Veterinary Surgeon Vacancy
Experienced Veterinary Surgeon — Part or Full Time, Knutsford, Cheshire
Independent small animal practice · 3–4 days per week
- Salary - £58,000 – £68,000 base (full-time equivalent, pro rata), depending on experience
- Experience - 5+ years post-qualification in small animal practice
- Hours - 3–4 days per week, part or full time · one Saturday morning a month (9am–12pm)
- Out of hours - None - OOH is provided by Vets Now
- Consults - 20 minutes as standard
- Start date - October 2026, flexible for the right candidate
- Location - Knutsford, Cheshire (WA16) — commutable from Manchester, Altrincham, Wilmslow, Macclesfield, Northwich and Warrington
The role
One of our vets is moving on this autumn, so we’re looking for an experienced veterinary surgeon (5+ years post-qualification) to join us — you’d be one of five vets, supported by a wider team of seven nurses, a VCA, four client care advisors and a practice manager. You’ll run your own consults, work up your own medical cases end-to-end, and operate regularly — dental, soft tissue and, if it’s your interest, orthopaedic and laparoscopic surgery.
This is a role for a vet who’s past being told how to practise. You’ll have 20-minute consults as standard, full case continuity with your own clients, and genuine clinical freedom — no corporate protocols, no referral targets, and directors who are practising vets themselves. Complex medical and surgical cases stay in-house wherever that’s right for the patient, so your caseload will stretch you. No on-call — out-of-hours is covered by Vets Now.
If you have a certificate — or an ambition to get one — we’ll back it with a flexible CPD allowance and a caseload to match, and there’s scope to help mentor and develop the wider clinical team as we grow.
Salary and benefits
Base salary of £58,000 – £68,000 FTE (pro rata), commensurate with experience. On top of that:
- 33 days’ holiday (pro rata, including bank holidays), rising with service from year 5
- Pension matched up to 8%
- Paid sabbatical after 10 years’ service
- Flexible CPD allowance — including support for post-graduate qualifications and certificates
- RCVS and VDS fees paid
- Life coaching twice a year, regular wellness check-ins, and a trained mental health first aider on the team
- Staff discount on veterinary care for your own pets
The practice
Knutsford Veterinary Surgery is an independent, family-owned small animal practice — established 2014, recently extended and fully renovated. We’re RCVS-accredited (Small Animal Practice), a Gold Cat Friendly Practice and a Dog Friendly Clinic, and an advocate for greener veterinary practice (the building runs on 32 solar panels).
Clinically, you’ll have what you need in-house:
- Full IDEXX in-house laboratory
- Laparoscopic surgery
- Ultrasound, DR and dental radiography
- Well-equipped theatres for dental, soft tissue and orthopaedic procedures
We reinvest in the team, the equipment and the building every year — because our aim is simple: to be the best independent vet practice in Cheshire.
Who we're looking for
- MRCVS (or eligible for RCVS registration) with 5+ years’ post-qualification experience in small animal practice
- Confident managing your own medical and surgical caseload from admission to discharge
- A vet who enjoys building long-term relationships with clients and patients — our clients see their vet, not whoever’s free
- Someone who shares our values: focus on the patient, care with passion, ownership, warmth, courage — and quality, trust and fun
- Surgical or medical special interests and certificates (held or in progress) actively welcomed and supported
Life at Knutsford Vets
We’re a close team and we work at making it one — team socials (yes, we’ve been caving), team-building days, and meals out. We foster a culture where everyone feels welcome and valued, and where it’s safe to ask for help.
How to apply
Send your CV and a short cover note to directors@knutsfordvetsurgery.co.uk or if you’d rather have an informal, confidential chat first, call Paul Adams on 01565 337999 — happy to arrange a visit so you can meet the team and see the practice.