As an Animal Health Officer within Animal Plant Health Office, you will play a role in protecting the UK from animal and plant related threats to human health, the economy and the environment.
Are you caring, conscientious and an excellent team worker?
Do you enjoy working outside?
If the answer is ‘yes’, you should come and work for APHA!
Please see our video below for information and our capability document here.
Animal Health Officer - Video
Drop in
Whilst the advert provides the essential details, we will also be holding a virtual drop-in session on Wednesday 28th January at 1300hrs. This session will be an opportunity to ask questions related to the job and the application process.
To join the session, click on this link at 13:00 on 28/01/26.
For any additional queries, please raise enquiries via: HRResourcingDelivery@defra.gov.uk
We have four permanent vacancies based at the following locations:
Perth
Ayr
Hamilton
Inverness or Thurso (the post can be based in either office)
Working as part of Technical Team, you will be instrumental in helping to safeguard animal health and welfare. Through engaging with inspections, surveillance and collecting samples, you will be contributing to the control and eradication of disease to protect both the economy and food security.
We are looking for compassionate, dedicated individuals who strive for excellence and integrity and who put animal health and welfare at the heart of everything they do.
Job Description
As a field-based Animal Health Officer (AHO) your duties will include, but not limited to the following:
* blood sampling of livestock species including cattle, sheep, pigs and poultry (after suitable training)
* collecting blood samples from bTB breakdown cattle herds, including suckler, beef and dairy herds
* conducting documentation inspections on animal identification, animal movement, breeding, medicine and other written or electronic records for audit and disease control and surveillance purposes
* collecting samples for National Surveillance Schemes including feed samples from farms, feed mills and feed merchants
* collecting samples and information for disease surveys
* managing compliance inspections for premises handling animal by-products e.g., rendering plants, composting sites, hunt kennels and knackers\' yards
* playing an active part in contingency planning so the agency is able to respond to outbreaks of exotic notifiable disease and other emergencies
* undertaking allocated rostered out of hours on-call duties to deal with incidents and to support disease outbreak reports
* participating as directed, to contribute to the control and the eradication of the disease including taking part in rosters for detached duty to other parts of Great Britain during outbreaks of notifiable disease
* working with a diverse team, both locally and across Great Britain, including other technical colleagues, veterinary surgeons and scientists during notifiable disease outbreaks
Support and Training
All successful candidates will be provided with an extensive programme of training and support as part of their induction into working with APHA. Some training will involve travel and overnight stays.
APHA appreciates the varying level of experiences and skills successful candidates will hold on joining the agency. Training material is designed to ensure all new entrants, to APHA, build suitable confidence and competencies to deliver the work.
New AHO staff will be part of regional, country and GB wide teams who will be provided with widespread support on all facets of APHA work.
Person specification
We are looking for candidates with the following essential experience and skills:
* an agricultural background, an agricultural qualification or have knowledge of the agricultural industry
* high standards of written and spoken English and can communicate effectively about animal health topics with all stakeholders including customers, service users and colleagues
* knowledge of basic Health and Safety and an understanding of safe working on farms and with livestock and poultry
* able to work alone or as part of team, to take responsibility and remain positive and focused in the face of challenge
* experience with excellent record keeping, auditing processes and maintaining quality
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