Veterinary Surgeon - Small Animal

VC Evidensia UK; Kilwinning; On-site; GBP 35,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player is seeking a dedicated Veterinary Surgeon to join a compassionate team. This permanent role offers a blend of medical and surgical cases, providing the flexibility to suit your career stage. With a commitment to work-life balance, the clinic offers 39 hours per week, typically over 4 days, along with generous annual leave and professional development opportunities. Enjoy a supportive environment with modern facilities and a focus on continuous learning. If you're passionate about veterinary medicine and eager to make a difference, this role could be your next great opportunity.

Benefits

6.8 weeks annual leave

Private Medical Insurance

Employee Assistance Programme

Enhanced family-friendly policies

£1250 CPD allowance

Certificate support

Access to Vetlexicon

Discounted treatment for pets

Company pension scheme

Cycle to Work scheme

Qualifications

• Must hold a veterinary degree and be registered with the RCVS.
• Experience in both medical and surgical cases is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Provide first-opinion veterinary care for a mix of medical and surgical cases.
• Manage a flexible caseload tailored to individual strengths and interests.

Skills

Veterinary Medicine

Surgical Skills

Client Communication

Case Management

Education

Veterinary Degree

Tools

Digital Radiography

Ultrasound

In-house Laboratories

Job description

At Ivybank Vets, we’re looking for a dedicated and compassionate Veterinary Surgeon to join our team on a permanent basis. This is a first-opinion GP role, offering a mix of medical and surgical cases, with the time and support to work up your cases. Given the breadth of our current team this role could flex to either a medical plus surgical caseloads or if you prefer medicine, consulting-only. We could accommodate differing career stages for the right candidate so we would like to hear from you if you are early in your career, looking to consolidate your skills, or someone looking for the challenge of developing a branch caseload.

Rota patterns that work for you

We understand the importance of work-life balance and offer flexibility to suit your needs. The clinic opening hours are 8:30am – 7pm, Monday to Friday with the full-time rota consists of 39 hours per week, usually spread across 4 days, with an equal share of 1 in 4 Saturday mornings (8:30am-12pm). However, we are happy to explore part-time and flexible working options. Out-of-hours care is handled by Vets Now, ensuring a balanced schedule.

Our four clinics—based in Irvine, Kilwinning, Kilmarnock, and West Kilbride—are situated along Ayrshire’s stunning west coast, offering a mix of beautiful countryside, scenic beaches, and easy access to the vibrant city life of Glasgow. We are a well-established, client-focused practice with a dedicated team of 10 Vets, 9 RVNs, 2 SVNs, 3 ACAs, and a welcoming reception and support team. Many of our nurses have experience in referral settings or have built long-term careers in general practice, providing excellent nurse consultations and supporting both surgical and hospitalised cases.

Our clinics are well-equipped with modern facilities, including in-house laboratories, digital radiography, ultrasound (available at three of our sites), dental equipment, and more, ensuring we deliver high standards of care. As a team of generalists, some of our vets hold or are working towards certificates in areas such as ultrasound, medicine, wildlife, and ECC. We actively encourage professional development and are happy to support further qualifications or special interests.

Whether you're early in your career, looking to consolidate your skills, or eager to develop a branch caseload, we are here to support you. This role can be tailored to your strengths and interests, whether you prefer a mix of medicine and surgery or a consulting-only role.

We recognise that our people are fundamental to the success of our business. Investing in our people, premises and processes is at the heart of what we do. In addition to a competitive base salary, you will benefit from:

Work-life balance

• 6.8 weeks annual leave, inclusive of bank holidays
• Additional holiday entitlement for your birthday
• Private Medical Insurance
• Employee Assistance Programme: 24/7 confidential helpline
• Enhanced family-friendly policies, including maternity/paternity/adoption/shared parental and surrogacy pay
• Initiatives focused on colleague wellbeing

Development

• £1250 CPD allowance with 40 hours paid CPD leave pro rata
• Certificate support
• Learning and development opportunities via the IVC Evidensia Academy
• Access to Vetlexicon – our online encyclopaedia provider
• All our Vets & Nurses can apply for research funding
• All our Vets get £1250 per annum to spend via our Care Fund
• Infection Prevention and Control Programme
• Quality Improvement Programme

Professional Memberships

• BVA membership
• VDS cover
• RCVS fees
• Company pension scheme. IVC Evidensia will make a contribution as well
• Supporting a greener commute to work with a Cycle to Work scheme and Green Cars Scheme, subject to eligibility criteria
• Voluntary benefits: we give you the flexibility to choose from a range of voluntary benefits to suit you
• Access to discounts/cashback with hundreds of participating retailers
• Discounted treatment for your own pets at an IVC Evidensia practice

At IVC Evidensia we are committed to Diversity, Equality, Inclusion and Belonging, we are keen to hear from candidates from all minority and diverse groups. As a Disability Confident Employer, we are keen to hear from candidates with disabilities and long-term health conditions and would be happy to discuss any reasonable adjustments needed during the recruitment process.

Any questions before applying?

Speak to Taylor Findlay from our recruitment team who would be happy to help you with any questions you have before applying for this role.