Veterinary Surgeon - Small Animal Focus (Mixed Practice)

British Veterinary Association; Shefford; On-site; GBP 43,000 - 53,000; Full time

Job summary

A veterinary practice in Donegal is seeking an experienced Veterinary Surgeon with a focus on small animals. The role includes handling a variety of cases and some large animal work in a supportive environment. Candidates should have VCI registration and a grounding in small animal care. This position offers competitive salary, professional development support, and a commitment to work-life balance.

Benefits

€60,000 salary

Relocation assistance

CPD allowance

Annual leave

Paid maternity/paternity leave

Qualifications

• Strong grounding in small animal first opinion work.
• Genuine enthusiasm for working as part of a supportive team.
• Comfortable with some large animal work or open to developing this.

Responsibilities

• Handle a wide variety of small animal cases, both medical and surgical.
• Participate in large animal work as part of the rota.
• Take cases from consult to resolution.

Skills

Small animal first opinion work

Large animal work

Team collaboration

Curious to learn

Education

VCI registered

Minimum 2 years' clinical experience

Job description

Veterinary Surgeon - Small Animal Focus (Mixed Practice)

Location: Old Church Vets, Donegal

Salary: Up to €60,000 DOE

Relocation Assistance: Up to €5,000 (T&C's apply)

The Opportunity

Old Church Vets are on the lookout for an experienced and confident Small Animal Veterinary Surgeon who's open to keeping a little variety in their work life. This role is built around small animal first opinion practice, with the added bonus of occasional large animal work as part of our well-structured, shared on-call rota.

Whether you've always worked in mixed practice or you're a small animal vet looking to keep your hand in with occasional farm cases - we'd love to hear from you. This is a friendly, forward-thinking team where clinical independence is respected, support for your development is genuine, and your time off is exactly that - protected.

Why Join Us?

Small Animal at the Core

You'll handle a wide variety of small animal cases, both medical and surgical, with access to excellent in-house facilities - meaning we refer minimally. You'll be supported to take cases from consult to resolution, with the option to follow your clinical interests.

Keep Your Mixed Practice Edge

While the role is focused on small animals, our shared out-of-hours rota includes some large animal work. You won't be on your own - full support is provided, especially for those less experienced in farm animal care.

Protected Time Off & Structured Rota

• Full-time hours: Monday-Friday, 9am-6pm
• Weekends/on-call: 1 in 5 Saturdays and 1 in 5 OOH
• No phone triage: Calls are screened by senior admin staff before being passed to the vet on-call.
• When you're off - you're off. We protect downtime and foster a healthy work-life balance.

Investing in You

Career Development & CPD Support

• €1300 CPD allowance + 5 paid CPD days per year
• Certificate funding? Absolutely. We actively encourage and fully fund further qualifications.
• Got ambitions beyond the clinic? We also offer leadership and non-clinical career paths.

Support That Grows With You

Whether you're mid-career or looking to develop new areas of interest, you'll find the guidance, autonomy, and encouragement to grow. We're collaborative, open-minded, and committed to clinical excellence - without the ego.

About You

You're a confident, capable vet with a strong grounding in small animal first opinion work and a genuine enthusiasm for working as part of a supportive, mixed-practice team.

• VCI registered and eligible to work in Ireland
• Minimum 2 years' clinical experience
• Keen to grow, curious to learn
• Friendly, professional, and team-focused
• Comfortable with some large animal work or open to developing this with guidance

About Us - Old Church Veterinary Group

We're an established mixed practice with a strong focus on progressive, compassionate care. Originally founded in 1954 in Ballyshannon, we now operate from three locations: our flagship converted 19th-century church hospital in Donegal Town, as well as clinics in Ballyshannon and Grange, Co. Sligo.

Our caseload includes:

• Small animals (majority of day-to-day)
• Farm animals (mainly suckler/beef and sheep)
• A limited number of equine clients

The team: 9 vets, 6 RVNs, and excellent support staff - all working together with mutual respect and good humour.

Equipment highlights:

• Full IDEXX lab
• Ultrasound, X-ray, endoscopy
• Laser therapy, physiotherapy
• In-house fertility testing and orthopaedics

What We Offer (Benefits - subject to pro-rata)

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

Work Life Balance & Employee Wellbeing

• 22 days Annual Leave & Birthday leave
• Paid Maternity, Paternity & Adoptive Leave Packages
• Cycle to Work Scheme
• Full access to EAP and Wellbeing Centre
• Paid Bereavement Leave & Company Sick Pay

Development

• €1300 annual CPD allowance with 5 days paid CPD days pro rata
• Funding of any Certificates / Diplomas / PhD's you may want to pursue
• Career Progression Opportunities, both clinical and non-clinical

Professional Memberships

• VCI membership paid
• VDS cover paid

Additional Benefits

• Annual Pay Reviews
• Dedicated CARE fund - annual contribution of €1,100 from IVC Evidensia for each Vet to use on a case of your choice to ensure successful outcome with your patient (T&C's apply)
• Pawesome Benefits - reward gateway giving discounts and cashback with hundreds of retailers
• Employer Pension Contributions
• Free Flu Inoculations
• Discounted Veterinary Fees
• Opportunity to join company programmes (LGBTQ+, Wellbeing Champions, Nurses Committee, Clinical Board and many more)

Our Commitment to Inclusion

We are proud to be a BAME and LGBTQIA+ inclusive employer and a Disability Confident Employer. We welcome applications from all qualified individuals and are happy to discuss reasonable adjustments at any stage of the recruitment process.

Ready to Apply?

We're not just hiring a vet - we're welcoming a new team member. If this sounds like your kind of place, we'd love to chat.

Apply now and come find out what it's like to work where your wellbeing and growth matter just as much as your clinical skills.