Animal Care Assistant - Nights

Job Info

• Job Identification 14577
• Locations Easter Bush Campus, Roslin, EH25 9RG
  , GB
• Organization Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, Edinburgh University Group
• Department Veterinary Clinical Services
• Apply Before 07/31/2026, 10:59 PM
• Exception for not advertising internal only (if applicable) High-turnover operational role
• Health and Safety Requirements Key hazards identified (plan is in place)
• Criminal Record Check No criminal record check required

plus 30 % premium band bonus on salaried hours

Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies / Hospital for Small Animals

8pm-8am shift times working a rolling 4 shifts on, 8 shifts off

Open-ended (permanent) contract

The Opportunity:

This is a demanding out-of-hours Animal Care role that calls for dedication, resilience, flexibility, and a proactive approach. You’ll need a strong work ethic and a commitment to delivering the highest standards of patient care.

Our dedicated night team covers 365 days a year, ensuring that we provide round‑time care to our patients. As part of this team, you’ll handle a wide variety of cases, from ward‑based patients—including felines, canines, and exotics—to those requiring intermediate and emergency critical care.

As part of this role you will be expected to cover and equal share of the annual leave in your pod of night ACAs, accruing paid overtime for all additional hours worked.

• Cleaning and maintaining kennels to the highest hygiene standards
• Supporting infection control protocols
• Feeding and grooming inpatients
• Walking dogs and providing enrichment
• Assisting vets and nurses with procedures involving dogs, cats, and exotic species
• Managing laundry and general patient care duties

• Three canine wards
• Four exotic wards
• One feline ward
• Purpose‑built isolation units
• A fully equipped emergency room
• Dedicated Intermediate Care and Intensive Care Wards

We’re proud to deliver the highest level of care (24/7 – 365 days) to patients with life‑threatening conditions as well as those with more routine needs, ensuring every animal receives the attention and expertise they deserve.

We offer a comprehensive 6–8 weeks training programme to help you settle into the role. You’ll normally start shadowing our friendly and experienced team during standard weekday daytime hours (Monday–Friday, 8:30am–5:00pm) to build your confidence and skills.

We welcome applications from all qualified candidates.

Please include the following documents in your application:

• CV

As a valued member of our team, you can expect:

An exciting, positive, creative, challenging and rewarding place to work.

Comprehensive Staff Benefits, including generous annual leave entitlement, a defined benefits pension scheme, a wide range of staff discounts, family‑friendly initiatives, and flexible work options. Check out the full list on our staff benefits page and use our reward calculator to discover the value of your pay and benefits.

Championing equality, diversity, and inclusion