Veterinary Surgeon (3131)

We are looking for two new Vet Surgeons to join us at our Manchester Animal Hospital and surrounding areas 

1 x permanent contract.

1 x fixed-term post until November 2026 to cover a period of maternity leave.

• Working hours: 35 hours / Mon - Friday with some on call overnight and weekend shifts (approx 1 in 6/7 rota). 
• Onsite role: Manchester Animal Hospital - Your role would also include regular offsite work, travelling to our other animal centres/hospitals. 

This is not your average Vet job - so, what's different about it? We focus on animal welfare and can offer great hours (a good proportion of shifts are 8am - 4pm, and an actual hour for lunch most of the time). So, if you are looking for some flexibility to fit in with your home-life this could be the right fit for you. 

At our Greater Manchester site, no two days are ever the same. While the attached job description provides a comprehensive overview of the role, the following summary offers a snapshot of what you can expect.

Our highly skilled team delivers lifesaving veterinary care to thousands of animals rescued by RSPCA frontline officers each year, while also providing essential support to animals undergoing rehabilitation in RSPCA centres. Unlike private veterinary practices, our focus is exclusively on rescued, stray, neglected, and abused animals rather than owned pets.

In this rewarding and varied role, you will oversee the treatment and rehabilitation of injured, ill, and vulnerable animals, demonstrating clinical competence across a broad range of veterinary disciplines. Your responsibilities will include:

• Performing dentistry procedures.
• Carrying out neutering and other soft tissue surgeries.
• Providing veterinary expertise in shelter medicine.
• Undertaking occasional sole-charge duties.
• Participating in off-site shelter medicine work approximately once a week with local RSPCA branches and centres.
• Applying RSPCA policies relating to the assessment and rehoming of animals, including making informed decisions on individual cases.
• Providing welfare support and professional advice to the RSPCA Inspectorate.

This is an opportunity to make a tangible difference to animal welfare every day, working within a dedicated team committed to giving vulnerable animals the best possible chance of recovery and a brighter future.

• Membership of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons
• You must hold a full, valid driver's licence due to the need to travel across the region
• Interest or previous experience in shelter medicine
• A pragmatic and welfare oriented approach
• Happy to handle dogs, cats, small furries and possibly bird and wildlife initial triage (although you not expected to be an expert on wildlife)
• 2 years + previous clinical experience preferred
• Excellent time management skills
• Ability to work autonomously and make informed decisions
• Great communication skills 
• In line with above you will have the ability to explain complex clinical and welfare decisions in a clear and compassionate way to a variety of non-clinical staff, including the Animal Center teams and Inspectorate

Successful candidates for certain RSPCA roles will need to undergo a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.

Applicants must have the legal right to work in the UK  as we are unable to sponsor visas.

We want to ensure we do all we can to give you a positive candidate experience through our recruitment. Whilst we do try to give feedback where we can, sometimes due to receiving high levels of applications, this may not always be possible

We are building the future of a diverse Society, and our priority is to support animal welfare by finding people from all backgrounds who are committed  to our mission.  For this reason we actively encourage a wide diversity of applications - in particular from members of minority ethnic groups, and people with disabilities - as these candidates are currently under-represented at the RSPCA. 

We're here to support you and encourage you to let us know if you need any adjustments at any stage of the recruitment process. Please feel free to contact us at resourcingteam@rspca.org.uk or 0300 123 0685 so we can ensure the process works for you.