Overview
Veterinary Surgeon – Small Animal Focus (Mixed Practice)
Location: Old Church Vets, Donegal
Salary: Up to €60,000 DOE
Relocation Assistance: Up to €5,000 (T&C’s apply)
The Opportunity
Old Church Vets are on the lookout for an experienced and confident Small Animal Veterinary Surgeon who’s open to keeping a little variety in their work life. This role is built around small animal first opinion practice, with the added bonus of occasional large animal work as part of our well-structured, shared on-call rota.
Whether you’ve always worked in mixed practice or you’re a small animal vet looking to keep your hand in with occasional farm cases — we’d love to hear from you. This is a friendly, forward-thinking team where clinical independence is respected, support for your development is genuine, and your time off is exactly that — protected.
Responsibilities
* Handle a wide variety of small animal cases, both medical and surgical, with access to in-house facilities and minimal referrals.
* Support to take cases from consult to resolution and the option to follow clinical interests.
* As part of a mixed practice, participate in a shared on-call rota with occasional large animal work, with full support for those less experienced in farm animal care.
* Maintain a healthy work-life balance with protected time off and a structured rota.
Protected Time Off & Structured Rota
* Full-time hours: Monday–Friday, 9am–6pm
* Weekends/on-call: 1 in 5 Saturdays and 1 in 5 out-of-hours
* No phone triage: Calls are screened by senior admin staff before being passed to the vet on-call
* When you’re off — you’re off. Downtime is protected.
Investing in You
Career Development & CPD Support
* €1300 CPD allowance + 5 paid CPD days per year
* Certificate funding and encouragement to pursue further qualifications
* Leadership and non-clinical career paths available
Support That Grows With You
We offer guidance, autonomy, and encouragement to grow in a collaborative, open-minded team focused on clinical excellence — without ego.
About You
* You're a confident, capable vet with strong grounding in small animal first opinion work and enthusiasm for a supportive, mixed-practice team
* VCI registered and eligible to work in Ireland
* Minimum 2 years’ clinical experience
* Keen to grow, curious to learn
* Friendly, professional, and team-focused
* Comfortable with some large animal work or open to developing this with guidance
About Us – Old Church Veterinary Group
We’re an established mixed practice with a strong focus on progressive, compassionate care. Founded in 1954 in Ballyshannon, we operate from three locations: our flagship converted 19th-century church hospital in Donegal Town, plus clinics in Ballyshannon and Grange, Co. Sligo.
Caseload
* Small animals (majority of day-to-day)
* Farm animals (mainly suckler/beef and sheep)
* A limited number of equine clients
The Team & Equipment
The team: 9 vets, 6 RVNs, and excellent support staff
* Full IDEXX lab
* Ultrasound, X-ray, endoscopy
* Laser therapy, physiotherapy
* In-house fertility testing and orthopaedics
What We Offer (Benefits – Subject To Pro-rata)
In addition to a competitive salary, benefits include:
* 22 days Annual Leave & Birthday leave
* Paid Maternity, Paternity & Adoptive Leave Packages
* Cycle to Work Scheme
* Full access to EAP and Wellbeing Centre
* Paid Bereavement Leave & Company Sick Pay
* €1300 annual CPD allowance with 5 paid CPD days pro rata
* Funding of Certificates/Diplomas/PhD’s you pursue
* Career progression opportunities (clinical and non-clinical)
* VCI membership paid
* VDS cover paid
* Annual Pay Reviews
* Dedicated CARE fund – annual contribution of €1,100 from IVC Evidensia per Vet to use on a case (T&C’s apply)
* Pawesome Benefits – discounts and cashback with retailers
* Employer Pension Contributions
* Free Flu Inoculations
* Discounted Veterinary Fees
* Opportunity to join company programmes (LGBTQ+, Wellbeing Champions, Nurses Committee, Clinical Board, etc.)
Inclusion & Application
We are proud to be a BAME and LGBTQIA+ inclusive employer and a Disability Confident Employer. We welcome applications from all qualified individuals and are happy to discuss reasonable adjustments at any stage of the recruitment process.
Ready to Apply?
We’re not just hiring a vet — we’re welcoming a new team member. If this sounds like your kind of place, we’d love to chat. Apply now and discover what it’s like to work where wellbeing and growth matter as much as clinical skills.
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