Job Description

Our client, A Large public sector organisation, based in Newtownards is looking for an Veterinary Officer to join their team.
Duration: 6 Months with possible extension
Rate of pay: 29.55 (Saturday rate 40.25; Sunday rate 53.66)
Location: Newtownards
Hours: The normal conditioned hours of work are full-time: 37 hours, 7.4 hours per day (excluding meal breaks). In Field posts the hours of work are normally Monday to Friday. In addition, appointees will be required to participate on weekly Veterinary Officer on-call rotas covering weekends and evenings - the on-call rotas are currently under review. An on-call allowance will be paid for any on call rotas in line with the NICS HR Handbook. Along with all staff within the Group, as required, successful candidates will also be required to attend work out of hours in the event of an epizootic disease outbreak. These events are uncommon. Any work outside of normal hours will be paid in line with the NICS HR Handbook.
Main Duties:
As a Field Veterinary Officer, you will be the first point of contact for farmers, private veterinary surgeons, and industry stakeholders, providing essential veterinary leadership at a local level. You will play a key role in ensuring animal health and welfare, supporting trade, and protecting public health by leading disease surveillance, control, and eradication programmes.
Your work will focus on:
Managing and auditing disease control programmes for enzootic (endemic) and epizootic (high-risk) diseases.
Ensuring compliance with animal welfare standards and traceability requirements through inspections and enforcement.
Supporting trade facilitation, ensuring animals and products meet export requirements.
Providing veterinary expertise across specialisms such as pigs, sheep, and aquatics.
Offering relief cover for Official Veterinary roles at ports and meat processing facilities. This role requires strong leadership, decision-making, and collaboration, ensuring that Northern Ireland's agricultural sector remains resilient, compliant, and competitive.
ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA:
1a. Be a Member or Fellow of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (MRCVS/FRCVS)
OR
1b. Be eligible to seek membership of the RCVS*

• Please note that the successful applicants, if not already fully registered with the RCVS, will be required to obtain registration in a timescale deemed reasonable by the Department and prior to taking up appointment, and must remain on the register while in the post.

AND
2. Have at least two year's post-graduation experience working with farmed animals or in veterinary public health
Travel:
The post holder will be required to travel on official duty throughout Northern Ireland, and on occasions, within the United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland and elsewhere as required. This includes travel to remote and rural locations, often inaccessible by public
transport. It is therefore essential that applicants have access to a form of transport which will permit them to meet the requirements of the post in full, in line with the NICS HR Travel and Subsistence Policy
Medical:
All successful candidates will initially be required to undergo a Tuberculosis assessment if immunity is not already established.
**The successful candidates will be required to start once the vetting paperwork and ANI completed.**
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