicine. Work with modern diagnostic equipment, a strong nursing team and colleagues with a range of clinical interests, including imaging and exotics.

The team and practice: An experienced team, genuine clinical support and room to make your mark. Colne Valley has been caring for pets in the Colchester community for over 75 years, and you'll be joining an established team of 10 vets, 11 nurses and a Clinical Nurse Manager. With this appointment bringing the veterinary team to 11, you'll be part of a substantial, collaborative group with a wealth of experience to draw on. Our team includes a vet with a radiology certificate, another nearing completion of their radiology studies, a colleague working towards a surgery certificate, and vets with interests in imaging and exotics.

We aim to have around seven vets working on a typical day, giving you colleagues to discuss cases with, exchange ideas and learn from. You'll have the independence to take ownership of your cases and clinical decisions, without feeling that you have to work everything out alone.

A varied caseload, with the facilities and expertise to keep developing. This isn't a role where you'll be limited to routine consultations. Your week will typically be split between two consulting days and two theatre days, giving you the opportunity to enjoy both medical and surgical work.

Our purpose-built practice has five consulting rooms, a dedicated surgical theatre, a separate exotics ward, digital X-ray, ultrasound and three different types of endoscope. Whether you're keen to build on your existing skills, explore a new clinical interest or work towards a further qualification, you'll have colleagues to learn from and support to help you progress. We actively encourage further qualifications and professional development, so you don't need to arrive with a certificate or a particular specialism already in place. We're investing in the team, not just the equipment.

We're also opening a new Client Care Manager role to strengthen the client experience and take pressure off the wider practice team. By giving client satisfaction and associated administrative responsibilities dedicated attention, the aim is to reduce the burden on clinical colleagues and the Practice Manager to allow them to focus more of their time and energy on patient care and their duties to keep clients, patients and staff happy. It's a positive step towards supporting the people who work here, improving the experience for clients and helping the practice continue delivering the standard of care it is known for.

A working pattern designed around life outside the practice. Work-life balance is one of Colne Valley's biggest priorities. You'll work 40 hours across four days, with a fixed day off, giving you more consistency when planning your time outside work.

The weekend rota is one in six, involving only Saturday mornings from 8:30am to 1pm, with an additional Friday off after your weekend. There is no routine out-of-hours rota, although occasional attendance may be needed for specific patient-care requirements on a Sunday (if it's your weekend to work), but this is more an exception as opposed to a rule.

An established local practice in a well-connected location. Alongside the main practice, Colne Valley has an established consulting branch in Wivenhoe, helping us serve the surrounding community. Colchester itself offers plenty to enjoy beyond work, from its historic character to the coast around 20 minutes away. Direct trains to London take approximately 45 minutes, making it a great base if you want access to the countryside and coast without losing the convenience of the capital.

What we're looking for

• A Veterinary Surgeon with at least 3 years experience, including a minimum of 18 months working in the UK.
• Confidence managing a varied first-opinion caseload and taking ownership of your cases.
• An interest in both consulting and surgery, with a commitment to delivering high-quality patient care.
• A collaborative approach and the confidence to work independently while knowing when to seek a second opinion.
• A desire to keep learning and developing clinically.
• Further qualifications are encouraged, but no particular certificate or specialism is required.

What we offer

• 5 weeks holiday plus bank holidays and Birthday Leave
• RCVS and VDS fees paid
• External CPD funded
• Extensive free online Linnaeus CPD program
• Career progression opportunities
• Staff discount schemes
• Life Assurance
• Enhanced sickness pay
• Enhanced equal family leave
• E-car salary sacrifice scheme
• Employer contribution pension scheme
• Wellness program including:
• Employee assistance program
• Eyecare voucher scheme
• Free annual Flu jab
• Cycle to work scheme

We are part of Linnaeus and Mars Veterinary Health, the largest family owned veterinary company in the world. Being privately owned, we can truly be driven by our purpose, to create a better world, and think long-term as opposed to being focused solely on short-term profits.

At Linnaeus, A BETTER WORLD FOR PETS starts with a better world for our people. Our Associates are over 6000 strong and empowered to speak up, step up and deliver quality services. You'll have access to a huge network of specialists, worldwide development opportunities and an easily accessible, comprehensive wellbeing package that prioritises your physical and mental health, allowing you to focus on what you do best – care for pets.

We are committed to fostering a culture that is inclusive and diverse, we care about you and want you to be authentic, with everything you need to perform at your best.

We are all individual but two important things bring us together: a commitment to excellence and our passion to achieve our purpose.