Veterinary Surgeon

Ready to embrace island life and develop your career within a supportive team? Join us at Strand Vets, a thriving independent practice with big plans and work a stone's throw from the beach

We are a three-vet mixed practice on the Isle of Man in a unique and beautiful location overlooking the sea. We have grown rapidly since Ciara, the principal vet, took the reins in 2009. To keep the momentum going, we're expanding our team and are looking for a mixed, small animal or small animal plus equine vet to join us. We have big plans for the future; our ultimate goal is to build the island’s first veterinary hospital and dedicated equine practice, and we’ve taken our first steps towards this goal by purchasing the new premises for the equine clinic.

There is so much opportunity to grow your knowledge and develop your career here, and we can offer genuine long-term partnership prospects for the right candidate. We’re a relaxed and flexible practice and will work with you to develop whichever aspect of practice is your passion. We will give you all the tools and support you need, whether that’s through mentorship, training or investing in new equipment. We/'re forward-thinking and committed to providing the best care possible for all our patients. We were the first (and are still the only) practice on the island to offer laparoscopy, and we’re happy to train you in this skill.

Our largest caseload is small animals (around 75-80%), combined with about 10-15% equine work and a smaller amount of farm (mainly dairy) practice, although there is scope to increase the farm side if this interests you. We also work with local charities to care for wild birds.

Ciara graduated from Edinburgh in 2004 and enjoys all aspects of mixed practice. She is also a member of the Association of British Veterinary Acupuncture, which enables us to offer acupuncture to our small and equine patients. Andrei is also passionate about horses and is studying towards his Equine certificate.

This is what Jo Keenan, an RVN who recently locumed with us, said about Strand Vets: “I just wanted to say thank you for having me work at your practice, it has been an absolute pleasure. You and your team are lovely people, and you have a great practice. The island is an added bonus, and I have enjoyed every minute. You have all made me feel very welcome. Thank you so much for having me. I will miss it. I have to say, anyone you take on will be very lucky to be joining you guys.”

We are a very supportive team and have a zero-tolerance policy for abuse toward our staff, but fortunately, we have rarely had to enact it. We are confident in our approach and always want to do our best. Sometimes, that has unfortunately meant telling clients that we are just not the right fit for them.

About the role
We’re looking for a vet with some experience or who has completed their VetGDP. Whether your interests are small animal, farm, equine, or all three, we can absolutely accommodate them. With a mix of consults, ops, and visits, there is plenty of time to hone your existing skills and grow your knowledge.

We have an excellent work-life balance to enjoy the amazing surroundings, and our last consult is at 5.45 pm. We keep the last few appointments for emergencies only, so there’s time to catch up on admin or phone calls and be out the door at 6.30 pm. We are really flexible with the rota and are happy to accommodate a 4 or 4.5-day week or part-time hours, whichever you prefer, with a 1:4 share of weekends.Our out-of-hours are generally quiet, and as there are no routine weekend consults, you can be on-call from home. However, if you are called out, you will receive 1/3 of the professional fees generated, which last year, for one vet, was around an extra £8,000 on top of their salary.

About the Isle of Man
The Isle of Man is a self-governing British crown dependency located in the Irish Sea, roughly halfway between England and Ireland. Travel links between the Island, the UK, and Ireland are good, with frequent ferries and flights.

It’s an incredibly beautiful island, just 33 miles long and 13 miles wide. It’s renowned for its stunning countryside and coastline and is a haven for nature lovers. There’s so much to do here, from hiking, mountain biking and coasteering to watersports, including paddleboarding, windsurfing or sea kayaking, where you can explore hidden marine caves and, if you’re lucky, spot some of the dolphins, basking sharks and seals that call the Manx waters home. It’s generally a very peaceful and safe place to live, although we get a yearly shot of adrenaline when the TT motorcycle races come to town

We have low taxation on the island, meaning you/'ll take home a larger portion of your salary than in an equivalent mainland position.

The Package:

Salary of £34,000 - £65,000, plus generous OOH bonus (see above)

Unlimited CPD budget, and we are happy to support certificates

Paid membership subscription for your area of interest

Relocation package available, and we can offer assistance with a visa application for the right applicant

Company vehicle available for work use

If you want to know more about us, please call for an informal chat or apply now if this sounds like what you’ve been looking for. We would also be happy to fully fund an interview so you can meet us, see our fantastic island, and practice.

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