Are you a small animal vet interested in rehabilitation, pain management or sports medicine and ready to take the next step in your career?
About Donaldson’s Vets
As a practice, we are always evolving, upgrading and improving. We combine truly cutting-edge training, facilities, equipment, and premises with good old-fashioned personal care. We are the only independent veterinary group in Huddersfield, and our thriving multi-centre mixed practice has 44 vets and 6 surgeries across Huddersfield and South Halifax, including our hospital at Almondbury.
We are looking for a vet with some experience to join our supportive 7-vet team at Donaldson’s Vets Birchencliffe, where our Animal Rehabilitation Centre is based. ARC opened in 2008 to help patients recovering from surgery, suffering from painful and debilitating arthritis or other bone/joint problems, affected by neurological or spinal conditions, and those needing to lose weight or regain muscle condition and fitness. We have everything needed, including two underwater treadmills, therapeutic ultrasound and laser units, electrotherapy for pain relief and muscle maintenance (including TSE, TENS, and NMES) and a wide range of exercise equipment.
This is an opportunity to combine first-opinion practice with exploring your interest in rehabilitation, pain management, and sports medicine. We want you to take your career to the next level, and we will encourage your ambitions and help you to achieve your goals.
Our team
Rhona is a company Director and our lead vet at Birchencliffe. She became interested in rehabilitation and sports medicine through her experience caring for her own dog with hip dysplasia. Rhona qualified as a Certified Canine Rehabilitation Practitioner in 2009 and has obtained further qualifications in Veterinary Acupuncture. Her determination to bring the best facilities and expertise to the patients who need it is a very personal mission and at the root of the ARC’s development and success. Rhona also works with competitors in multiple canine sports and works closely with the local Mountain Rescue Search Dogs, which Donaldson’s Vets is proud to sponsor.
Jill graduated from Glasgow in 1994 and joined the team in 2021. She recently completed the University of Tennessee Certified Canine Rehabilitation Practitioner programme, including a practical externship with Dr Angela Martins’ amazing neuro-rehab team in Aritao, Portugal.
We run a vet-led rehabilitation service, and Rhona and Jill examine and assess each patient to develop an individual treatment plan. Our amazing RVNs, many of whom are studying towards further qualifications in rehabilitation, support them in providing the necessary treatment. We have five other fantastic vets working on the first opinion side of the practice who are supported by our RVNs, SVNs, auxiliary nurses, and a cracking support crew.
The rota
We value our team and are always looking to improve work-life balance; we recently changed our finish time from 7.30 pm to 6.30 pm. Our full-time vets work a 4-day week (8.15 am - 6.15 pm), with typically just 1:4 Saturdays (9 am – 2 pm). While most of your time will be spent at Birchencliffe working between first opinion and ARC, you will also have the opportunity to get involved with the varied caseload at the hospital. All our vets work one late shift (10.15 am - 8.15 pm) every two weeks and approximately 1:9 daytime weekends at the hospital. We have a dedicated 3-vet night team, so there are no routine nights for our day vets.
What we offer:
* Salary of £44,000 to £60,000, depending on experience
* 6.6 weeks holiday, including bank holidays
* CPD encouraged, with certificates supported and funded
* Professional fees paid for RCVS, VDS, BSAVA, and BVA
* Happy to sponsor visas
* Assistance with finding accommodation available if relocating
* Employee Assistance Program, enhanced maternity and adoption pay, and shared parental leave.
* Enhanced company sick pay
If you're interested in this opportunity and want to learn more about us and how we can support your career development, please call us for an informal chat or apply now.
#J-18808-Ljbffr