Small Animal Veterinary Surgeon

After five years with us, one of our vets has been tempted by sunnier climes and is relocating to Singapore… so we’re on the search for the next superstar small animal vet to join our team!

About us

Riverside Vets is a proudly independent, first-opinion small animal practice in Bishopstoke, Hampshire. We run our own out-of-hours service for our clients only, and we’re big believers in continuity of care, clinical freedom and doing things properly
.

You’ll be joining a settled, experienced team of six small-animal vets, brilliant RVNs and dedicated support staff who have built a culture we’re incredibly proud of.

What matters most to us is how we work together. The team shares cases, backs each other through busy days and celebrates the good ones.

The practice closes every Wednesday lunchtime for an hour and a half. We eat together, catch up, run CPD sessions or sit quietly with a cup of tea. It’s protected time and one of our favourite traditions.

Meet the team

Across our vet team, there is a real mix of experience, interests and clinical strengths.

Our clinical director,
Bridget
, qualified in 2002 and has been with Riverside ever since, following a stint working with SPANA in Morocco. She holds a GP Certificate in Feline Practice and is our go-to for all things feline, alongside her continued enthusiasm for both medicine and surgery.

Heidi qualified as a vet in 2012 and completed her certificate in Dentistry and Oral Surgery. She has particular interests in dentistry, cardiology and soft tissue surgery.

Jess joined us in 2019 and enjoys a mixed caseload, with interests in emergency and critical care, completing an ECC certificate last year.

Huriye graduated in 2022 and joined us in 2023. She has a passion for cats, perhaps stemming from her Cypriot roots.

Hunter joined us in 2023 and has developed an interest in complementary medicine and acupuncture, completing his Mixed Practice Acupuncture Course with Chi University the same year.

Elizabeth joined us in 2025 and is enjoying building her confidence and experience across general practice.

Many of our directors and senior team members have grown their careers here, developing from new graduates into experienced clinicians and leaders. It’s something we’re really proud of and keen to continue.

Bishopstoke is perfectly located for a great work-life balance
. You’ll have countryside walks in the New Forest and South Downs on your doorstep, the coast within easy reach, and London just over an hour away by train.

We are looking for someone who will slot naturally into this environment
. Kind, capable and clinically solid, with a genuine appreciation for being part of a team that enjoys working together alongside personal growth.

You will have experience in delivering high standards of medical and surgical care with real continuity.

This is a full-time role
, based on:

• 4-day week
  , averaging around 36 hours
• A mix of consulting and surgery, with at least one dedicated ops day per week
• 20-minute consultations as standard
• Varied shifts: 8 to 4, 9 to 5, 9 to 7 and 11 to 7
• No more than two 7 pm finishes per week

• Our own clients only
• Currently 1 in 6 duty weekends (Maximum 1:4)
• Saturday consults are separate from duty weekends
• Time off in lieu is given for Saturdays worked
• On-site accommodation available if preferred
• Clinical director available for backup

The rota has evolved with input from the team over time and is designed to be fair, sustainable, and to allow genuine downtime, including the occasional long weekend.

• Salary from £42,000 to £55,000, depending on experience
• On-site OOH accommodation
• Minimum 6 weeks’ holiday
  , increasing with length of service
• CPD actively encouraged
  , with certificates supported and funded
• RCVS & VDS paid
• Independent practice with genuine clinical freedom
• Well-equipped practice: digital endoscopy, dental x-ray, in-house lab, ultrasound and all the usual toys
• Established, loyal client base and strong community reputation

Unfortunately, we are unable to offer visa sponsorship at this time.

Interested? If you’re looking for a supportive, down-to-earth team where colleagues back each other up, share laughs, and celebrate the wins together, we’d love to hear from you. Apply now or get in touch for an informal chat — we’d be happy to introduce you to the team so you can see what working at Riverside is really like.