Animal Care Auxiliary

About the Role

This is a part-time temporary Animal Care Auxiliary position at PDSA Derby, working 28 hours per week on an 8 month contract. The rota is night based, with shifts on Tuesday from 7:30pm to 7:30am, Wednesday from 7:30pm to 7:30am, and 1 in 3 Saturdays from 7:30pm to 7:30am.

You’ll be helping care for sick and injured pets overnight, supporting the clinical team, keeping inpatient areas clean, safe and hygienic, and assisting with animal handling and practical tasks. The role also includes time on reception when needed, where you’ll communicate calmly and sympathetically with clients and encourage appropriate financial contributions to support PDSA’s work.

The hospital describes itself as collaborative and effective, with varied clinical interests across the team and a strong focus on shared learning.

Key Responsibilities

• Support overnight inpatient care for pets at PDSA Derby.
• Help maintain a clean, safe and hygienic hospital environment.
• Assist with animal handling and day to day practical tasks.
• Cover reception duties when required.
• Communicate calmly and sympathetically with clients.
• Help encourage appropriate financial contributions to support the charity’s work.
• Use initiative and escalate concerns when needed, especially when working with limited team cover.

Requirements

• Good customer service skills.
• A caring, practical approach.
• Reliability, resilience and confidence using your initiative.
• A genuine passion for animal welfare.
• Willingness to learn, grow and contribute to PDSA’s local work.

Benefits

• 28 hours per week on a part-time temporary 8 month contract.
• Night shift pattern with Tuesday, Wednesday and 1 in 3 Saturdays from 7:30pm to 7:30am.
• Flexible working options.
• 25 days’ holiday plus Bank Holidays.
• Three paid special days off each year, Volunteering Day, Celebration Day and Wellbeing Day.
• Generous pension options, with PDSA contributions starting at 5% and rising to 10%.
• Life assurance worth four times annual salary.
• AXA Health Employee Assistance Programme with 24/7 wellbeing support.
• Retail, holiday and lifestyle discounts through the Fetch benefits platform.
• Enhanced maternity, paternity and adoption leave.
• 10% discount on PDSA Pet Insurance plus access to staff veterinary services.

About the Practice

PDSA provides veterinary care for pets whose owners are in financial hardship and says it has done so for over a century. The organisation is expanding its reach so it can support more people and pets in the future.

PDSA Derby is described as a modern, well-equipped hospital with separate dog and cat kennelling facilities, in-house radiography, ultrasound, endoscopy, piped gases and extensive orthopaedic equipment. The team is collaborative, supportive and places value on case discussion and shared learning.