Animal Care Assistant

Grade UE04: £26,093-28,778 per annum, pro rata R(D)SVS / Hospital for Small Animals Part Time: 30 hours per week (Working 2.30pm-8.30pm- shift time TBC with successful candidate) Open ended: Permanent Contract The Opportunity: Be part of something bigger, there’s a career for everyone at the University of Edinburgh. We are seeking a motivated and compassionate Animal Care Assistant (ACA) to support our clinical teams in delivering the highest standards of animal care within the Hospital for Small Animals.

Working primarily in our Intermediate Care ward alongside veterinary nurses and veterinary surgeons, you will play an important role in patient care by maintaining a clean and safe environment, assisting with the handling and husbandry of animals, preparing equipment and clinical areas, and supporting the day-to-day running of the hospital.

All of our Animal Care Assistants are expected to work across all areas of the hospital as needed. This is an excellent opportunity for someone who is passionate about animal welfare, enjoys working in a busy team environment, and is looking to develop experience within a leading veterinary referral hospital. Strong communication skills, a proactive approach, and a commitment to providing outstanding patient care are essential.

Our Specialist Services at HfSA include: Anaesthesia Cardiology Service Dermatology Diagnostic Imaging Dick Vet Rabbit and Exotic Practice Emergency & Critical Care The Feline Clinic The Internal Medicine Service Neurology and Neurosurgery Ophthalmology Service Orthopaedic Surgery Soft Tissue Surgery REPAIR Centre The Riddell-Swan Veterinary Cancer Centre The Behaviour Clinic Our hospital is equipped with: Three canine wards Four exotics wards One feline ward Purpose-built isolation units A fully equipped emergency room Dedicated Intermediate Care and Intensive Care Wards Four theatre suites MRI and CT imaging Vital Beam linear accelerator We offer a focused training programme to help you get started in the role.

During your first few weeks, you’ll shadow experienced colleagues and receive practical support to develop your knowledge and confidence. Any hours worked beyond your contracted weekly hours during training will be paid as overtime in line with university guidelines. View the full job description (opens in a new browser tab) How to apply Please include the following documents in your application:

• CV
• Cover letter As a valued member of our team, you can expect: A competitive salary. An exciting, positive, creative, challenging and rewarding place to work. To be part of a diverse and vibrant international community. Comprehensive Staff Benefits, including generous annual leave entitlement, a defined benefits pension scheme, a wide range of staff discounts, family-friendly initiatives, and flexible work options. Check out the full list on our staff benefits page (opens in a new tab) and use our reward calculator to discover the value of your pay and benefits. Championing equality, diversity, and inclusion The University of Edinburgh holds a Silver Athena SWAN award in recognition of our commitment to advance gender equality in higher education. We are members of the Race Equality Charter, and we are also a Stonewall Proud Employer, actively promoting LGBTQ+ equality. Prior to any employment commencing with the University, you will be required to evidence your right to work in the UK. Further information is available on our right to work webpages (opens new browser tab) The University is unable to sponsor the employment of international workers in this role. International applicants will therefore be unable to apply for and secure a Skilled Worker visa. They will only be able to take up this role if they can demonstrate an alternative right to work in the UK. Key dates to note The closing date for applications is 21 October 2026. Unless stated otherwise the closing time for applications is 11:59pm UK time. If you are applying outside the UK the closing time on our adverts automatically adjusts to your browsers local time zone. Interviews dates to be confirmed.