Small Animal Veterinary Surgeon

About the Role

Join a supportive small animal team at an independent practice nestled on the beautiful Kent coast. You'll work a four-day week with Saturday mornings (8:30 am to 1 pm, one in four) and no overnight on-call, giving you real time to recharge. The practice actively encourages vets to develop specialist interests and pursue new skills in a pragmatic, collaborative environment where clinical discussions and shared learning are the norm.

Your colleagues include an Advanced Practitioner in Ophthalmology and a Certificate Holder in Small Animal Orthopaedics. In-house diagnostics are extensive: endoscopy, bronchoscopy, rhinoscopy, and ultrasound with Doppler mean many cases that might otherwise be referred stay in-house, boosting both your satisfaction and client loyalty. The practice values your ideas and is willing to invest in equipment and training to support your development.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide routine and advanced small animal veterinary care with clinical freedom and genuine collaborative support
• Work confidently across routine procedures with postgraduate experience in general practice
• Manage evening sessions and one-in-four Saturday morning surgeries as sole charge practitioner
• Utilise the range of in-house diagnostic equipment to manage cases directly rather than refer
• Contribute ideas and help shape the practice's approach to clinical development and training
• Support the practice's commitment to training nursing students, working alongside a strong RVN and SVN team

Requirements

• RCVS registration and MRCVS qualification
• Confidence with routine procedures and postgraduate experience in general practice
• Ability to work as sole charge in evening sessions and Saturday mornings
• Enthusiasm for collaboration, clinical discussion, and developing specialist interests
• Forward-thinking mindset with openness to new ideas and ways of working

Benefits

• Salary from £38,000 to £65,000 depending on experience
• Four-day working week with clear separation between consulting and operating
• No out-of-hours rota
• One-in-four Saturday mornings (8:30 am to 1 pm only)
• Five weeks' holiday plus bank holidays
• CPD budget with professional certificates fully supported and funded
• RCVS and VDS professional fees covered
• Relocation package up to £5,000 available for the successful candidate
• Flexible part-time hours available for the right candidate

About the Practice

Hawkinge Veterinary Surgery is an independent small animal practice established in 2016, serving a loyal client base in a residential area on the Kent coast. The modern, compact building is situated within the designated National Landscape (AONB), with the lovely Kent countryside just a 10-minute walk away and the seaside accessible by car in ten minutes. The practice has built a reputation for excellent staff retention, a friendly atmosphere, and a slower pace compared to corporate operations, though they remain busy and continue to grow each year.

In 2023 the practice became an RCVS Training Practice and enrolled its first student. They are committed to training nursing students and maintaining strong RVN and SVN staffing. The team continuously invests in equipment and welcomes new ideas from staff, fostering an environment where clinical innovation and postgraduate learning are actively encouraged.