Veterinary Surgeon - Small Animal

Veterinary Surgeon - Small Animal at Vet Record Careers

Salary: up to £63,000 DOE plus Welcome Bonus up to £5,000.

At Rathgael Garden Lodge Vets, collaboration, care, and community are at the heart of everything we do. We’re excited to welcome a dedicated and enthusiastic Veterinary Surgeon to our team. This is a fantastic opportunity to grow your career within a supportive, progressive practice spanning our well-established small animal clinics in Bangor, Holywood, and Stormont. This role will involve working across all three sites.

• Consultations prioritising continuity of care, building lasting relationships with clients and their pets.
• Balanced mix of consulting and surgery, covering routine procedures such as spays, lump removals, abdominal surgeries, and a wide range of dental work.
• Management of most cases in-house while maintaining referral links for specialist support when required.
• Support nursing team activities, including running consults, wellness checks, post‑op discharges, and assistance across surgery and administration.
• Part‑time service of 24 hours per week across five days, with 1 in 4 Saturday mornings (9am‑12pm) and no out‑of‑hours or on‑call duties.

Our clinics are designed with both patient comfort and team efficiency in mind, featuring spacious receptions with separate cat and dog waiting areas, two consult rooms, a dedicated theatre and prep area, a diagnostic suite with X‑ray, endoscopy, and ultrasound, and a fully equipped dental suite with dental X‑ray at Rathgael and Stormont.

You will be joining a close‑knit team of six vets, six RVNs, and 12 support staff, including receptionists, ACAs, administrators, and our practice manager. The clinical team includes certificate holders in General Practice, Small Animal Surgery, and Orthopaedics, and we pride ourselves on a culture of mentorship and continuous growth. As an accredited training practice, we support the development of future RVNs while actively investing in our team's ongoing CPD.

• Work‑life balance: 7 weeks annual leave, additional holiday entitlement for your birthday.
• Wellbeing: Enhanced family‑friendly policies (maternity, paternity, adoption, shared parental and surrogacy pay), private medical insurance, cycle‑to‑work scheme, discounted gym membership, non‑accidental injury support.
• Development: £1,250 CPD allowance, 40 hours paid CPD leave pro rata, certificate support, learning and development opportunities via the IVC Evidensia Academy, access to Vetlexicon, research funding opportunities, Infection Prevention and Control Programme, Quality Improvement Programme.
• Professional Memberships: VDS cover, RCVS fees, AVSPNI/NIVA.
• Additional: Pawsome Benefits reward gateway, pension 5% employee/3% employer, discounted staff pet care.

Located on the stunning shores of Belfast Lough, Bangor offers a perfect blend of coastal beauty and modern convenience with its picturesque marina, award‑winning parks, vibrant town centre, and easy access to Belfast.

Why our people matter:
We recognise that our people are fundamental to the success of our business and invest in people, premises, and processes at the heart of what we do.