Are you an experienced small animal vet who loves delivering outstanding care and inspiring a team?
At Selworthy Vets, nestled in beautiful Kingsbridge, Devon, you’ll have the autonomy to lead, mentor, and make a real impact every day.
We’re seeking a Senior Small Animal Veterinary Surgeon to join our close-knit, independent mixed practice. This is an exciting opportunity to help shape the direction of our small animal team while enjoying genuine autonomy and a fantastic work-life balance — with the chance to step into a Clinical Lead position within 6–12 months.
About Selworthy Vets
For over 35 years, we’ve proudly served the South Hams community, providing a personal, caring, and professional service for animals large and small. As a family-run independent practice, we combine traditional values with the benefits of a purpose-built, modern facility and a skilled, supportive team.
Thomas joined Selworthy Vets in 2017 as a partner and became the sole owner in 2021. Since then, the practice has continued to grow and evolve, expanding both its team and services to meet the needs of our clients and their pets.
Our 8-vet team includes 3.5 FTE small animal vets, alongside mixed, equine and farm vets. We are supported by our fantastic nursing team, which includes 6 experienced RVNs and 2 SVNs, plus our wonderful receptionists and a management team who all share the same passion. Together, we foster a positive and progressive culture, encouraging collaboration as we strive for clinical excellence.
Our purpose-built surgery features:
* Separate dog and cat wards plus isolation unit
* Modern operating theatre and prep room
* Dedicated dental suite with dental X-ray
* Imaging suite (DR X-ray, ultrasound, endoscopy, and gastroscopy)
* Full in-house laboratory (including Imagyst)
* Hydrotherapy and physiotherapy facilities
And the best bit? We have space to grow, and we want you to have a say in how we do it. Whether it’s adding extra consult rooms or a second theatre as our surgical caseload expands, you can play an active role in shaping those plans, ensuring our facilities evolve to meet the needs of our patients and our team. We’re also working toward cat-friendly accreditation, reflecting our ongoing commitment to continuous improvement and exceptional care.
The Role
This is a Senior Small Animal Vet position for someone who is confident in both medicine and surgery and enjoys leading by example. You’ll be a key part of our leadership team, helping to shape how we work and supporting colleagues to reach their full potential.
We’re looking for someone with proven leadership experience — a vet ready to take ownership, inspire, and support the team, while helping drive the practice forward as we continue to grow.
In this role, you will:
* Deliver outstanding clinical care across a varied and interesting caseload
* Provide guidance and mentor our new grads and junior vets, sharing your expertise generously
* Take an active role in continuously improving clinical standards, refining protocols, and supporting team development
* Work closely with the Directors to influence and evolve our small animal services
We’re especially keen to strengthen our medicine offering, but whether your expertise lies in medicine, surgery, or another area entirely, what matters most is your drive to lead, collaborate, and deliver exceptional care .
Why You’ll Love Working Here
At Selworthy, we believe in doing things properly; taking time with clients, supporting our team, and never compromising on care. You’ll be joining a genuinely friendly, experienced team who look out for each other, celebrate each other’s wins, and still find time for a catch-up and a laugh between consults (fuelled, of course, by our rather decent coffee machine).
The Rota
This is a full-time role with a 4-day week and a set day off, giving you a great work-life balance. Your days will include a mix of surgery and consults, with dedicated admin time and a proper lunch break.
Our out-of-hours service is run entirely by our own team, so clients always see familiar faces, day or night. You will only be on-call for small animal cases, and OOH shifts are fully supported by an experienced RVN who provides on-site inpatient care and triage.
OOH commitment:
* 1 weeknight on-call
* 1 in 4 weekends, including Saturday morning consults
This rota offers the chance to maintain continuity of care for your patients while enjoying predictable, manageable hours and excellent team support.
What We Offer
* Salary £60,000–£75,000 (DOE)
* Opportunity to progress to Clinical Lead within 6–12 months
* 6.6 weeks holiday
* CPD fully supported and funded, including certificates
* RCVS, VDS, and one membership of your choice paid
* Accommodation available (or potential for tax-free local rental support)
* Quarterly funded team wellbeing days – your choice of activity
* Company pension
* Well-behaved dogs welcome at work
* Weekly fruit box and a seriously good coffee machine
* Cycle to Work scheme
* Supportive, family-feel culture with plenty of autonomy and respect
Why Kingsbridge?
If you’re craving a better quality of life, you’ll find it here. Nestled between Plymouth and Exeter, Kingsbridge offers the best of Devon — stunning beaches, rolling countryside, and Dartmoor on your doorstep, with easy access to the buzz of the city when you want it. Whether you love paddleboarding, coastal walks, or pub lunches after a sea swim, it’s a truly enviable place to live and work.
If you’re ready to take the next step in your career and make a meaningful impact in a practice that values independence, teamwork, and clinical excellence, we’d love to hear from you. Call us for an informal chat or apply today and discover how good independent practice can be.