Job Description

Job Opportunity: Senior Veterinary Inspector

Location:

Based at either Galashiels or Hamilton, with travel required across the delivery area and wider GB as required

Contract:

Until 03/07/2026 (potential extension subject to business need)

Working Pattern:

Monday-Friday, 08:30am - 17:00pm


(On-call and weekend work may be required during outbreak or emergency response activity)



We are seeking an experienced

Senior Veterinary Inspector (SVI)

to support the Animal & Plant Health Agency (APHA) in delivering frontline veterinary operational services. This role is critical to safeguarding animal health and welfare, protecting public health, and supporting national disease control, surveillance and regulatory enforcement activities.



This is an operational delivery role suited to veterinarians with strong professional judgement, the ability to work independently, and experience operating in complex, fast-moving and high-pressure environments.

About the Role

Your duties will include:

Supporting incident and notifiable disease outbreak response, including participation in local and national contingency planning and exercises. Providing authoritative veterinary advice and decision-making at individual premises level during disease investigations and emergency situations. Undertaking veterinary investigations to support the detection, diagnosis and control of notifiable, endemic and emerging animal diseases. Collecting, reviewing and interpreting veterinary data, intelligence and evidence to inform regulatory and operational decisions. Supporting inspection, surveillance, compliance and enforcement activity in line with UK legislation, policy and operating procedures. Producing clear, accurate and timely reports, records and documentation to meet audit and regulatory requirements. Engaging professionally with animal keepers, industry representatives and operational partners to promote compliance and best practice. Participating in duty, on-call and out-of-hours rotas, including nights, weekends and public holidays where required, to ensure emergency response capability. Maintaining professional competence through CPD and contributing to organisational learning and continuous improvement.

This role may involve travel across the delivery area, detached duty during outbreaks, and flexible deployment in response to operational priorities.

What We're Looking For

A qualified veterinarian with practical experience across veterinary operational delivery. Strong knowledge of animal health and welfare legislation, notifiable disease control and outbreak response. Experience in surveillance, inspection, regulatory enforcement or emergency response is highly desirable. Ability to make sound, evidence-based decisions independently and under pressure. Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the production of clear and accurate reports. Ability to work effectively within a multi-disciplinary team and engage confidently with stakeholders. Member or Fellow of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS). Full right to work in the UK as sponsorship is not available. Full UK driving licence and willingness to travel using own vehicle where required.




If you would like more information or know someone who may be suitable, please click

apply

to submit your application.