Veterinary Surgeon - Small Animal

Saltcoats, Ayrshire, Scotland
Primary Care - Vet Surgeon – Small Animal /
Oaks Veterinary Centre, Saltcoats [1133] /
On-site

Salary up to £65,000 FTE DOE | Flexible Full-Time, Part-Time & Job Share Options

 

Oaks Vets is looking for an experienced Veterinary Surgeon to join our friendly and progressive small animal practice across our three well-established Ayrshire sites.

 

This is an excellent opportunity to become part of a highly collaborative team where clinical excellence, professional development, and exceptional patient care are at the heart of everything we do. You'll enjoy a varied first-opinion caseload across consultations, surgery, and diagnostics while working alongside experienced colleagues with a wide range of clinical interests and certificate qualifications.

 

Whether you're looking to further develop your surgical skills, pursue a certificate, or simply work within a supportive team that values work-life balance, Oaks Vets offers the environment and flexibility to help you thrive.

 

Practice Highlights

 

* Long-established, respected three-site small animal practice across Ayrshire
* Varied first-opinion caseload with a good balance of consultations and surgery
* Experienced clinical team including multiple certificate holders in Surgery, Medicine, Nutrition, Diagnostic Imaging/Radiography and Feline Medicine
* Support for both routine procedures and more advanced medical and surgical cases
* Opportunity to learn from colleagues currently undertaking Exotic Animal certificates and explore niche clinical interests
* Recently refurbished practice facilities with modern equipment
* Friendly, collaborative team culture with a strong focus on mentoring, knowledge sharing, and clinical development
* Opportunity to work across all three practices, providing a varied and rewarding working week

 

About inspiring vet care

 

Inspiring Vet Care is the UK and Europe's leading veterinary care group, made up of over 900 practices and referral hospitals, united by a shared purpose of happier animals and happier owners.

 

We believe careers should be built without limits. Our people are supported to make more clinical impact, access more career opportunities, and play an active role in their local and professional communities. Through investment in learning, innovation, and wellbeing, we create environments where our teams can grow in confidence, capability, and fulfilment at every stage of their career.

 

How You'll Make a Difference

 

As a Veterinary Surgeon, you'll play an important role in delivering exceptional clinical care while contributing to a supportive and collaborative team environment.

 

You'll be responsible for:

* Delivering high-quality small animal veterinary care across consultations, surgery, and diagnostics
* Managing a varied first-opinion caseload with clinical freedom and support from experienced colleagues
* Working collaboratively with certificate holders and the wider clinical team to provide the very best patient care
* Building strong relationships with clients through excellent communication and continuity of care
* Contributing to a positive team culture where learning and knowledge sharing are actively encouraged
* Developing your own clinical interests with the support of an experienced multidisciplinary team

 

Working Pattern

 

We're committed to offering genuine flexibility and welcome applications from both full-time and part-time Veterinary Surgeons.

 

Full-time:

 

* Flexible working pattern
* Opportunity to work across all three practice sites
* 1 in 11 full weekends
* 1 in 11 Saturday morning shift at our Largs practice
* Saturday shifts between 8:30am–4:00pm or 10:00am–4:00pm (depending on rota/site)
* No out-of-hours responsibilities

Part-time example:

 

* Approximately 25 hours across three days
* 8:30am–5:00pm working days
* 1 in 11 full weekends
* 1 in 11 Saturday morning at Largs

 

Part-time and job-share applications are warmly welcomed, and we're happy to discuss a working pattern that suits both you and the practice.

 

Life in Ayrshire

 

Based on Scotland's beautiful west coast, Oaks Vets offers an exceptional lifestyle with stunning beaches, coastal walks, and countryside right on your doorstep. With excellent transport links to Glasgow, you'll enjoy the perfect balance of relaxed coastal living while remaining within easy reach of one of Scotland's most vibrant cities.

 

Whether you enjoy outdoor adventures, watersports, golf, or exploring picturesque villages and local cafés, Ayrshire provides an outstanding quality of life both inside and outside of work.

 

How We'll Support You

 

We're committed to supporting your ongoing development and wellbeing. When you join Oaks Vets, you'll benefit from:

* Clear career pathways across primary care, referral, leadership, and specialist roles
* Funded CPD and access to IVC Academy training centres and role-specific learning
* £1,250 annual Care Fund for every vet
* Support to pursue certificates and develop clinical interests
* Access to experienced mentors, certificate holders, and regional clinical networks
* A collaborative, values-led culture focused on learning, wellbeing, and delivering exceptional patient care

What We Offer Our Team

 

* Salary up to £65,000 FTE depending on experience
* 6.6 weeks' holiday including bank holidays
* Private medical insurance
* Enhanced family leave and pay across maternity, paternity, adoption, and surrogacy
* BVA membership, VDS cover, and RCVS fees paid
* Cycle to Work and Green Car schemes (eligibility applies)
* Retail discounts and cashback offers
* Reduced-cost veterinary care for your own pets

£0 - £65,000 a year
Up to £65,000 FTE DOE
We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses and identifying potential inconsistencies or verification signals in application materials based on available information. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.