Veterinary Nurse – Small Animal

Raheny Veterinary Hospital, North Dublin

Full-time | 12-Month Fixed-Term Contract (Maternity Cover)

Salary €32,000–€35,000 DOE

Start Date: September 2026 (flexible)

Looking for the Perfect First Step – or a Fresh Opportunity?

Whether you’re just about to qualify in 2026 or already working as a Veterinary Nurse and looking for a change, this is a fantastic opportunity to join a welcoming, highly regarded hospital team in Raheny. This maternity cover role is about supporting an already strong team during an exciting period of growth and development. It’s particularly well-suited to graduate or junior nurses looking for a supportive, confidence-building environment, but we’re equally open to nurses with more experience who want to develop further within a busy hospital setting.

A Brilliant Place to Start – and Grow

This role offers the kind of experience that helps you become a confident, capable nurse. You’ll be fully supported from day one, with structured onboarding, hands-on training, and a team that genuinely enjoys helping each other succeed. Raheny has been recognised internally as one of the best teams in the group, known for its friendly atmosphere, strong collaboration, and positive culture. It’s an environment where you can ask questions, build your skills, and feel part of something. At the same time, we’re undergoing major renovations and investment into the hospital, making it an incredibly exciting time to join. You’ll be part of a practice that is evolving, improving, and continuing to raise standards of care.

A Varied and Rewarding Nursing Role

This is a hands-on clinical role where no two days are the same. You’ll be involved in all aspects of nursing, from surgical support and anaesthesia monitoring through to inpatient care, diagnostics, and nurse consultations. The caseload is varied, with a good balance of medical and surgical work, allowing you to develop a broad and interesting skillset. There is a real focus on quality patient care and clinical work-ups, rather than fast turnover, giving you the opportunity to fully engage in cases and see them through. You’ll work closely with vets and colleagues across the team, playing an active role in patient care and the overall client journey.

A Structured Role with Work-Life Balance

The role is based on a 5-day week, with a mix of early and late shifts (typically between 7:30am and 9pm), alongside a shared weekend rota of approximately 1 in 6 Saturdays. Importantly, there is no out-of-hours or on-call requirement, allowing you to enjoy a healthy balance between your work and personal life. Flexibility is offered where possible, in line with the needs of the clinic.

A Supportive, Community-Focused Hospital

Raheny Veterinary Hospital is a long-established, community-focused practice with strong, lasting relationships with its clients. The clinic is well-equipped with modern facilities including digital and dental X-ray, ultrasound, endoscopy, in-house laboratory equipment, and dedicated surgical and inpatient areas. You’ll be joining a large, experienced team of vets, nurses, animal care assistants, and support staff, all working closely together. The culture is built on kindness, teamwork, and mutual support, with a shared goal of delivering excellent patient care while enjoying the work we do.

About You

We’re looking for a Veterinary Nurse who enjoys working as part of a team and takes pride in patient care. You’ll be organised, proactive, and comfortable in a busy clinical environment, with strong communication skills and a positive attitude. This role is ideal for new graduates joining the register in 2026 who want a structured and supportive start to their careers. It also suits nurses with some experience who are keen to continue developing within a larger hospital environment. You’ll need to be eligible for VCI registration to be considered.

Benefits (Pro-Rata)

We offer a competitive and well-rounded benefits package, which is applied on a pro-rata basis for this fixed-term role. This includes 22 days annual leave plus birthday leave, paid maternity, paternity and adoptive leave schemes, cycle-to-work, and access to our employee wellbeing programme, including EAP services and wellbeing resources.

We’re committed to your development, with a €600 CPD allowance and paid CPD days, access to our Graduate Nurse Academy and internal training programmes, and full support for further qualifications or certificates. Professional memberships (VCI and VDS) are covered, and there are clear opportunities for career progression.

Additional benefits include annual pay reviews, pension contributions, staff discounts on veterinary fees, retail and lifestyle discounts through our benefits platform, and access to wider company initiatives and communities.

Join Us at an Exciting Time

This is more than a maternity cover role – it’s an opportunity to build your confidence, develop your skills, and be part of a genuinely supportive team during a really exciting phase of growth and investment.

If you’re looking for a place where you’ll be encouraged, supported, and valued from day one, Raheny could be the perfect next step.